TORONTO – Sportsnet has finalized a three-year broadcast rights agreement with the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, becoming the official English-language regional television rights holder. Bell Media-owned RDS holds the team's French-language TV rights.
The new agreement, which begins this season and runs through 2016/17, includes 42 regional games. Sportsnet East will be home to 39 regional Habs games, with three additional regional games airing on City Montreal. When combined with the national package of 40 Canadiens games, the NHL on Sportsnet will air all 82 regular season games across nine channels including CBC, City, Sportsnet (East, Ontario, West, and Pacific), Sportsnet One, Sportsnet 360 and FX Canada.
The Habs' regular season broadcast schedule kicks off October 8 at 7:00 PM ET on Sportsnet as the Canadiens pay a visit to Toronto, while the regional television broadcast schedule begins on October 13 at 7:30 PM ET on City Montreal when the Habs take on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"The Canadiens are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports," said Scott Moore, Rogers’ president of Sportsnet and NHL, in the news release. "Today's agreement, combined with our national package, allows us to serve Eastern Canada and connect Habs fans to their beloved team by creating a one-stop-shop to watch all of the games."
