Watching hockey in Canada used to be a point of national pride, a shared experience that brought everyone together. Now? Forget about it. You might catch glimpses of greatness like Connor McDavid’s historic assist streak, but only if you are shelling out extra cash for specific streaming services, apparently. It is getting harder and more expensive just to see the game.
McDavid’s Record-Breaking Start Goes Unseen
Just sixteen games into the season, Oilers captain Connor McDavid has already racked up 31 assists. That is absolutely wild. He is the fastest player in NHL history to hit that milestone, period. But here is the kicker: on October 26, when the Oilers played the Detroit Red Wings and McDavid got one of those assists, many fans in Edmonton could not even watch him. Seriously, even a local bar was blocked out! This one game was just a preview, too, one of nine Oilers games this season that are exclusively locked behind a premium streaming subscription. So, McDavid is putting on a show, making history, and Canadian fans are missing it because of broadcast changes.
The Streaming Grab Bag That Is Dividing Fans
This is not just an Edmonton problem. This is the new reality in every single Canadian NHL city. A handful of games for each team are now only available if you fork over $12.99 a month for Sportsnet+, a streaming channel owned by Canadian telecom giant Rogers Communications Inc., who, by the way, also own the Toronto Maple Leafs. But wait, there is more! The NHL also expanded its deal with Amazon. So, two nights after the Red Wings game, when the Oilers faced their provincial rival, the Calgary Flames, only Amazon Prime subscribers could watch. McDavid, true to form, picked up two more assists in that game, too. How many fans do you think had *both* subscriptions just to see a couple of early season games?
So, what does this mean? Hockey, once the glue holding Canada together, is now getting sliced up and sold off, piece by piece. Fans are missing out on history, shelling out more money, and for what? To watch their heroes perform in the dark, behind a paywall. Not cool, NHL, not cool at all.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Guardian.
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