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How to watch and live stream the NHL Network

Editors' pick

fuboTV

fuboTV offer the NHL Network on their Elite plan, along with ESPN, NBC, CBS and ABC.

DVR capabilities: 250 - 1000 hrs

Simultaneous streams: 7

Free trial: 7 days

Monthly from

$84.99

Get fuboTV

Broadcasting rights for NHL games are spread all over the shop. ABC, ESPN, TNT, and your Regional Sports networks, all have fingers in the pot. So, knowing where to find the best coverage for your money can feel like finding a needle in a haystack.   

While it’s not possible to get every game in one place, the NHL Network is a great way to ensure consistent coverage of your favorite teams, big events like the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and new developments in the sport.

Whether you’re a casual hockey fan or a long-time devotee of your local team throughout the NHL season, the NHL network prides itself on providing you with the hockey content you need 24/7. Keep reading for upcoming fixtures, Network programs, and our top 4 streaming services to access the NHL Network.

Upcoming live NHL Network schedule in 2024

DateFixturePuck Off Time (ET)TV / Live Stream
Sat Mar 23Boston Bruins @ Philadelphia Flyers01:00 PMSling TV / fuboTV / DirecTV
Sun Mar 24Winnipeg Jets @ Washington Capitals12:30 PMSling TV / fuboTV / DirecTV
Sat Mar 30Detroit Red Wings @ Florida Panthers12:30 PMSling TV / fuboTV / DirecTV

What is the NHL Network?

Exactly what it says on the tin. It's the broadcast network for all things NHL, including live coverage of in-market games throughout the season, playbacks, match highlights, expert analysis, player interviews, NHL movies, and more.  

The NHL Network is a cable and satellite TV channel, so it requires a pay TV service to be watched.

NHL Network Programmes

  • NHL Tonight [NHL news, match highlights, interviews, and analysis.]
  • Hockey Central[Simulcast of SportsNet’s NHL radio show.] 
  • Top 10[Focussed on hockey-related topics.]
  • Frozen in Time[Looks back at iconic NHL players, teams, and special events.]
  • Classic Series[Highlights from previous Stanley Cup Play-offs.]
  • Vintage Games[Re-plays archived NHL games.]
  • Pioneers [NHL stars reflect on their careers in the sport.] 
  • NHL Movie Night [hockey-related theatrical films.]
  • NHL Network Ice Time[Hosted by Jackie Redmond, informative series with player interviews.]

Ways to watch the NHL Network

NHL Center Ice is the NHL’s package for out-of-market games and is available with many satellite/cable TV services. For $ 69.99 per season, the service brings you nearly every puck between the pipes and shows 40 live NHL games per week during the regular season. NHL Center Ice also carries NHL Network in subscription.

While NHL Center Ice now shares a lot of out-of-market NHL coverage with ESPN+, it’s still a great option if you want to watch trim, NHL-focused content. It’s $20 cheaper than ESPN+’s annual plan ($109.99) and integrates with your Pay TV service provide seamlessly.

A lot of the big sports leagues, including the NHL, spread live coverage of their games all over the shop, so NHL Center Ice is a great way to skip the faff and maximize your coverage in one place.

You can get NHL Center Ice through the DirecTV satellite service or Dish.

Best Pay TV services for the NHL Network

NHL Network is a cable and satellite TV network. Whether it’s included in the channel lineup or requires an add-on purchase, you’ll need a pay TV subscription to watch it.

We’ve brought together our top 3 live TV services to watch the NHL Network, so you can cut to the chase and get your NHL kicks that much quicker.

  • Best sports coverage

    Best sports coverage

    What is fuboTV?

    fuboTV is a premium streaming service that is particularly great for sports fans, as Elite subscription includes must have networks for sports like ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN3, NBC*, CBS* and ABC* .

    Most importantly for NHL fans, the NHL Network is available with Fubo Elite subscription or above as part of the channel lineup.

    7 day free trial available.

    Pro

    $74.99

    Elite

    $84.99

    Ultimate

    $99.99

    Latino

    $24.99

    *locale dependent, regional restrictions apply.

    fuboTV Features

    DVR hours

    1000 hours cloud storage

    DVR Expiration

    No expiration

    Installation

    No

    DVR Series Recordings

    Up to 4

    Picture quality

    720-1080p

    Voice command for live TV

    Voice control remote

    • Unlimited streams [Watch on up to 10 devices across Pro, Elite and Ultimate.]
    • Regional networks [Including CBS, NBC and ABC.]
    • Huge sports channel lineup
    • Offers and promotions  [7 day free trial.]

    RELATED: How to watch live sports on fuboTV: soccer live stream and more

    Pros

    Unlimited streams

    good selection of local networks

    7 day free trial

    Cloud DVR storage

    Essential sports channels included

    Cons

    No NHL Center Ice

    Pricey subscriptions

  • How to watch the NHL Network

    Best value subscription

    What is Sling?

