Jennifer Botterill is leaving Sportsnet after more than five years as a member of the Hockey Nite in Canada studio panel to join NHL on TNT for the 2026-27 season. It’s expected that she’ll be more of an in-game analyst from the broadcast booth rather than mainly covering studio coverage.Botterill’s exit from Sportsnet was confirmed when the network unveiled its revamped Saturday Nite Hockey lineup on Sept. 9. Armstrong replaced her in her old role with Kevin Bieksa, Elliotte Friedman and Ron MacLean, and the new Saturday format begins October 3.
Details on Jennifer Botterill’s new NHL broadcasting role after Sportsnet departure
Botterill joins the NHL broadcasting ranks with an extensive playing and broadcasting résumé. TNT gets an analyst who has played at the highest levels of international hockey as a three-time Olympic gold medalist and Hockey Hall of Famer.Neither is her move to TNT foreign terrain. Botterill has also worked for the network on both studio and game assignments. She worked a Stanley Cup Playoffs game in Philadelphia with Alex Faust and Armstrong in May.She also contributed to NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics as an Inside the Glass analyst for the women’s tournament. She was previously announced on NHL.com to work with Kenny Albert and AJ Mleczko for her Olympic assignment.
Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild provide first preseason assignment
Botterill’s first announced assignment for TNT is an NHL preseason game between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild on Friday, Sept. 25. The broadcast is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and will be on TNT, truTV and HBO Max.She will join play-by-play broadcaster John Forslund, reporter Lauren Jbara and Armstrong. The assignment represents Botterill’s return to live NHL game coverage after changes to Sportsnet’s Canadian broadcast lineup.The matchup also has recent on-ice context. The Minnesota Wild defeated the Dallas Stars in six games in the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Wild’s official game preview stated.
What remains unclear about Jennifer Botterill’s TNT schedule
Botterill’s full TNT workload has yet to be revealed. It’s unclear what crew she’ll be on or how many games she’ll call, with TNT still working on its overall 2026-27 NHL broadcast plans, reports say.Now her appointment provides a clear pathway following Sportsnet’s off-season restructuring. Botterill will continue in NHL broadcasting, but will take on a role that focuses more on live game analysis. It also gives U.S. hockey fans another chance to see a veteran international player and established broadcaster add to the NHL coverage from the booth.Jennifer Botterill is leaving Sportsnet’s 2026-27 lineup to become a new NHL broadcaster for TNT. The three-time Olympic gold medalist will be expected to focus primarily on in-game analysis. Her first assignment of the preseason is Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild with John Forslund, Lauren Jbara and Colby Armstrong.