GOAL's guide to watching the NHL Network, including our Top 3 TV services for live NHL coverage
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 fuboTVComprehensive coverage
Sling TV
The NHL Network is available as a Sports Extra add-on. ABC, NBC & FOX all also available in select markets.
DVR capabilities: 50 – 200 hrs
Simultaneous streams: 3
Free trial: No
Monthly from
$11 extra
Get Sling TVBest TV provider
DirecTV
The NHL Network is available through DirecTV's Ultimate and Premier along with NBC, CBS, FOX.
DVR capabilities: Unlimited
Simultaneous streams: 20
Free trial: No
Monthly from
$109.99
Get DirecTVEditors' 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 fuboTVComprehensive coverage
Sling TV
The NHL Network is available as a Sports Extra add-on. ABC, NBC & FOX all also available in select markets.
DVR capabilities: 50 – 200 hrs
Simultaneous streams: 3
Free trial: No
Monthly from
$11 extra
Get Sling TVBest TV provider
DirecTV
The NHL Network is available through DirecTV's Ultimate and Premier along with NBC, CBS, FOX.
DVR capabilities: Unlimited
Simultaneous streams: 20
Free trial: No
Monthly from
$109.99
Get DirecTVEditors' 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 fuboTVComprehensive coverage
Sling TV
The NHL Network is available as a Sports Extra add-on. ABC, NBC & FOX all also available in select markets.
DVR capabilities: 50 – 200 hrs
Simultaneous streams: 3
Free trial: No
Monthly from
$11 extra
Get Sling TVBest TV provider
DirecTV
The NHL Network is available through DirecTV's Ultimate and Premier along with NBC, CBS, FOX.
DVR capabilities: Unlimited
Simultaneous streams: 20
Free trial: No
Monthly from
$109.99
Get DirecTV
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
Sat Mar 23Boston Bruins @ Philadelphia Flyers01:00 PMSling TV / fuboTV / DirecTVSun Mar 24Winnipeg Jets @ Washington Capitals12:30 PMSling TV / fuboTV / DirecTVSat Mar 30Detroit Red Wings @ Florida Panthers12:30 PMSling TV / fuboTV / DirecTVWhat 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 ProgrammesNHL Tonight Hockey CentralTop 10Frozen in TimeClassic SeriesVintage GamesPioneers NHL Movie NightNHL Network Ice TimeWays 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
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.
Pro
$74.99
Elite
$84.99
Ultimate
$99.99
Latino
$24.99
*
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 streamsRegional networks Huge sports channel lineupOffers and promotions Watch the NHL Network on fuboTVFind the best deals
RELATED: How to watch live sports on fuboTV: soccer live stream and more
How to watch the NHL Network
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 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
Includes ESPN channels
Deals and rewardsIncludes some local channels
RELATED:How to watch live sports on Sling TV: soccer live stream and more
Watch the NHL Network on Sling TVFind the best dealsBest regional 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.
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
Start a DirecTV subscription todayFind the best deals
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+()TNTESPNchannelsABC
Regional Games
Regional Sports NetworksNHL Center Ice
ESPN+ subscription is only $9.99/month, so is a great option for those wanting flexible, budget friendly NHL coverage.
Sign up
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.