NBC informs NHL it’s planning to shut down its NBC Sports Network channel by the end of 2021

A breaking news report surfaced on Friday afternoon as it was announced that NBCUniversal is expected to shut down its NBC Sports Network, NBCSN, and move some of its top sports properties to the USA network in the hopes to boost the economics of the general-entertainment cable outlet at a time when new streaming-video hubs are luring bigger audiences.

NBC has reportedly informed its distributors it intends to shut down NBCSN at the end of 2021. This includes the NHL.

NBC has told distributors and some sports leagues that it plans to shut down its NBCSN sports channel by the end of the year. Story coming in SBD
— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) January 22, 2021

According to Sportsnet’s insider Elliotte Friedman on 630CHED that he expected that the NHL could end up on NBC’s Peacock streaming service when NBCSN shuts down. It is also believed that most programming on NBCSN will shift over to USA Network.

Elliotte Friedman on 630CHED says it would not be a surprise if the NHL ended up on NBC's Peacock streaming service when NBCSN shuts down.
— J (@Account4hockey) January 22, 2021

According to Andy Strickland, those closely connected to the NHL completely caught off guard by this and shocked with this decision.

Those closely connected to the #NHL and #NBCSN are completely caught off guard by this and shocked with this news/report. https://t.co/dYVibv9pgI
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) January 22, 2021

Back in 2011, NBC Sports reached a ten-year extension to their National Hockey League TV contract, which expires after this season. The station airs selection college football and hockey games, and some shoulder programming around the NHL, NFL, and Premier League.