Are you a hockey fan who got rid of an expensive cable subscription, but still wants to watch the pucks fly? Fear not, because when the NHL season starts on October 7, you can catch the shots on goal by signing up for a video streaming service. Our guide explains everything you need to know about choosing the best service for watching the NHL and the teams' Stanley Cup pursuits, including the complexities of regional sports networks (RSNs). With that in mind, we've gathered the best services for streaming the NHL. Check out our top picks based on more than a decade of streaming video expertise, followed by everything you need to know to determine the right platform for your hockey needs.
Overview
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![Hulu]()
Best for Watching NHL Games and On-Demand ContentHulu
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![YouTube TV]()
Best for Recording NHL GamesYouTube TV
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![Fubo]()
Best for Sports FanaticsFubo
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![HBO Max]()
Best for TNTHBO Max
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![DirecTV]()
Best for RSN CoverageDirecTV
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![ESPN Select]()
Best for Out-of-Market NHL GamesESPN Select
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![Sling TV]()
Best for Channel Add-OnsSling TV
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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![Hulu]()
Best for Watching NHL Games and On-Demand ContentHulu
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
When it comes to hockey, Hulu + Live TV's lineup includes ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT, but not NHL Network. It is missing all of the Bally Sports and SportsNet RSNs, but includes NBC Sports RSNs. Other sports channels on Hulu's roster are CBS Sports Network, Golf Channel, and Olympic Channel. Aside from sports, you can dive into Hulu's impressive library of on-demand shows and movies.
Who It's For
Hulu is for hockey fans who want multiple ways to watch all the regular season games, playoffs, and Stanley Cup action. A subscription unlocks Hulu's expansive library of on-demand shows and movies, too. All subscribers enjoy Enhanced Cloud DVR, which increases the available DVR storage from 50 hours to 200 hours. You can also add the Unlimited Screens package (it allows an unlimited number of concurrent device streams in your home, and up to three outside of it) to your plan for $9.99 per month. Although Hulu's on-demand content is available in 1080p, a few on-demand originals support 4K streaming on select platforms. The service also supports 1080p/60fps live streams on select platforms.
Specs & Configurations
Ads Anime Concurrent Streams 2 or Unlimited (at home) and 3 (mobile devices) DVR Storage & Retention Unlimited; 9 Months Live TV MLB Playoffs Coverage FOX, FS1, and TBS Monday Night Football ESPN NBA Finals ABC Offline Downloads on Mobile On-Demand Movies and TV Shows Original Programming Regular Season National NBA Coverage ABC, ESPN, and TNT Regular Season National NHL Coverage ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT RSN Coverage NBC Sports Sports Coverage International*, National, & Regional Starting Price $11.99 per month; $88.99 per month Sunday Football CBS and FOX; NFL RedZone (via Add-On) Sunday Night Football NBC Thursday Night Football FOX and NFL Network World Series Coverage FOX Learn More Hulu Review -
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Credit: YouTube
![YouTube TV]()
Best for Recording NHL GamesYouTube TV
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT are all available on YouTube TV, although NHL Network is not. That's still a solid lineup for watching most NHL games. As with Hulu + Live TV, you get NBC Sports RSNs, but not Bally Sports or SportsNet RSNs. Other sports channels available on YouTube TV include MLB Network, NFL Network, Tennis Channel, and Olympic Channel.
Who It's For
YouTube TV is a top option for hockey fans who want to record the games, because it offers unlimited cloud DVR storage (and the service retains recordings for up to nine months). YouTube TV supports up to three simultaneous device streams across six accounts, plus 1080p/60fps live streams on select platforms and channels. Additionally, a new 4K Plus add-on enables offline downloads for DVR recordings, supports an unlimited number of simultaneous streams on your home network, and provides 4K live streams for select channels on compatible devices.
You can watch YouTube TV via the web, mobile platforms (Android and iOS), media streaming devices (Apple TV, Chromecast, and Fire TV), smart TVs, and game consoles (PlayStation and Xbox).
