Harnarayan Singh finally speaks after Sportsnet cancels Hockey Night Punjabi

For nearly two decades, Harnarayan Singh and Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition represented something far bigger than simply another way to watch an NHL game.

Now, that chapter has come to an end.

Sportsnet recently confirmed that it has cancelled its Punjabi-language NHL broadcasts after 18 years, citing audience levels that were not strong enough to sustain the production over the long term. The decision brings an end to one of the most unique and culturally significant broadcasts in Canadian sports television history.

For Singh, the end of the show is undoubtedly a deeply personal moment. He shared his feelings in an Instagram post following the announcement, reflecting on the remarkable journey of the program and expressing gratitude for the people who made it possible. His sentiment was one of appreciation and pride rather than bitterness, recognizing the enormous impact the broadcast had on generations of Punjabi-speaking hockey fans and the community that embraced it.

The roots of Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition stretch back to 2008, when CBC began experimenting with NHL broadcasts in several languages, including Punjabi, Mandarin, Cantonese, Italian and Inuktitut. Singh, then working as a CBC reporter, was given the opportunity to call games in Punjabi. His debut came during the 2008 Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings. Of all of CBC's language experiments, Punjabi proved to have the staying power necessary to become a regular part of the hockey landscape.

The broadcast continued to grow, eventually finding a new home under Rogers after the company acquired Canada's national NHL media rights. Singh became the unmistakable voice of the program, bringing an energy and passion that resonated far beyond its intended audience.

Of course, the defining moment came during the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

When Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino scored a crucial goal, Singh's unforgettable call — “Bonino! Bonino! Bonino!” — exploded across social media. What had been a beloved community broadcast suddenly became part of mainstream hockey culture. The call became so popular that Singh and members of the Punjabi broadcast team were invited to Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup parade, where thousands of Penguins fans celebrated the moment with them.

But the true importance of Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition was never just one viral call. The program gave Punjabi Canadians the opportunity to experience Canada's game through a familiar language and cultural lens. Singh has spoken in the past about viewers telling him the broadcast helped bridge generational gaps within families, allowing grandparents and younger relatives to share their love of hockey in a new way.

It also helped Singh break barriers of his own. After years as the voice of the Punjabi broadcast, he moved into English-language NHL coverage and became the first Sikh broadcaster to call NHL games in English, proving that representation can create opportunities far beyond the original platform.

The cancellation is unquestionably disappointing for the people who built and supported the show. Still, as Singh's emotional message suggests, its legacy cannot be erased by its final sign-off. For 18 years, Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition opened doors, brought families together and showed countless young Canadians that there was room for them in the game.

And for hockey fans everywhere, Harnarayan Singh's voice — and that famous cry of “Bonino! Bonino! Bonino!” — will forever be part of the story.