How to Watch NHL Games Without Cable
Regular-season NHL games air on national channels and RSNs, so to watch every NHL game available to you in your market this season, you need a live TV streaming service that offers both types of channels.
The NHL's linear channel (NHL Network) has national broadcast rights, as do Disney (ABC and ESPN) and Warner Bros. Discovery via Turner Sports (TBS and TNT). Although it's too soon to look ahead to the playoffs, it's still handy to know that every postseason NHL game will air on those same Disney- and Turner Sports-owned channels.
It's easy to find a live TV streaming service with those five channels, but navigating the world of RSNs is anything but simple. The first thing to know about RSNs is that they are available only to subscribers who reside in the local markets they cover. In other words, someone who lives in Detroit can't watch an RSN based in Seattle. These channels also typically have exclusive broadcasting rights to the teams they cover, so even if a game is set to air on a national channel, it may be blacked out to the local RSN for anyone who lives within the involved team's markets.
Most RSNs are (or were) owned by AT&T (SportsNet), Comcast (NBC Sports), or FOX (Bally Sports), but others are operated jointly either in partnership with NHL teams or other media companies. Many of the SportsNet RSNs are affiliates of Bally Sports, for example. RSNs are not the same thing as your local broadcast affiliate channel, even though the channel ownership may overlap. For instance, NBC Sports Boston is not the same as your local NBC station in Boston. Note that Warner Bros. Discovery is selling off the former AT&T SportsNet RSNs.
SportsNet handles broadcasts for three NHL teams, Comcast covers five teams, and FOX-owned RSNs air games for 18 teams. The Sports Network covers games for several Canadian NHL teams, but those RSNs aren't available to US subscribers on any of the live TV services we tested.
DirecTV Stream is one of the few live TV streaming service we've reviewed that offers all the Bally Sports and SportsNet RSNs, but it is missing a few of the NBC Sports RSNs. Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV no longer offer Bally Sports RSNs, but they have the NBC Sports ones. Fubo also offers Bally and a few SportsNet RSNs. Sling TV does not offer any RSNs.
Don't immediately rule out a live TV streaming service because it lacks a particular subset of RSNs. Which RSN you need depends on where you live and whether you care about watching your local, in-market team. To find out which RSN covers your team, check out this list of regional NHL broadcasters or search for a specific team on The Streamable.
Which Streaming Services Have the NHL Network?
As we mentioned earlier (and as the name implies) the NHL Network is the NHL's own official linear channel for nationally broadcasting hockey games. Sports streaming rights are so confusing across the board that no single channel lets you watch everything, but the NHL Network is still a good comprehensive resource. Of the services listed here, you can access NHL Network on DirecTV Stream, Fubo, and Sling TV.
What Happened to NHL.TV?
Previously, the NHL offered its own live streaming service called NHL.TV that, like the NBA's various League Pass plans, let you watch live, out-of-market games. For subscribers in the US, the NHL.TV package is now a part of ESPN+. NHL fans who subscribe to that service can watch up to 1,000 live, out-of-market games this season, as well as 75 exclusive ones.
What Else Do NHL Fans Need to Know About Streaming?
Before picking a sports streaming service, you should compare the technical specifications. For example, if you want to record every game, pick a streaming service with generous DVR storage limits. If you live in a household with several other people, choose a service that supports multiple concurrent streams. Make sure that prospective live TV streaming services offer apps for all the media streaming devices you own, as well.
Another consideration is a service's streaming resolution. Hulu + Live TV and YouTube TV both support up to 1080p/60fps live streams, and, when we tested it, ESPN+ appeared to do so as well. Fubo and YouTube TV (via an add-on) also technically support 4K live streams, but it does not appear that either service will air any NHL games at that resolution for now. Higher streaming resolutions result in a sharper picture and faster frame rates help smooth out fast action.
If you are ever not in the mood for hockey or sports, several of the video streaming services here offer impressive libraries of on-demand shows and movies. Most of these services are pricey, so you likely won't use them only for watching NHL games. A service's on-demand library might make it more compelling than a competitor that doesn't have as strong of a streaming collection.
How to Watch the NHL on Cable or With a Digital Antenna
One easy way to ensure that you can watch all the NHL games this season in your market is to sign up for a cable plan with a premium sports package (one that includes NHL Network). Cable plans are typically more expensive than live streaming alternatives, but they are great for people who want to get the widest possible variety of cable TV networks for one price.
Because some (but not many) NHL games air on ABC, you can pick up those games with a digital antenna. Setting up a digital antenna, of course, is not as simple as launching the streaming app of your choice. It also requires you to pay extra money for the hardware. Based on the number of potential games you can watch with this method, it may not be worth the effort.
Want to watch sports other than the NHL? Follow all the NBA action with one of the best NBA streaming services. Both the NFL and MLB are going strong, too; we have roundups of the best NFL streaming services and MLB streaming services.
Kim Key and Ben Moore contributed to this story.