Specs & Configurations
4K Live Streams Ads Concurrent Streams 3 or Unlimited (at home) DVR Storage & Retention Unlimited; 9 Months Live TV MLB Playoffs Coverage FOX, FS1, and TBS Monday Night Football ESPN NBA Finals ABC On-Demand Movies and TV Shows Regular Season National NBA Coverage ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, and TNT Regular Season National NHL Coverage ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT RSN Coverage NBC Sports Sports Coverage National & Regional Starting Price $82.99 per month Sunday Football CBS and FOX; NFL RedZone (via Add-On) Sunday Night Football NBC Thursday Night Football FOX and NFL Network World Series Coverage FOX Learn More YouTube TV Review -
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Credit: Fubo
![Fubo]()
Best for Sports FanaticsFubo
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Fubo offers ABC and ESPN in its lineup, but not TBS or TNT, which is a problem for NHL fans. On the bright side, NHL Network is available as part of the Sports Plus with NFL RedZone add-on ($10.99 per month). Other sports channels on Fubo include NFL Network, Olympic Channel, and NBA TV.
Who It's For
The fact that it offers the NHL Network should make hockey fans consider Fubo, but it's also a top pick for sports streaming services in general. Fubo's plans let you record unlimited hours of DVR content, which is stored forever. The service's Lookback feature allows you to watch select sports events up to 72 hours after they aired, while its Startover feature enables you to restart live programs from the beginning. Like the other entries in this roundup, Fubo's lineup of news and entertainment channels is quite strong, with many channels from prominent partners.
Specs & Configurations
4K Live Streams Ads Concurrent Streams 2 or 10 DVR Storage & Retention Unlimited Live TV MLB Playoffs Coverage FOX and FS1 Monday Night Football ESPN NBA Finals ABC On-Demand Movies and TV Shows Regular Season National NBA Coverage ABC and ESPN; NBA TV (via Add-On) Regular Season National NHL Coverage ABC and ESPN; NHL Network (via Add-On) RSN Coverage AT&T SportsNet and some NBC Sports Sports Coverage International, National, & Regional Starting Price $84.99 per month Sunday Football CBS and FOX; NFL RedZone (via Add-On) Sunday Night Football NBC Thursday Night Football FOX and NFL Network World Series Coverage FOX Learn More Fubo Review -
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![HBO Max]()
Best for TNTHBO Max
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
HBO Max's sports offerings now have live broadcasts of NHL games on Warner Bros. Discovery channels, including TBS, TNT, and truTV. Not all competing services offer these channels, so it's a compelling pitch. It costs an extra $9.99 per month, in addition to your base subscription.
Who It's For
If you want access to hockey on TNT, HBO Max is one of the best, easiest, and most affordable streaming options. It's also a top streaming service overall, thanks to its modern features and a vast library spanning everything from live news to the world's most irresistible reality TV.
Specs & Configurations
4K Live Streams Ads Anime Concurrent Streams 4 DVR Storage & Retention None NBA Finals TNT Offline Downloads on Mobile On-Demand Movies and TV Shows Original Programming Regular Season National NBA Coverage TNT RSN Coverage None Sports Coverage NBA, NHL, US Soccer, MLB, NCAA Starting Price $10.99 per month Learn More HBO Max Review -
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Credit: DirecTV
![DirecTV]()
Best for RSN CoverageDirecTV
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
DirecTV has all the hockey you could want, if you can swallow the price. You need to pay for DirecTV's Ultimate plan ($129.99 per month) to get all the channels you need to watch games on national channels: ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, TBS, and TNT. That pricing tier also gets you access to all of the RSNs the service offers. You can now subscribe to a more affordable MySports package ($69.99 per month) if you're not interested in any other channels.
Who It's For
DirecTV is ideal for hockey fans seeking unique viewing options. For example, the Lookback feature lets you watch NHL games that aired up to 72 hours in the past, while Rewind lets you restart certain live streams from the beginning of the broadcast. Plus, the service has unlimited DVR storage, and you can keep recordings for up to nine months. Not only is this a massive improvement that brings it closer in line with competing services, but it's also perfect for sports viewers. In addition, DirecTV supports 20 concurrent streams at home and three simultaneous streams per account away from home, which is impressive.
