Jonah Sigel: Sportsnet’s popular ‘Leafs Talk’ show was quietly cancelled this season. We tried to find out why - Toronto Star

The popular show became a place for Leafs fans to gather after the game. This season, it's gone.

Popular Sportsnet show “Leafs Talk” is no longer on the air but there was no public announcement from the company.

Jonah Sigel is a longtime sports media and business writer and host of the "Bleav in the Pressrow" podcast. He is a freelance contributor to the Star’s sports section. Follow him on X: @yyzsportsmedia

Post-game shows have been part of sports broadcasting forever. Watch the game, then stick around while someone tries to explain what you just watched.

For the past four seasons, Sportsnet had its own modern-day version specifically for Maple Leafs fans.

“Leafs Talk” launched in 2022 as a live post-game video show, originally featuring J.D. Bunkis, Sam McKee and Justin Bourne breaking down the game immediately after the final horn. It streamed on Sportsnet’s digital platforms and YouTube and was subsequently available as a podcast.

The popular show became a place for Leafs fans to gather after the game and not only listen to analysis but also ride the emotional wave that comes with wins and losses in a long NHL season. Bunkis and McKee, who were featured in the majority of shows on their own last season, are diehard Leafs fans, which resonated with listeners and was a big part of why they had built a loyal following.

There was no formal announcement from Sportsnet. Instead, as the Leafs season got underway against the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, Bunkis responded to a fan on X asking if there would be a show after the season opener.

“Leafs Talk won’t be returning this year, but want to thank you and everyone for all the love and support,” Bunkis wrote, adding that he and McKee would continue working together on his morning show, “The JD Bunkis Podcast” on Sportsnet 590 The FAN.

Hey bud. Leafs Talk won’t be returning this year, but want to thank you and everyone for all the love and support. Was at the core of what made the show so fun. Sammy and I will still be together on my show (including tomorrow) so hope folks will follow us there

Attempts to reach both Bunkis and McKee for comment went unanswered, while Sportsnet declined to comment on the matter.

According to industry sources with direct knowledge of the situation who were granted anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak on the programming decisions, part of the reason for the show’s demise was the blunt nature of some of Bunkis and McKee’s criticism of the Leafs last season.

It would be particularly problematic if criticism of the team played any role in the decision, feeding the narrative of ownership exerting influence on content when it owns teams and media. The Leafs are now 100 per cent owned by Rogers, the telecom giant which also owns Sportsnet, following a $4.35-billion purchase of the final 25 per cent of MLSE from Larry Tanenbaum’s Kilmer Sports.

“Leafs Talk” was hardly presented as team-controlled programming. It was a Sportsnet product whose entire premise was immediate reaction to what had just happened on the ice. And last season there was plenty to criticize.

The final episode was titled “Wrapping Up the Season From Hell.” Its description said Bunkis and McKee discussed, among other things, “the disconnect between the organization and its fans.”

"Usually, when [the Leafs] make a change in the front office, it's a moment of optimism... But this is the first time I can remember where a lot of fans are just down on everything."@JDBunkis and @SamAMcKee reflect on the Leafs' direction after their final game of the season. pic.twitter.com/rA2j8X0Fet

Sportsnet also included a disclaimer with episodes stating that views expressed by the hosts did not necessarily reflect those of Rogers Sports & Media or its affiliates.

Whatever ultimately led to the decision, “Leafs Talk” had developed an audience.

The show produced 367 episodes over four seasons. Its Apple Podcasts page carries a 4.7 rating out of five from more than 500 reviews. Even last season, in which the Leafs missed the playoffs, individual post-game shows routinely generated between 10,000 and 30,000 views on YouTube.

Fans were outraged by its disappearance.

A petition asking Sportsnet to bring “Leafs Talk” back was started Sept. 29 and had attracted more than 1,700 verified signatures by Friday afternoon.

“This move has left a significant void in our post-game ritual, disconnecting a passionate community from a tradition that not only celebrated hockey but fortified a sense of unity among Leafs Nation,” the petition says.

“JD Bunkis and Sam McKee have created a loyal following with their dedication to engaging and insightful hockey commentary, and their voices should not be silenced at such a crucial time for the team and its fans.”

The reaction isn’t difficult to understand.

Part of what made the show work was that it didn’t feel like another polished television post-game show. Bunkis and McKee could react like people who had just spent three hours watching the same game as everyone else, sometimes enthusiastically and sometimes not.

That became especially noticeable during a miserable 2025-26 Leafs season.

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Sportsnet still has plenty of Leafs content. Bunkis and McKee remain with the company and continue to work together. This isn’t about two personalities disappearing from the network. It’s about one specific show disappearing without Sportsnet ever formally announcing that it was gone.

There may be perfectly reasonable programming, audience or financial reasons for ending “Leafs Talk.”

But if being too blunt about the team was part of the equation, as industry sources suggest, that’s a different conversation and will be interesting to watch in Sportsnet’s hockey coverage going forward.

After all, what is the point of a post-game reaction show if the people hosting it aren’t free to tell viewers what they really think of the game?

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Jonah Sigel is a longtime sports media and business writer and host of the "Bleav in the Pressrow" podcast. He is a freelance contributor to the Star’s sports section. Follow him on X: @yyzsportsmedia