Jennifer Botterill is out of Sportsnet's NHL studio lineup as the network rolls out a major broadcast shakeup for the 2026-27 season.
The new-look Saturday Night Hockey panel will feature Elliotte Friedman, Kevin Bieksa, Colby Armstrong and longtime host Ron MacLean.
Sportsnet's Monday night crew is changing too. David Amber will host the Sportsnet+ broadcast alongside former NHLers Luke Gazdic and Justin Williams.
But one detail from the announcement quickly became impossible to ignore: Sportsnet's opening NHL studio lineup doesn't include a single woman.
Botterill is the biggest absence. The three-time Olympic gold medalist and recent Hockey Hall of Fame inductee spent more than five years working as an analyst across the network's NHL coverage.
Her exit had been discussed before the official lineup was unveiled, with reports indicating her contract wasn't expected to be renewed.
Jennifer Botterill exit puts spotlight on Sportsnet
Elliotte Friedman addressed the changes on his podcast and made it clear Botterill's departure will be felt. He also acknowledged longtime colleagues Kelly Hrudey and Scott Oake, with Oake retiring.
Caroline Cameron is another notable absence. She remains with Sportsnet but is currently on maternity leave and won't be part of the network's broadcasts when the NHL season opens.
That leaves Sportsnet without a woman in a studio or rinkside NHL role to begin the season, creating immediate criticism around the makeup of its new broadcast teams.
The timing stands out because Sportsnet is trying to sell viewers on a refreshed era of hockey coverage.
The network is also expanding access by lifting 150 regional blackouts and making more than 550 games nationally available, one of the biggest changes attached to its new setup.
Friedman and Bieksa returning together gives Saturday nights two familiar personalities, while Armstrong adds another established voice to the desk.
But Botterill's absence has turned what was supposed to be a celebration of Sportsnet's revamped NHL coverage into a much tougher conversation before puck drop.
Did Sportsnet make a mistake by leaving Jennifer Botterill out of its new NHL studio lineup?
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