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The men’s hockey playoff tournament at Milano Cortina 2026 has been a stressful affair for Canada.
Wednesday’s quarterfinal match against Czechia came down to a nail-biter, with Canada winning in overtime.
While many were watching the game from the English broadcast, the game was also called in Inuktitut, with Pujjuut Kusugak and David Ningeongan making every tense call, including Mitch Marner’s OT winner.
“It was a really stressful last few minutes of the third period. So it was very emotional,” said Ningeongan, who does the Inuktitut play-by-play.
“It was the most exciting game to ever be part of,” said Kusugak, who provides colour commentary.
From Rankin Inlet in Nunavut, both Kusugak and Ningeongan said being able to call hockey at the Olympic Games in their own language is an honour.
“It’s really special for the NHL players to be able to come back and for us to use our language again,” said Kusugak.
“It’s always just an honour and absolute privilege to be able to do this kind of thing.”
A growing audience for Inuktitut hockey
Kusugak and Ningeongan began calling hockey for CBC Olympics at the Beijing Winter Games in 2022, and people from all across the country tuned in.
Canadian hockey games in Inuktitut at Beijing saw over 110,000 video views across all of CBC’s digital platforms in 2022, and Milano Cortina is currently tracking above that with the men’s hockey medal matches still to come.
Kusugak and Ningeongan’s charisma over the broadcast has made their commentary increasingly popular for viewers, with people sharing their thoughts over social media with the hashtag “InuktitutHockey.”
WATCH | Kusugak, Ningeongan chat with CBC Sports’ Mackenzie Barwell:
‘We’re losing our language’: Inuit announcers on calling hockey for the Winter Olympics
CBC Olympic commentators Pujjuut Kusugak and David Ningeongan explain the importance of doing their hockey play-by-play in Inuktitut. They sat down with CBC Olympic digital host Mackenzie Barwell following the men’s hockey win by Team Canada over Czechia in overtime.
“It’s non-Inuit as well in southern Canada that tune into the show,” Ningeongan said.
“They say they don’t understand what we’re saying, but the energy is there, and we’re always excited to be part of the team.”
Even before Beijing, Kusugak and Ningeongan were making their way into the world of hockey commentary.
In 2010, Kusugak called games at the Vancouver Olympics for APTN. Ningeongan has been doing play-by-play for local radio in Nunavut for nearly two decades.
In 2019, Ningeongan was also the first Inuk to do play-by-play during the Fred Sasakmoose “Chief Thunderstick” National Hockey Tournament — an all Indigenous tournament — in Saskatoon.
Kusugak and Ningeongan also had the opportunity to call basketball for CBC Olympics during the Summer Games in Paris last summer.
Expanding language through hockey
What makes Kusugak and Ningeongan’s commentary particularly unique is how they balance multiple dialects.
“Up north, we don’t have just the one dialect. Some communities can have up to seven dialects in one community,” said Ningeongan, adding that he and Kusugak speak different dialects.
“It allows us to really engage our viewers, even though we talk a little bit different.”
Along with dialect, the terminology Kusugak and Ningeongan use for their commentary needs to expand to cover terminology in hockey they might not have an Inuktitut word for.
Kusugak and Ningeongan had the opportunity to call basketball for CBC Olympics during the Summer Games in Paris in 2024. (CBC Sports)
“It was really about putting things in context. You can’t make a word exactly how it is said in English,” Kusugak said.
“For things like a penalty, when we say it, it’s ‘Tigujaujuq’ (ᑎᒍᔭᐅᔪᖅ). It’s almost like being put in jail.”
Ningeongan said translations between Inuktitut and English aren’t always the same in length either, as a result the two commentators have become fluid with how they refer to different terms in the game.
“For example, ‘puck,’ I used to call it ‘Aqsannguaakuluk’ (ᐊᖅᓴᖖᒍᐊᑯᓗᒃ) for a long time,” he said.
Ningeogan said they decided to reach out to their fan base for a new word for puck in Inuktitut that would be shorter.
“People said, ‘We’ve watched hockey forever, we understand what you mean when you say puck, so stick with the word puck,’” Ningeongan said, adding they now use a similar ‘Pak’ (ᐸᒃ).
Icing was another term where Ningeongan said the pair engaged with their community for a translation.
In the end, they found an answer from someone in a local arena who suggested they use ‘Sipkutijut’ (ᓯᑉᑯᑎᔪᑦ).
“That stuck, and that’s what we use today,” Ningeongan said.
Having their community and local viewers help with language has made it so determining terminology for the game in Inuktitut does not depend on just the two of them.
Ningeongan and Kusugak in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. (Submitted by Pujjuut Kusugak)
“There’s been times where during a break, I might quickly text my mom, even to say, ‘I need a word for this. Is there something that you can suggest?’ And so she’s done that for me before,” Kusugak said.
Community engagement in the broadcasts has also made it so viewers who use different dialects or different words can learn from each other through the game.
“We try to use it as a learning experience and teaching opportunity.”
Hockey in the north
Ningeongan said hockey holds a special place in Inuit communities.
Both Kusugak and Ningeongan have been involved in the sport beyond commentating, as coaches and players. Kusugak had a career playing in various minor-league teams while Ningeongan has been known in Nunavut as a goalie.
“In years past, [with] Hockey Night in Canada, everybody tuned into it. You went out hunting Saturday morning, you were back before the game started,” he said.
This past year, Kusugak and Ningeongan have been part of calling several NHL games for Hockey Night in Canada in Inuktitut with APTN.
Kusugak and Ningeongan, with Robert Kabvitok, left, were part of bringing Hockey Night in Canada in Inuktitut for APTN last year. (APTN)
Ningeongan said it’s important for people in their communities, especially youth, to hear their language on the Olympic broadcast in their own language.
“Were losing our language, and so we’re really doing our best to promote the Inuktitut language so that we don’t lose it, and I’m hoping what we’re doing today helps in a way that we continue to use our language,” he said.
Kusugak said he hopes the work they’ve done with the Olympics and Hockey Night in Canada helps inspire more people to try calling others sports or events in Inuktitut, even if it’s at local levels.
“It’s been really special to talk about a sport we love, to use our language, hopefully promoting it for other people in the future,” Kusugak said.
“It’s an absolute dream job.”