    Sling is the best value live tv streaming service on the market to watch NHL Network.

    NHL Network is included in Sling TV's Sports Extra add-on ($11/month), so will require you to get sports extra on top of a standard subscription package. However, with both its standard subscriptions under $50/mo, hockey fans are still looking at a very budget friendly subscription.

    Sling Orange

    $40/month

    Sling Blue

    $45/month

    Sling Orange + Blue

    $55/month

    It’s worth noting that ABC, NBC and Fox are only available through Sling in select markets.

    A quick fix for this is to combine Sling with an antenna, as this will guarantee you coverage of your local networks. Sling are currently running a deal where you can get one for free by prepaying your first two months of subscription.

    Sling TV Features

    DVR hours

    50 hours cloud storage

    DVR Expiration

    No expiration

    Installation

    No

    DVR Series Recordings

    Unlimited up to 50 hours

    Picture quality

    720-1080p

    Voice command for live TV

    Supports Alexa via Amazon fire devices

    • Simultaneous streams [2-4 depending on subscription.]
    • Includes ESPN channels

    • Deals and rewards[Half price on first month of subscription.]
    • Includes some local channels[ABC, Fox and NBC.]

    RELATED:How to watch live sports on Sling TV: soccer live stream and more

    Pros

    Simultaneous streams

    Discounted first month of subscription

    Budget friendly subscriptions

    Includes NHL Network

    Cons

    Doesn't have NHL Center Ice

    Very limited local network coverage

  • Best regional network coverage

    Best regional sports network coverage

    What is DirecTV Stream? 

    DirecTV is a premium TV service provider, that offers a deep channel line-up and the best selection of Regional Sports Networks (RSN’s) on the market. RSN's are a handy for in market NHL games, while NHL Network is available with Ultimate subscription or above.

    SubscriptionsPricing

    Entertainment

    $74.99

    Choice

    $99.99

    Ultimate

    $109.99

    Premier

    $154.99

    DirecTV offers both a satellite TV and internet streaming service called DirecTV Stream. With DirecTV Stream, there's no satellite dish or installation fee.

    However, the downside is that NHL Center Ice is only available with the satellite service. So if Center Ice access is make or break, you'll have to subscribe to one of the satellite plans.

    DirecTV Stream features

    DVR hours

    Unlimited Cloud Storage

    DVR Expiration

    9 months

    Installation

    No

    DVR Series Recordings

    Up to 30 episodes per series

    Picture quality

    1080p-4k

    Voice command for live TV

    Supports Google assistant with a google log in.

    • Simultaneous streams [Unlimited on your home network, 3 on the go.]
    • Deals and Rewards [$10 discount on subscription for the first 3 months.]
    • Regional Sports Networks [includingNBC sports, CBS, Fox (Bally Sports), AT&T Sports and Longhorn Network. Check out what’s on in your area through the website using your ZIP Code.]
    • 2-year price guarantee for the TV service

    RELATED: How to watch live sports on DirecTV: soccer, basketball, football live stream and more

    Pros

    Extensive RSN coverage

    Unlimited streams on home network

    No installation required

    Discount on first 3 months of subscription

    Unlimited Cloud DVR storage

    Cons

    NHL Center Ice requires the DirectTV satellite service

    Expensive subscriptions

  •  Do I need the NHL Network to watch live games?

    No. While there are a number of regional games shown on the NHL Network, coverage is spread between different broadcasters.

    National Games

    • ESPN+(subject to blackout restriction)
    • TNT
    • ESPNchannels
    • ABC

    Regional Games

    • Regional Sports Networks
    • NHL Center Ice

    ESPN+ subscription is only $9.99/month, so is a great option for those wanting flexible, budget friendly NHL coverage.

    RELATED: How to watch live sports on ESPN+: stream live soccer, MLB, NFL, NBA, and more

    Does NHL Network show out of Market games?

    NHL Networkwill mainly broadcast in market games, however some exclusive games out of market will also be shown on the channel. These games will not be available on ESPN+ or on NHL Center Ice as blackout rules apply.

    Can I watch NHL Network for free?

    Only if a streaming service offers a free trial. Fubo and DirecTV are the best platforms to check for these, as they tend to offer free trials and discounted sports packages.

    Will ESPN+ have NHL Network?

    No, NHL Network is exclusive to select pay TV services.

    Is NHL Center Ice worth it?

    If you have a satellite or cable service and want NHL focussed content then yes. Watching out of market games through Center Ice is cheaper than annual ESPN+ subscription and the NHL Network is included.

    Can I get NHL Network on Hulu+Live TV?

    No, the Hulu+live tv streaming service doesn't carry the NHL channel. However, Hulu does include ESPN+ with subscription so is worth investing in for other sports channels like TNT and ESPN, as well as out of market NHL matches.

    Is there an NHL app?

    Yes, the NHL streaming app is available on most smart TV's and devices via your apple or android store.