Nhl who to watch?
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 recently renegotiated broadcast rights(Opens in a new window) for nationally airing games. The NHL's linear channel (NHL Network) has national broadcast rights, as do Disney (ABC and ESPN) and AT&T's WarnerMedia 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 owned by AT&T(Opens in a new window) (SportsNet), Comcast(Opens in a new window) (NBC Sports), or FOX(Opens in a new window) (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.
AT&T 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 the only 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. FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV no longer offer Bally Sports RSNs, but they have all the NBC Sports ones. FuboTV also offers 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(Opens in a new window) or search for a specific team on The Streamable(Opens in a new window).
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.TV, and Sling 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.
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. FuboTV 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.
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. Locast used to be a cheap option for watching local channels, including ABC, but that service has since shut down.
The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs are here.
Now in the second round, this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs have lived up to their reputation as one of the best tournaments in all of sports. One of the biggest headlines so far was the No. 4-seeded Florida Panthers knocking out the top-seeded Boston Bruins in their seventh game, after the Bruins’ record-breaking 65-win, 135-point regular season.
In the West, a similar first-round series came to an upset close as the Seattle Kraken (4) beat the Colorado Avalanche (1). Another notable victory was the Maple Leafs’ victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning, which marked Toronto’s first post-season series win since 2004 and ended the NHL’s longest-active drought without a playoff series win.
With the Avalanche and the Bruins out, the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes are now the No. 1 seeds in the playoffs.
No matter what storyline you’re following, you’ll need a good way to watch this year’s NHL playoffs. Below are a few of the best ways for cord-cutters to livestream the NHL playoffs online, including an option for streamers looking to watch games for free.
This year, ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT will be broadcasting NHL playoff games (the Stanley Cup Final will air on TNT). But, if you don’t have cable, you can still stream the NHL Playoffs online. Below are a few streaming services that will let you watch the NHL Playoffs live online, whether through your smart TV, phone, laptop, or any other streaming-enabled device.
Sling: Every NHL Playoff Channel
fuboTV: Free Trial
ESPN+: Most Affordable
The best way to watch the 2023 NHL playoffs is Sling. The budget-friendly live TV streamer carries ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT in its Orange + Blue plan, which costs just $60 a month. That means you can watch every NHL playoff game live online throughout the tournament.
Buy Sling Orange + Blue $60
fuboTV is the best streaming service with a free trial, which is great for anyone looking to watch NHL playoff games online for free this year. The streamer’s most affordable package — the Pro plan — delivers ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT for playoff games (but no TBS). The Pro plan costs $74.99 a month, but you get a seven-day free trial to start — use that to stream the NHL playoffs for free for a few games.
Buy Free Trial fuboTV
The cheapest way to watch the NHL Playoffs online is ESPN+. For just $9.99 a month, you’ll be able to live stream NHL Playoffs games on smart TVs, laptops, smartphones, and any other smart devices. ESPN+ won’t have every game, but it’s worth checking out for such a low price.
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The only thing better than live streaming the NHL playoffs online is of course catching a game in person.
Playoff games are happening all over the U.S. and Canada, so you likely have an opportunity to see a game somewhere near your area. Head to VividSeats.com to check locations and prices and secure authentic NHL playoff tickets (even last-minute).
This year’s NHL playoffs started on Monday, April 17, and run until June when we’ll have the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
We’re now in the tournament’s second round, which sees eight teams duking it out for spots in the conference finals. Below is the schedule for all the second-round games, including their TV channel (times in ET). Related This New York City Hotspot Was Just Named 'The Best Bar in North America' Jennie Gets Sexy (and Sophisticated) for New Calvin Klein Collection Dua Lipa Set to Design Her Own Fashion Collection As Part of Donatella Versace Collab
(2) Maple Leafs vs. (4) Florida PanthersGame 1: Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 2Game 2: Panthers 3, Maple Leafs 2Game 3: Sunday, May 7, 6:30 p.m. at FLA on TBSGame 4: Wednesday, May 10, 7 p.m. at FLA on ESPN*Game 5: Friday, May 12, time TBD at TOR on TNT*Game 6: Sunday, May 14, time TBD at FLA on TBD*Game 7: Tuesday, May 16, time TBD at TOR on TNT
(1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (2) New Jersey DevilsGame 1: Hurricanes 5, Devils 1Game 2: Friday, May 5, 8 p.m. at CAR on TNTGame 3: Sunday, May 7, 3:30 p.m. at NJ on TBSGame 4: Tuesday, May 9, 7 p.m. at NJ on ESPN*Game 5: Thursday, May 11, time TBD at CAR on TNT*Game 6: Saturday, May 13, time TBD at NJ on ESPN*Game 7: Monday, May 15, time TBD at CAR on ESPN
(2) Dallas Stars vs. (4) Seattle KrakenGame 1: Kraken 5, Stars 4 (OT)Game 2: Stars 4, Kraken 2Game 3: Sunday, May 7, 9:30 p.m. at SEA on TBSGame 4: Tuesday, May 9, 9:30 p.m. at SEA on ESPN*Game 5: Thursday, May 11, time TBD at DAL on TNT*Game 6: Saturday, May 13, time TBD at SEA on ESPN*Game 7: Monday, May 15, time TBD at DAL on ESPN
- Hulu. Best for Watching NHL Games and On-Demand Content. Jump To Details.
- YouTube TV. Best for Recording NHL Games. Jump To Details.
- Fubo. Best for Sports Fanatics. Jump To Details.
- ESPN+ Best for Out-of-Market NHL Games. Jump To Details.
- Sling TV. Best for Channel Add-Ons.
- DirecTV Stream. Best for RSN Coverage.
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NHL All-Star weekend
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