P.K. Subban is taking his hockey background into animation as executive producer and on-screen inspiration for Screech Owls, a 26-episode action-adventure series now being made in Toronto. The 11-minute episodes are scheduled to debut in English on CBC in fall 2027, with French-language launches on Radio-Canada and TFO set for winter 2028.
The new show revives Roy MacGregor’s Screech Owls book franchise and follows the earlier live-action adaptation that aired in 2001. This version puts a young hockey club into a mystery-driven world of international missions, elaborate crimes and technology-based threats, with Subban serving as the team’s larger-than-life coach.
Subban said the project gives hockey a way to connect with young viewers from a wide range of backgrounds while putting teamwork, leadership and character at the center of the story. He added that children will not need a working knowledge of the offside rule to enjoy a series built around kids travelling the world, solving problems and relying on one another.
A hockey team with a second job
The Screech Owls will chase cases ranging from stolen jewels in Vancouver to a mind-control scheme in Montreal, then try to get back in time for the next game. When a case turns dangerous, the players use customized gear that enhances their individual talents through “Power Pulses.”
- Neela, voiced by Ana Sani, is the fearless captain whose powered-up stick boosts her already dangerous shot.
- Ishkode, voiced by Joshua Odjick, is a quick and persuasive forward. His suit gives him added speed and agility.
- Camille, voiced by Erika Prevost, is the club’s goalie and technology specialist. Her gear can turn objects into projectiles, while her deflection skills protect teammates from incoming danger.
- Trevor, voiced by Jonathan Malen, returns to the franchise as the strong, smart defenceman. His equipment lets him blast through barriers and opponents blocking the team’s path.
PWHL player Sarah Nurse will appear as herself. Further guest casting is expected to be revealed later.
Subban and NHL join a wider franchise plan
Shaftesbury and Sphere Animation are producing the series with the NHL and Boat Rocker Studios. The project is intended to extend beyond television and publishing, with plans for games, licensed products and other interactive ventures.
The NHL will control distribution in the United States and Nordic countries. Boat Rocker Studios will handle markets outside Canada, the United States and the Nordics, while Shaftesbury Sales Company is also part of the worldwide rights arrangement.
Christina Jennings, Shaftesbury’s chairman and president, said the production is meant to bring a familiar Canadian property to a new generation through adventure and mystery, while Subban brings credibility and enthusiasm to the hockey side of the show.
NHL executive vice president David Lehanski said the league sees the series as a chance to reach children and families through characters and storytelling rather than simply presenting the sport in its traditional form. CBC Kids senior director Marie McCann described the adaptation as a combination of friendship, sport and teamwork, while Radio-Canada executive Christiane Asselin highlighted its themes of courage, perseverance and cooperation.
Sphere Animation chief executive Bruno Dubé said animation allows the creative team to broaden the books’ universe with a more cinematic visual scale while retaining the spirit of the original stories.
Creative team behind the series
John May and Suzanne Bolch are back as head writers after working on the earlier Screech Owls television series. Suren Perera is directing, with Jennifer McCann producing for Shaftesbury and Marianne Culbert producing for Sphere Animation.
Subban joins Jennings, Scott Garvie and Jay Bennett as executive producers for Shaftesbury. The show is being made in association with CBC, Radio-Canada and TFO, with support from the Canada Media Fund, Shaw Rocket Fund, Ontario Creates, IPF Fund and Canadian and Quebec screen-production tax-credit programs.
The project brings hockey’s league office into a children’s animation property built around the rhythms of the rink: a captain, a goalie, a defenceman and a forward who may have to stop a villain one afternoon and be ready for puck drop that night.
