The NHL regular season kicked off on October 8, 2024, and will conclude on April 17, 2025. The playoffs are just around the corner, and it’s time to get ready to watch the best teams in the league battle it out for the Stanley Cup. In this article, we’ll guide you through the best ways to watch NHL games and the playoffs, including cable and live streaming options.
Nationally Broadcast NHL Games
Nationally broadcast NHL games will air on ABC, ESPN, TNT/TBS, and ESPN+. Most (but not all) ESPN and ABC games will be available to live stream through ESPN+. This means that you can watch your favorite teams and players without having to worry about finding a local broadcast.
ESPN+: The Cheapest Option
ESPN+ is one of the most affordable streaming services for hockey fans. It costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year and will grant you access to several games this season, including those streaming-exclusive ones. This is also a great way to stream select college sporting events, NFL games, and UFC fights.
Sling TV: A Great Alternative
Sling TV is another relatively affordable month-to-month streaming service that will give you access to all the ESPN and TBS/TNT games this season. You’ll need to subscribe to Sling Orange to access all of these options; it also comes with 32 other live channels. Subscriptions start at $46/month, but Sling is always running an introductory offer that will give you at least half off your first month of service.
Max and Hulu + Live TV: Options for Disney and Warner Bros. Games
If you’re looking to just access Warner Bros. games like those on TBS and TNT, you’ll need to turn to Max. Max is HBO’s streaming counterpart, but it branched into live sports with the B/R Sports Add-on, which live streams games from TNT, TBS, and truTV. The add-on is included with the ad-free tiers, which start at $16.99/month. If you have no existing cable, antenna, or streaming services, and your main focus is NHL games, Hulu + Live TV is a one-stop shop. The month-to-month live TV package offers 95+ live channels, including ABC, TNT, and ESPN. All subscriptions are bundled with ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu on-demand, so you can catch the exclusive ESPN+ games.
Other Options
If you have no existing cable, antenna, or streaming services, and your main focus is NHL games, you may want to consider DirecTV. There are two key plans to explore when it comes to getting ABC, ESPN, TNT, and TBS. The MySports plan carries ESPN, TNT, TBS, the NHL Network, and 25+ other live sports channels. ABC coverage is available in select regions for this plan, which also includes access to ESPN Plus, making it an extra strong option for hockey fans.
Regional Games on the NHL Network
Select regional games will also be broadcast through the NHL Network. You can live stream the NHLN through all of the above options by either getting Sling’s Sports Extra add-on ($11/month) or opting for the aforementioned DirecTV MySports plan.
Watching NHL Games from Anywhere
If you’ll be traveling away from home during any notable games, you can still access your subscriptions with the help of a VPN. VPNs, short for virtual private networks, are easy-to-use cybersecurity tools that enable you, among other things, to change your device’s virtual location. This way, you can keep up with all of your usual websites, apps, and subscriptions from almost anywhere in the world, just like you would if you were back home.
Using a VPN to Watch NHL Games
If you don’t already have a VPN, we recommend giving ExpressVPN a try. It’s user-friendly, even if you’re a beginner, and has a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. You can check out our ExpressVPN review for more information. Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
