The National Hockey League remains the gold standard for ice hockey fanatics and fans around the globe, with millions tuning in to see all the action unfold from North America’s premier competition every season.
One of the five major professional leagues of American sport, with 32 teams pitched against each other from October to June, it has exalted its place in the popular consciousness, with its annual Stanley Cup playoffs among the most-watched events on the calendar.
But like many leagues, the broadcast rights for fixtures throughout the campaign can prove a complicated issue, with games typically split on television through local in-market options and out-of-market matchups. Starting in 2022, the introduction of NHL Power Play has allowed fans to catch more than a thousand matches across a campaign from outside their usual broadcast area, all as part of a single streaming package.
GOAL brings you everything you need to know about NHL Power Play below.
What is NHL Power Play?
Getty ImagesNHL Power Play is the programming block that brings out-of-market matches to fans through a streaming subscription package, allowing fans to access more than just their local in-market games broadcast on linear television.
The package, which mimics similar services offered by North America’s other major sporting leagues, gives subscribers access to more than 1,050 games across a single NHL season that would otherwise be inaccessible through traditional broadcast means. With options also including match replays, alternative color commentary, and more, NHL Power Play offers a comprehensive option for ice hockey fans looking to ensure they are fully covered for the campaign.
How to watch NHL Power Play
In the United States, coverage of NHL Power Play will be shown exclusively through ESPN’s online streaming platform, ESPN+.
Offering coverage from all ESPN channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN3, ESPN+ allows customers access to a wide variety of sporting content from just $10.99 per month and covers a majority of NHL fixtures through NHL Power Play and other ice hockey fixtures.
NHL Power Play on ESPN+
| ESPN subscription | Price |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $10.99/month |
| Yearly | $109.99/year |
FAQs
How many games are available with NHL Power Play?
Subscribers to ESPN+ can access more than 1,050 out-of-market matches available through the NHL Power Play brand, allowing fans to catch all the action from further afield during the season.
That’s in addition to in-market matches carried by the streamer, offering complete and comprehensive coverage for customers from the first fixture of the season to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Are match replays available with NHL Power Play?
In addition to live coverage of out-of-market fixtures, NHL Power Play also offers full match replays, and not just from their own selection of games broadcast throughout the campaign.
NHL Power Play also offers full replay coverage from games across ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, and TNT over the year, including regular season and Stanley Cup playoff matches.
What commentary options are available with NHL Power Play?
Fans tuning in to watch out-of-market fixtures through NHL Power Play will be offered a choice of two additional commentary options, with the ability to toggle between home and away commentaries dependent on the sides included.
That allows customers with a favorite team or commentator to ensure they can enjoy the game with the accompaniment of their preferred voices or in-game insights.
When do the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs take place?
The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs take place between April and June, with dates as yet to be officially confirmed. The fixtures will be revealed at the end of the 2023-24 NHL regular season.
The Vegas Golden Knights are the incumbent Stanley Cup holders, having defeated the Florida Panthers in a comprehensive 4-1 series victory last year.