Specs & Configurations
Ads Anime Concurrent Streams 20 (at home) and 3 (away from home) DVR Storage & Retention 20 hours or Unlimited, nine months Live TV MLB Playoffs Coverage FOX, FS1, and TBS Monday Night Football ESPN NBA Finals ABC On-Demand Movies and TV Shows Regular Season National NBA Coverage ABC, ESPN, and TNT Regular Season National NHL Coverage ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, TBS, and TNT RSN Coverage AT&T SportsNet, Bally Sports, and some NBC Sports Sports Coverage International*, National, & Regional Starting Price $101.98 per month Sunday Football CBS and FOX Sunday Night Football NBC Thursday Night Football FOX World Series Coverage FOX Learn More DirecTV Review -
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Credit: ESPN
![ESPN Select]()
Best for Out-of-Market NHL GamesESPN Select
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
ESPN+ is the home of the NHL.TV package, which means hockey fans can watch over 1,000 out-of-market games this season, plus 75 exclusive ones. ESPN+ also features other live sports, including select MLB games, national and international soccer league matches, and various NCAA events. The service is also the home of UFC PPV events.
Who It's For
If you truly care about following an entire sport, and not just your preferred team, ESPN+'s out-of-market hockey options are perfect for you. The service seemed to support 1080/60fps streams when we last tested it and allows you to stream on up to three devices simultaneously. One drawback of ESPN+, however, is that you can't record live games to DVR storage.
Specs & Configurations
Ads Concurrent Streams 3 DVR Storage & Retention None Live TV Monday Night Football Simulcast of ESPN2's Monday Night Football Broadcast With the Mannings Offline Downloads on Mobile On-Demand Movies and TV Shows Original Programming Regular Season National NHL Coverage NHL.TV Package (out-of-market games) RSN Coverage None Sports Coverage MLB, NCAA, NHL, Tennis Starting Price $12.99 per month Sunday Football None Sunday Night Football None Thursday Night Football None Learn More ESPN Select Review -
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Credit: Sling
![Sling TV]()
Best for Channel Add-OnsSling TV
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
If you want to watch NHL games, you can stream ESPN, TBS, and TNT with Sling TV's Orange plan ($46 per month). However, the Sports Extra add-on, which includes NHL Network, costs an extra $11 per month. Unfortunately, Sling TV doesn't have ABC in its streaming channel lineup, but you can get that network via Sling TV if you set up an antenna to capture your local channels over the air. Sling TV does not offer RSNs.
Who It's For
Sling TV empowers viewers who want to customize their streaming packages, but it falls short in terms of local channel coverage. For example, Sling TV does not include CBS affiliates or local ABC channels, although it offers FOX and NBC affiliates in most major markets. Still, Sling TV's offerings might be ideal for viewers who are primarily interested in hockey and who want to create a plan that best suits their needs.
Sling TV's Orange plan supports one stream at a time, while the Blue plan lets you stream on up to three devices simultaneously. The Sling Orange & Blue plan lets you stream on up to four devices simultaneously. Sling TV now lets you record up to 50 hours of content to DVR storage, but you can pay an extra $5 per month to expand the storage to 200 hours. You can watch Sling TV on your mobile phone (Android and iOS), streaming device, Xbox console (but not PlayStation), and the web.
