Kelly Hrudey is out at Sportsnet, a move that changes the network's hockey room before a single head coach opens training camp.
The longtime Hockey Night in Canada analyst confirmed Wednesday that Sportsnet won't renew his contract for the 2026-27 season.
Hrudey said he received the news on June 19, ending a run that stretched across nearly 30 years of national hockey coverage.
“Big changes in my life,” Hrudey said while addressing viewers in a social media video announcing his departure.
The 65-year-old made one point clear as speculation immediately shifted toward the possibility that he was stepping away from broadcasting.
“This is not a retirement,” Hrudey said, leaving the door open for another television, radio or media opportunity.
Sportsnet loses a familiar Hockey Night voice
Hrudey joined CBC full-time in 1998 after completing a 677-game NHL career with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.
His broadcasting work had already started during his final four playing seasons, when he contributed to Hockey Night in Canada's playoff coverage after his club was eliminated.
Hrudey moved with the national broadcast package to Sportsnet in 2014. He became a regular studio analyst and also worked Calgary Flames games from the broadcast booth.
That versatility made him one of the network's most recognizable voices. He could break down goaltending details, debate a coach's deployment or handle the pace of a live game.
His farewell message focused heavily on the people working behind the cameras, including producers, directors, control-room staff and members of the production crew.
“You weren't a coworker to me, you were a friend,” Hrudey said while thanking the people who shared the studio and broadcast booth with him.
Sportsnet hasn't announced what triggered the decision or who could replace Hrudey on its national panels. His exit still leaves a noticeable opening beside Ron MacLean, Kevin Bieksa, Jennifer Botterill and Elliotte Friedman.
Hrudey didn't reveal his next destination, but his refusal to call the move a retirement suggests his broadcasting career isn't finished. The next network now gets a familiar voice with decades of credibility.
Did Sportsnet make a mistake by moving on from Kelly Hrudey?
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