Toronto, March 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Playoff hockey is the great Canadian equalizer – a moment when lifelong fans and proud bandwagoners alike come together to cheer, share food, and soak up the excitement.
To help more Canadians jump in with confidence, Pizza Hut Canada launched the Bandwagon Hockey Coach, a playful, short-form podcast designed to give casual fans a quick hockey refresher before puck drop. Launched March 18 on Spotify, the podcast breaks down key rules and terminology in a fun, easy-to-follow way, so everyone can enjoy the playoffs without feeling lost or left out.
“Playoff hockey is when everyone in Canada becomes a fan – whether you’ve watched every game all season or you’re just jumping in now,” said Jennifer Ligotti, Chief Marketing Officer, Pizza Hut. “At Pizza Hut, we know game night is about the people you’re watching with and the food you’re sharing – just as much as the action on the ice. The Bandwagon Hockey Coach is for the fans who love the excitement of the playoffs but might need a quick refresher before puck drop. Think of it as Pizza Hut’s cheat sheet for game night, so you can focus on the fun, the friends, and the pizza.”
Canadians are embracing the playoffs and brushing up on hockey knowledge
The Bandwagon Hockey Coach was inspired by a national survey commissioned by Pizza Hut Canada that found many English-speaking Canadians are quietly doing a little homework before the big game.
In fact, nearly two‑thirds of hockey viewers surveyed (65%) say they have identified as a bandwagon fan at some point in their life. That mindset extends beyond regular hockey viewers surveyed, with one in three English-speaking Canadians (33%) saying they’ve been a bandwagon fan at some point, and more than one in five (22%) admitting they’ve faked hockey knowledge, nodding along during conversations or discreetly looking up hockey terms and rules mid-game to keep up with die-hard fans.
Other survey highlights include:
- Hometown pride runs deep: More than half of English-speaking Canadians (57%) say they would watch more playoff hockey if a team from their city made a run.
- Canada loves a playoff underdog: 69% of English-speaking Canadians say they’ve cheered for a team that wasn’t “their team” simply because it was Canada’s last hope.
- Playoffs welcome everyone, judgement‑free: Three‑quarters of English-speaking Canadians (75%) say the playoffs should be a judgement‑free zone for new or casual fans.
- Game night is about more than hockey: One-third (33%) of hockey viewers surveyed say the food is just as important as the game itself.
- Fans want fun learning tools: 75% of English-speaking Canadians agree that new or casual fans would love playful resources that help them better understand and participate during the playoffs.
- Pizza brings everyone together: For die-hard fans and bandwagoners alike, pizza remains the ultimate game-night staple. It’s a top watch-party menu choice for 81% of English-speaking Canadians.
A hockey podcast built for the playoff watch party
Each episode of Bandwagon Hockey Coach features two AI hosts – one lifelong hockey fan and one proud bandwagoner – breaking down the rules and moments casual viewers are often too afraid to ask about. Episodes drop twice weekly on Spotify, combining hockey fundamentals with timely playoff context to keep bandwagon fans in the know.
Pizza Hut’s Game Night Meal makes watch parties easy
Of course, no playoff watch party is complete without pizza. This hockey season, Pizza Hut is making game nights even easier with its wide selection of game night ready meals ready to feed parties of all sizes including the Game Night Meal, Triple Treat Box, Triple Pizza Box and more!
For more information on Pizza Hut Canada please visit www.pizzahut.ca. To download the Pizza Hut Canada app, search for “Pizza Hut Canada” in the Apple – App Store or Google Play Store.
Media Contact
Natalie Homewood
[email protected]
About Pizza Hut Canada
Pizza Hut Canada is proud to be one of Canada’s largest pizza restaurant chains with over 600 locations locally. Globally, Pizza Hut is a global leader in the pizza category with more than 19,500 restaurants in 110 markets and territories. The brand has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in innovation with the creation of icons like Original® Pan and Original® Stuffed Crust pizzas. In 1994, Pizza Hut pizza was the very first online food order, and today Pizza Hut continues leading the way in the digital and technology space with over half of transactions worldwide coming from digital orders. Leveraging its global presence, Pizza Hut works to positively impact its people, the communities it serves and the environment through commitments across three priority areas: More Equity, Less Carbon and Better Packaging.
Survey Methodology
This survey was undertaken by The Harris Poll Canada. It ran overnight on March 12th, 2025, with 1,298 randomly selected Anglophone Canadian adults who are online panellists. The results have been weighted by age, gender, region, and education to match the population, according to Census data. This is to ensure the sample is representative of the entire adult population of Anglophone Canadians. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of this size has an estimated margin of error (which measures sampling variability) of ±2.7%, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals when compared to the data tables are due to rounding.
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