Prime Video has outlined its plans for the upcoming NHL season in Canada, unveiling its full English- and French-language broadcast lineup for Wednesday Night Hockey while expanding its hockey programming with a new documentary series focused on the Vancouver Giants.
The streaming service hosted its Wednesday Night Hockey season launch event at Toronto’s Design Exchange ahead of the 2026-27 NHL season, bringing together broadcast talent, executives and advertising industry representatives.
Prime Video Reveals Bilingual NHL Broadcast Team
Hosted by Devo Brown, the Toronto event provided an early look at the new season of NHL on Prime and Wednesday Night Hockey. Prime Video also announced its complete roster of English- and French-language on-air talent for the first time.
The presentation featured members of the NHL on Prime broadcast team, including Andi Petrillo, Blake Bolden, Christine Simpson, Guillaume Latendresse, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Jody Shelley, John Forslund, Maxime Lalonde, Michaël Roy and Thomas Hickey.
Mark Shopiro, Head of Prime Video, Canada, also participated in the event alongside Brady Riordan, Head of Global Sports Ad Strategy, Amazon Ads; Monica Tam, Head of North America Brand Media, DoorDash; and Brandon Mazerall, Vice President, Sports & Entertainment, WPP Media.
Prime Video Emphasizes English and French Coverage
Prime Video positioned bilingual broadcasting as a central part of its strategy for serving Canadian hockey audiences under its long-term NHL agreement.
“We believed from the outset of this 12-year deal that to serve Canadians, it was a non-negotiable to do so in Canada’s two official languages. We’re the only national bilingual broadcaster to do so, and feel proud to be able to do that.” – Mark Shopiro, Head of Prime Video, Canada
The approach reflects the importance of delivering national hockey coverage to both English- and French-speaking audiences as streaming platforms compete for a larger share of Canadian sports viewing.
Wednesday Night Hockey Targets Advertisers With Digital Capabilities
Beyond programming, the launch event highlighted the commercial opportunities associated with Prime Video’s live NHL broadcasts.
Amazon is positioning Wednesday Night Hockey as a product that combines the reach traditionally associated with national television broadcasts with digital advertising technology designed to provide greater targeting and measurement capabilities.
“For advertisers, Wednesday Night Hockey on Prime Video delivers the best of both worlds. The scale to rival a traditional linear hockey broadcast, paired with digital ad tech that makes campaigns more addressable and measurable than ever before.” – Brady Riordan, International Sports Ads Strategy at Amazon.
The advertising component is significant as sports rights increasingly move across traditional television and streaming services, creating new ways for brands to reach live audiences.
Hometown Giants Docuseries Set for October 16
Prime Video also used the Toronto event to unveil the premiere date and trailer for Hometown Giants, a new hockey documentary series.
The series will premiere globally on October 16 and follows the Vancouver Giants through their 2025-26 Western Hockey League season.
The production will also feature two of the franchise’s part-owners: Canadian singer Michael Bublé and television personality and entrepreneur Drew Scott.
The documentary expands Prime Video’s sports programming beyond live games, complementing its existing collection of Amazon Original sports documentaries, which includes Kelce, Bye Bye Barry and Earnhardt.
Toronto Maple Leafs Open Wednesday Night Hockey Schedule
The 2026-27 Wednesday Night Hockey schedule begins Wednesday, September 30, when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the New York Islanders. Coverage is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET.
Across the season, NHL on Prime will carry 27 national regular-season games as well as select Stanley Cup Playoff series. The broadcasts will be available to Prime members at no additional cost.
Prime Video Continues Expanding Live Sports Portfolio
Hockey forms part of a wider sports strategy for Prime Video in Canada and internationally.
In Canada, the platform’s sports offerings include NHL on Prime, the Professional Women’s Hockey League, Premier Boxing Champions and ONE Championship, alongside other programming and sports subscriptions available through Prime Video.
Internationally, Prime Video carries properties ranging from the NBA and WNBA to UEFA Champions League football, Wimbledon, Premier League football, Major League Baseball and cricket, although availability differs by market.
The expanded hockey lineup underscores Prime Video’s growing role in Canada’s sports media landscape as the company combines national NHL broadcasts, bilingual production, advertising technology and original hockey programming under its streaming platform.