How To Watch NHL Games on ESPN Plus
Skate into endless hours of NHL action with ESPN+ and catch every out-of-market game this season.
ESPN+ is a must-have streaming service for NHL fans, offering exclusive matchups and over 1,050 out-of-market games at a competitive price. It even hosts extensive college hockey coverage among thousands of other live sporting events.
Still unsure if ESPN+ is the right fit for your hockey obsession? Keep reading as we go in-depth about what the service offers from an NHL perspective. Most importantly, we compiled a list of every national NHL matchup streaming on ESPN+ this season.
Is ESPN Plus worth it for NHL fans?
ESPN+ is worth it for NHL fans who prefer streaming over traditional cable TV. Its NHL Power Play coverage gets you every out-of-market game this season, which is perfect if you support a team in a different region. Additionally, ESPN+ includes exclusive NHL matchups you won’t be able to watch live anywhere else but on Hulu.
Content-wise, existing cable or satellite customers can get the same out-of-market coverage with the NHL Center Ice add-on. But you’ll still miss the 50 games exclusive to ESPN+/Hulu.
ESPN+ isn’t without its detractors. While its NHL game quantity is impressive, navigating the ESPN app on most streaming devices can be a headache. The interface is clunky, and playback issues occur frequently. Nothing’s more frustrating than technical difficulties when watching live sports.
In short, if you’re willing to overlook its technical shortcomings, ESPN+’s massive content library makes it well worth the investment.
Watch 75 national NHL games on ESPN Plus
During the 2024–2025 NHL regular season, ESPN+ will stream 50 games exclusively and simulcast 25 more from ABC and ESPN. That’s on top of the 1,050+ out-of-market games available to all ESPN+ subscribers based on location. But keep in mind that 25 ESPN/ESPN2 games will require a TV login to stream in the ESPN app—including the 2025 NHL Stadium Series.
The table below features all the nationally televised NHL games streaming on ESPN+.
2024–2025 NHL on ESPN+ schedule
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
|
October |
|||
| St. Louis Blues at Seattle Kraken | Tuesday, Oct. 8 | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers | Tuesday, Oct. 8 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Chicago Blackhawks at Utah Hockey Club | Tuesday, Oct. 8 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators | Thursday, Oct. 10 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| St. Louis Blues at San Jose Sharks | Thursday, Oct. 10 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Tampa Bay Lightning at Carolina Hurricanes | Friday, Oct. 11 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New York Rangers at Detroit Red Wings | Thursday, Oct. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers | Tuesday, Oct. 22 | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken | Tuesday, Oct. 22 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Los Angeles Kings at Vegas Golden Knights | Tuesday, Oct. 22 | 11:00 p.m. | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Nashville Predators at Chicago Blackhawks | Friday, Oct. 25 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Nashville Predators at Tampa Bay Lightning | Monday, Oct. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at Nashville Predators | Thursday, Oct. 31 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
|
November |
|||
| Philadelphia Flyers at Tampa Bay Lightning | Thursday, Nov. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Pittsburgh Penguins at Washington Capitals | Friday, Nov. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New Jersey Devils at Florida Panthers | Tuesday, Nov. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| St. Louis Blues at Buffalo Sabres | Thursday, Nov. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues | Tuesday, Nov. 19 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Florida Panthers at Chicago Blackhawks | Thursday, Nov. 21 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
|
December |
|||
| Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins | Tuesday, Dec. 3 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights | Tuesday, Dec. 3 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Seattle Kraken at New York Islanders | Thursday, Dec. 5 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers | Friday, Dec. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Toronto Maple Leafs at New Jersey Devils | Tuesday, Dec. 10 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at Minnesota Wild | Thursday, Dec. 12 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes | Tuesday, Dec. 17 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Los Angeles Kings at Philadelphia Flyers | Thursday, Dec. 19 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Toronto Maple Leafs at Buffalo Sabres | Friday, Dec. 20 | 7:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
|
January |
|||
| Toronto Maple Leafs at New York Islanders | Thursday, Jan. 2 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New York Rangers at Washington Capitals | Saturday, Jan. 4 | Noon | ABC, ESPN+ |
| New York Rangers at Chicago Blackhawks | Sunday, Jan. 5 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Toronto Maple Leafs at Philadelphia Flyers | Tuesday, Jan. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Toronto Maple Leafs at Carolina Hurricanes | Thursday, Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers | Saturday, Jan. 11 | 1:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Florida Panthers at New Jersey Devils | Tuesday, Jan. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Carolina Hurricanes at Dallas Stars | Tuesday, Jan. 21 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Utah Hockey Club at Minnesota Wild | Thursday, Jan. 23 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Colorado Avalanche at New York Islanders | Tuesday, Jan. 28 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Dallas Stars at Vegas Golden Knights | Tuesday, Jan. 28 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New York Islanders at Philadelphia Flyers | Thursday, Jan. 30 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| San Jose Sharks at Seattle Kraken | Thursday, Jan. 30 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
