The puck is back in the CBC’s zone now that a U.S. cable channel has picked up MVP, raising some hope, however slim, that the cancelled hockey drama could be brought back for a second season of production.

MVP is set to premiere June 19 on the Disney-owned SOAPnet, which broadcasts current and past soap operas to about 41 million American homes. Its lineup also includes One Tree Hill, The Young and the Restless and reruns of Beverly Hills, 90210.

The deal was brokered by execs at Toronto’s Screen Door and Zac Reeder of L.A.-based Circus Road Films.

Making more eps of the high-budget drama will depend on CBC, which held on to the second-season licensing rights.

‘[CBC] has the opportunity to come back to us,’ says creator Mary Young Leckie. ‘We have a season two all ready to go in terms of scripts.’ MVP was cancelled last month by CBC, along with dramas jPod and Intelligence.

Leckie, who produces through her Screen Door shingle, says the prodco is excited to see how MVP does with the U.S. audience, and are taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approach for a second season of the show. She adds that SOAPnet is putting a ‘full promotional campaign’ behind MVP.

CBC could not be reached for comment.

MVP premiered to a soft 383,000 viewers (2+) in the Friday 9 p.m. timeslot, and continued to struggle when it was moved to primetime Tuesday, where it aired opposite American Idol. The 10-ep series, starring Lucas Bryant, Kristin Booth and Dillon Casey, follows the scandalous lives of hockey pros and their wives and girlfriends.