Specs & Configurations
4K Live Streams Ads Anime Concurrent Streams 1 (for Sling Orange channels), 3 (for Sling Blue channels) DVR Storage & Retention 50 hours or unlimited; Indefinitely Live TV MLB Playoffs Coverage FOX (in select markets), FS1, and TBS Monday Night Football ESPN NBA Finals ESPN3 (simulcasts of ABC) On-Demand Movies and TV Shows Regular Season National NBA Coverage ESPN and TNT; NBA TV (via Add-On); ABC (via Antenna) Regular Season National NHL Coverage ESPN, TBS, and TNT; NHL Network (via Add-On); ABC (via Antenna) RSN Coverage None Sports Coverage International*, National, & Regional Starting Price $46 per month; $66 per month Sunday Football FOX; NFL RedZone (via Add-On) Sunday Night Football NBC Thursday Night Football FOX and NFL Network World Series Coverage FOX (in select markets) Learn More Sling TV Review -
Compare Specs
Our Pick | ||||||||||
Rating |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
3.5 Good |
3.5 Good |
3.5 Good |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
4.0 Excellent |
Best For | Best for Watching NHL Games and On-Demand Content | Best for Recording NHL Games | Best for Sports Fanatics | Best for TNT | Best for RSN Coverage | Best for Out-of-Market NHL Games | Best for Channel Add-Ons | Best for Watching NHL Games and On-Demand Content | Best for Recording NHL Games | Best for Sports Fanatics |
Starting Price | $11.99 per month; $88.99 per month | $82.99 per month | $84.99 per month | $10.99 per month | $101.98 per month | $12.99 per month | $46 per month; $66 per month | $11.99 per month; $88.99 per month | $82.99 per month | $84.99 per month |
Regular Season National NHL Coverage | ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT | ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT | ABC and ESPN; NHL Network (via Add-On) | ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, TBS, and TNT | NHL.TV Package (out-of-market games) | ESPN, TBS, and TNT; NHL Network (via Add-On); ABC (via Antenna) | ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT | ABC, ESPN, TBS, and TNT | ABC and ESPN; NHL Network (via Add-On) | |
RSN Coverage | NBC Sports | NBC Sports | AT&T SportsNet and some NBC Sports | None | AT&T SportsNet, Bally Sports, and some NBC Sports | None | None | NBC Sports | NBC Sports | AT&T SportsNet and some NBC Sports |
DVR Storage & Retention | Unlimited; 9 Months | Unlimited; 9 Months | Unlimited | None | 20 hours or Unlimited, nine months | None | 50 hours or unlimited; Indefinitely | Unlimited; 9 Months | Unlimited; 9 Months | Unlimited |
Concurrent Streams | 2 or Unlimited (at home) and 3 (mobile devices) | 3 or Unlimited (at home) | 2 or 10 | 4 | 20 (at home) and 3 (away from home) | 3 | 1 (for Sling Orange channels), 3 (for Sling Blue channels) | 2 or Unlimited (at home) and 3 (mobile devices) | 3 or Unlimited (at home) | 2 or 10 |
4K Live Streams |
Buying Guide: The Best NHL Streaming Services for 2026
How to Watch NHL Games Without Cable
Regular-season NHL games air on national channels and RSNs, so 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 typically have exclusive broadcasting rights to the teams they cover, so if your squad is set to battle on a national channel, it may be blacked out on your local RSN.
Most RSNs are (or were) owned by AT&T (SportsNet), Comcast (NBC Sports), or FOX (Bally Sports); however, 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 as your local broadcast affiliate channel, even though their ownership may overlap. For instance, NBC Sports Boston is not the same as your local NBC station in Boston.
DirecTV is one of the few live TV streaming services 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. The 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, 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 official linear channel for broadcasting nationally televised hockey games. Sports streaming rights are so confusing across the board that no single channel offers a comprehensive view of everything, but the NHL Network remains a good resource. Of the services listed here, you can access NHL Network on DirecTV, Fubo, and Sling TV.
What Happened to NHL.TV?
Previously, the NHL offered its own live streaming service, called NHL.TV, which, like the NBA's various League Pass plans, allowed users to 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 You Need to Know About NHL Streaming?
Before selecting a sports streaming service, compare the technical specifications of the platforms. For example, if you want to record every game, pick a streaming service with generous DVR storage. If you live in a household with several other people, choose a service that supports multiple concurrent streams. Ensure that prospective live TV streaming services offer apps for all the media streaming devices you own.
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 the same. Higher streaming resolutions (like 4K) result in a sharper picture, and faster frame rates help smooth out fast action.
If you're 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 a streaming catalog.
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 offer a great value for people who want to access the widest possible variety of cable TV networks for one price.
Some NHL games air on ABC, so you can pick up those games using 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 the NBA with one of our recommended NBA streaming services. MLB or NFL fan? We have roundups of the best MLB streaming services and NFL streaming services for you to peruse.