How to watch the NHL 2025-2026 season without cable

Table of contents

The best streaming deals to watch NHL games at a glance:

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Another hockey season is upon us, which means it’s time again to find out how to watch your favorite NHL team. And I warn you: it’s not easy. We recently estimated that it would cost over $800 and 11 different streaming services to watch every NFL football game this season. The NHL streaming situation isn’t that bad, but it’s not great.

Every year, watching live sports becomes more and more difficult for those without cable (and even for those who do). But lucky for you, we’ve done some of the dirty work to make your life a little easier. Hockey season is stressful enough without having to worry about how to watch the next game.

Here’s the ultimate guide to watching every NHL game during the 2025-26 season.

When does the hockey season start?

The 2025-26 NHL season opened on October 7 with a tripleheader, including the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers raising their banner. The regular season runs through April 16, 2026, but thanks to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, there will be a nearly month-long break in February. You can view the full schedule on the official NHL website.

On which channels are NHL matches broadcast?

If you have cable or access to a cable connection, live games will be broadcast on the ESPN/ESPN2/ABC family of networks, TNT/truTV/TBS family of networks, NHL Network and regional sports networks throughout the season. If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a streaming service or two to watch live games (more on that below).

Check the official schedule on NHL.com to find out which channel to listen to for specific games.

How can I watch NHL games without cable?

This is where things get complicated. If you don’t have cable access or a cable connection, you’ll need at least one streaming service to watch NHL games live. Let’s start with the easy part: national broadcasts. Nationally broadcast games will either be on the ESPN family of networks, TNT family of networks, NHL Network or ESPN+ (now ESPN Select). Here’s a list of their streaming counterparts.

• ESPN+ Streams: Stream with ESPN Select or Hulu

• TNT Broadcasts: Stream on HBO Max

• ESPN Broadcasts: Stream with ESPN Unlimited

• ABC Streams: Stream with ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited

• NHL Network Broadcasts: no streaming equivalent

Games on the market

As NHL fans know, national broadcasts make up only a small fraction of the entire game slate. Most matches are broadcast locally on Regional Sports Networks (RSNs). Many (but not all) of these RSNs offer their own streaming subscriptions, like FanDuel Sports Network or Gotham Sports. If you’re not sure which RSN you need to watch your local team, the NHL does a great job of laying this all out on its website – you can also check out the FAQ below.

The most direct way to access these RSNs is through their individual subscription offerings. Of course, because sports streaming is notoriously complicated, not every RSN has its own streaming counterpart. For these, you’ll need a cable alternative like Fubo or DirecTV Stream, which costs a pretty penny.

Out-of-market games

If you’re a fan of an out-of-market team, it’s actually a little easier to watch your team’s games than if you’re in-market (crazy, right?). ESPN Select (formerly ESPN+) carries virtually all regional broadcasts for teams not in your local market. For example, I live in Nashville, but I’m a Washington Capitals fan. I can watch all Capitals regional broadcasts on ESPN Select, but the Nashville Predators broadcasts are hidden. For national broadcasts, you’ll still need access to ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, and TNT (see streaming counterparts above).

What streaming services do I need to watch NHL games?

If you’re a fan of your local team, your first task should be to determine which regional sports network you need. If the RSN offers its own streaming subscription, that’s your best bet for watching the most games. If not, you’ll need a cable alternative that offers RSN access – probably Fubo or DirecTV Stream.

If you don’t have cable access or a cable alternative, you’ll need a few streaming services for every game that isn’t broadcast regionally: HBO Max and ESPN. HBO Max will give you access to all TNT broadcasts, while ESPN will unlock access to ABC and ESPN broadcasts, as well as exclusive ESPN+ games.

The best streaming deals to watch NHL games

Just because the sport requires a ton of subscriptions doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. We’ve found several streaming deals that can help you keep a little extra money in your pocket this hockey season.

Best for ESPN, ABC and ESPN+ games: Save 16% on the ESPN Unlimited Annual Plan

ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, launched last summer, now offers access to all of ESPN’s networks and services to sports fans in a single subscription. For the sake of hockey, you’ll be able to stream games from ESPN, ESPN on ABC, and ESPN+ (ESPN Select). It typically costs $29.99 per month, but if you commit to a full year, you’ll save around 16%, or almost $60. Of course, you can watch more than just NHL games, which makes the annual plan worthwhile, especially for fans of multiple sports.

Best for TNT, TBS and truTV games: Save 16% on HBO Max Standard Annual Plan

A Max Standard subscription includes the B/R Sports add-on, which includes access to NHL on TNT games (and simulcast TBS and truTV games). It costs $16.99 per month, but if you opt for an annual plan, that cost drops to just $14.16 per month. You’ll save 16% or $33.89 by paying up front for the full year.

Most games at the lowest price: Sling TV Orange Season Pass

Sling TV’s Orange plan is your best bet for watching the most national NHL broadcasts in one place at the lowest price. The Orange package includes access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and TBS, as well as 30 other channels. While this doesn’t include ABC, most ABC NHL games are also available through ESPN3, so you’ll be all set.

Sling subscriptions are pay-as-you-go, so you can add and remove from your plan worry-free and cancel or pause your subscription at any time. The Orange plan costs $46 per month, but if you sign up for a Season Pass (5 months), you’ll pay around $39.80 per month in one go. It’s not the biggest savings – around $31 – but it’s the best value.

Best for Out-of-Market Games: Save 16% on the ESPN Select Annual Plan

As mentioned above, ESPN Select lets you watch all out-of-market regional games throughout the season. It will also exclusively host 47 matches this season. A monthly subscription will cost you $11.99, but if you sign up for a year in advance with the Select Annual Plan, it will only cost $9.99 per month ($119.99/year). That’s 16% or $23.89 in savings.

Note: ESPN+ is now ESPN Select. If you were previously a subscriber to ESPN+, you will automatically upgrade to the ESPN Select plan.