Thursday's FTB: Sportsnet changes broadcast system and costs

The above announces that SN will lift the "regional blackout" on 150 games, but they do not specify which games or what service of SN will carry them.

A few reminders on how this works:

Sportsnet has the right to broadcast every NHL hockey game in Canada. They then sell off some of the rights to other broadcasters and/or streaming services.
Amazon Prime (Canada) has purchased the exclusive rights to some games, and they are not on SN.
Some Sportsnet games are only broadcast on their Ontario or their Western channels, not their nationally available channels.
TSN has purchased regional rights to some games in several markets, including the "Leafs Region" which is most of Ontario with the Senators region chopped out of it.
French-language rights are held by TVA.
In the past, any game that is on TSN in the Leafs Region is on SN+ (the streaming service) outside that region. In the region, you must have TSN, outside the region, you must have SN+.
SN is both a television channel and a streaming service. If you have SN through a television provider, you can log into SN+ online. In the past this was free, and only SN+ Premium cost more money. See below for changes.

Changes to this include some mechanism, not explained at this time, to open up those 150 games sold under regional rights to SN subscribers. Again, how many of those will be Leafs games is unknown. What sort of SN subscription is required is not clarified. Are they referring to TSN's games or the games they restrict to localized Sportsnet stations? Unknown.

Other changes include some increased regular national coverage from SN in addition to their Saturday Night Hockey broadcast which replaces HNIC:

Monday Night Hockey 

Monday Night Hockey returns on October 5 and, new this season, will stream exclusively on Sportsnet+. Hockey Central, hosted by David Amber alongside analysts Luke Gazdic and Justin Williams, brings fans a second weekly national showcase featuring Canadian NHL teams.

All Sportsnet+ subscribers get this exclusive content as part of their subscription package. Fans who currently subscribe to Sportsnet through a TV provider can access Monday Night Hockey and more than 100 additional US team matchups by signing into Sportsnet+ with their TV provider credentials and upgrading to add this content for $12.99/month. The add-on package for TV subscribers will be available for purchase beginning on September 15.

Visit sportsnet.ca for the full Monday Night Hockey schedule on Sportsnet+. 

To emphasize: what was previously free with your TV package now costs $13 a month. However, their FAQ contains this exception:

I’m a Rogers or Shaw TV customer, do I need the add-on subscription?

Rogers, Rogers West and Shaw Direct customers who have Sportsnet in their TV package will receive access to this content and do not need to purchase the add-on to stream exclusive Sportsnet+ content.

I count 13 Leafs games on this Monday schedule, which will now be available only on SN+.

New this season is a feature only available on Sportsnet+ Premium that allows you to choose the home or away broadcast. The Premium service includes the full slate of out-of-market games as well as other non-hockey content that is upgraded from the non-premium verstion.

And now the prices:

Sportsnet+ is available for purchase in four ways:

Sportsnet+ STANDARD ($29.99/month or $249.99/year): This pass gives access to Sportsnet’s elite lineup of sports and channels. Regional NHL restrictions apply.

Sportsnet+ PREMIUM ($42.99/month or $324.99/year): More leagues and content, including over 1,000 NHL games. Regional NHL restrictions apply.

And while we're on this topic, remember that the price for TSN+ has gone up and is now also $250 a year.

The Sun's take:

Tickets prices went up and now more Leaf games on the broadcast platform come with a streaming cost: https://t.co/BUvLXQhnq3
— Lance Hornby 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@sunhornby) September 9, 2026

Mikhail Yegorov has been one of my favorite goalies to speak with, even before he built out his own public stats site to track his season.

My latest for @eliteprospects on the Devils prospect and his search for a fuller picture of his gamehttps://t.co/IsoI6J9CP5
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) September 9, 2026

John Tavares said that Gavin McKenna will be living with him and his family this year.

Tavares had Easton Cowan living with him last year.
— Michael Traikos (@Michael_Traikos) September 9, 2026

The process seems to confuse people who tend to see things in confrontational terms. This explanation below covers the steps involved after a player and a team have decided on termination as a mutual benefit:

If a player is willing to have his contract terminated, the team & player coordinate for him to breach his contract, the team terminates, and the player does not file a grievance for the termination.

Kreider is in the final year of a $7M cap hit contract. After receiving a $1M… https://t.co/s8BmdipAqa
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) September 9, 2026

The Ducks wanted to move him out, and didn't like their trade offers, and Kreider wants control over where he goes. This is the end result.

Kreider will become a UFA, albeit not at an opportune time. He is 35, which makes him eligible for bonuses in his contract if he signs for one year. He also had 50 points in 75 games with the Ducks last year, and seven in 12 playoff games. (Playing on Carlsson's wing.) He was on Team USA at 4 Nations two years ago, so he is hardly ready to retire.

Kreider is a very good example of a good player who had a terrible season on a spiralling team (the Rangers) as their relationship soured. He bounced back convincingly in Anaheim playing with very good players.

If the Leafs hadn't stocked up on similar players, they'd likely have been interested, but for amusement sake, the Flyers should sign him. They kicked him loose from the Ducks after all.

Everything sounds good here, but it is not yet confirmed anyone who was injured will start the season on time: