After a brief hiatus for the Winter Olympics, the NHL is back for the final stretch of the regular season. Viewing options are spread far and wide, and we've rounded up everything you need to know about how to watch NHL games, including live streaming options for cord-cutters.
Both the men's and women's American hockey teams won gold medals in overtime victories against Canada at this year's Winter Olympics. 2026 marked the first time in over a decade that professional NHL players could compete, and stars from several teams took time to participate.
Now, the NHL is back in full force as teams duke it out for playoff spots before the end of the regular season on April 16. The Florida Panthers, the back-to-back reigning champions in 2024 and 2025, have had a rough go of it so far this year. The team is ranked last in the Atlantic Division, where the fellow Floridian Tampa Bay Lightning reigns supreme. The Carolina Hurricanes currently lead the Metropolitan Division, while the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights top the Central and Pacific Divisions, respectively.
If you're hoping to tune into the remainder of the season, you've come to the right place. Keep reading to learn which channels and streaming services you'll need to catch games this season.
How to watch NHL games in the US
Nationally broadcast NHL games will air on ABC, ESPN, and TNT. There will also be some exclusive streaming service-only games via ESPN+, which you can also watch through Hulu. The NHL Network will broadcast select regional games outside of their local markets during the season, and these matchups won't stream on ESPN+.
The ABC, ESPN, and ESPN+ games can be accessed through ESPN Unlimited, ESPN's revamped streaming service. ESPN Unlimited costs $30 a month and unlocks live streaming capabilities across all ESPN-related programming (including ABC on ESPN) and ESPN+ exclusives. If you have access to ABC and ESPN through other means and are only looking for a way to watch the streaming exclusives, then the $13 a month ESPN Select tier will be able to help you out.
ESPN Unlimited has everything from ESPN Plus, in addition to all that the ESPN linear networks have to offer, along with some exclusive events not found on broadcast channels.
Our top recommendation for cord-cutters looking to live stream every nationally broadcast NHL game with one subscription is DirecTV MySports. The month-to-month pack carries 20+ popular sports channels, including ESPN, TNT, ABC, and the NHL Network. It also unlocks access to ESPN Unlimited, which carries all of the ESPN+ streaming exclusive games. Local channels (like ABC) can have some slight regional variability, but you can turn to ESPN Unlimited if it's not available in your area, so you'll be completely covered no matter what. Subscriptions cost $70 a month, but new users can get $10 a month off for their first two months after a five-day free trial.
DirecTV's MySports pack carries popular sports channels, from mainstays like ESPN to niche offerings like the ACC Network.
Sling TV is another relatively affordable month-to-month streaming service that will give you access to all the ESPN and 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 a month, but Sling's Orange plan also has cheaper short-term passes if you're only looking to watch one game or for one weekend. You can live stream the NHL Network through all of the above options by getting Sling's Sports Extra add-on ($11 a month).
You can access 34 live channels with Sling Orange, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and ESPN4K.
Fubo is another solid way to live stream most of the NHL regular season, with the exception of games airing on Warner Bros. channels like TNT. Fubo's Sports + News plan carries ESPN, ABC, and about 24 other channels. It costs $56 a month, but new users can get $10 off their first month of service. If you're looking for something with access to regional NHL games, more channels, or Sports + News just isn't available in your area, then Fubo Pro will do the trick. This tier of service costs $74 a month (plus some regional sports fees, although new users can get $25 off their first month of service) and unlocks more than 200 live channels, in addition to ESPN Unlimited access. All Fubo plans come with a free trial for new customers.
The new Fubo Sports + News pack is only available in select areas. It combines 20+ major sports channels (including the new ESPN Unlimited) and select local networks (ABC, CBS, and FOX).
ESPN+ will cover you for several Disney-owned games, but if you're looking to just access Warner Bros. games like those on TNT, you'll need to turn to HBO Max. HBO 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 $18.49 a month.
HBO Max's Standard plan includes ad-free on-demand streaming for HBO series, Warner Bros. blockbusters, original HBO Max shows, and much more. Plus, all ad-free subscribers get the B/R Sports Add-on, so they can live stream NBA, NHL, MLB, and more for no extra cost.
How to watch 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.
If you don't already have a VPN, we recommend giving NordVPN 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 NordVPN review for more information.
NordVPN is top of the pile of the best VPN services. It offers excellent value, with a strong feature set and a low monthly price. A wide selection of international servers, high-end security, fast connections, and audited privacy protection have made the brand a household name in the world of VPNs for a reason.
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.
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