|
February |
|||
| Chicago Blackhawks at Florida Panthers | Saturday, Feb. 1 | 1:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| New York Rangers at Boston Bruins | Saturday, Feb. 1 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at St. Louis Blues | Tuesday, Feb. 4 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Dallas Stars at Anaheim Ducks | Tuesday, Feb. 4 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Carolina Hurricanes at Minnesota Wild | Thursday, Feb. 6 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Toronto Maple Leafs at Seattle Kraken | Thursday, Feb. 6 | 10:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings | Saturday, Feb. 8 | 1:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Vegas Golden Knights at Boston Bruins | Saturday, Feb. 8 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Minnesota Wild at Detroit Red Wings | Saturday, Feb. 22 | 12:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins | Saturday, Feb. 22 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at Tampa Bay Lightning | Tuesday, Feb. 25 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers | Thursday, Feb. 27 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
|
March |
|||
| Boston Bruins at Pittsburgh Penguins | Saturday, March 1 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| New Jersey Devils at Dallas Stars | Tuesday, March 4 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Seattle Kraken at Philadelphia Flyers | Saturday, March 8 | 12:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay Lightning | Saturday, March 8 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at Buffalo Sabres | Monday, March 10 | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild | Tuesday, March 11 | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Nashville Predators at San Jose Sharks | Tuesday, March 11 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at New Jersey Devils | Thursday, March 13 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New Jersey Devils at Pittsburgh Penguins | Saturday, March 15 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Vancouver Canucks at St. Louis Blues | Thursday, March 20 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Detroit Red Wings at Vegas Golden Knights | Saturday, March 22 | 8:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Vancouver Canucks at New Jersey Devils | Monday, March 24 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Nashville Predators at Carolina Hurricanes | Tuesday, March 25 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Boston Bruins at Detroit Red Wings | Saturday, March 29 | 8:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
|
April |
|||
| Tampa Bay Lightning at New York Islanders | Tuesday, April 1 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Edmonton Oilers at San Jose Sharks | Thursday, April 3 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils | Saturday, April 5 | 12:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Pittsburgh Penguins at Dallas Stars | Saturday, April 5 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals | Thursday, April 10 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| Anaheim Ducks at Los Angeles Kings | Thursday, April 10 | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN+ |
| New York Islanders at Philadelphia Flyers | Saturday, April 12 | 12:30 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
| New York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes | Saturday, April 12 | 3:00 p.m. | ABC, ESPN+ |
Data effective as of post date.
Get affordable out-of-market coverage with ESPN Plus
At $10.99 a month, ESPN+ is one of the cheapest streaming services to offer out-of-market coverage of any major sports league. The fact that it goes well beyond delivering just NHL coverage makes it a versatile viewing platform for all sports fans. That’s not something other out-of-market services like NFL Sunday Ticket, NBA League Pass, or MLB.TV can offer.
Whether you’re a die-hard NHL fan or enjoy a variety of sports, ESPN+ has tremendous value. Visit our What To Watch on ESPN+ page to explore our favorite sports and series included with the service.
| Plan | Price | Streams | Video | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN+ (monthly plan) | $10.99/mo. | 3 | 1080p | View plans |
| ESPN+ (yearly plan) | $109.99/yr. | 3 | 1080p | View plans |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Pro tip: If you’re looking for a more robust live TV option, Hulu + Live TV includes ESPN+ at no extra cost and carries key sports channels like ESPN, FS1, and TNT. The only downside for hockey fans is that Hulu + Live TV doesn’t offer NHL Network.
Don’t miss college hockey and more on ESPN Plus
Beyond live NHL games, ESPN+ offers a range of college hockey action. Most of those matchups come from the Hockey East and ECAC Hockey leagues, but subscribers also get many non-conference and independent games. The service even streams most games from the NCAA hockey tournament—including men’s and women’s Frozen Four action.
Unfortunately, ESPN+ scaled back on some of its original hockey programming, such as In the Crease and Quest for the Stanley Cup. But it still features several hockey specials and carries The Point for in-depth analysis throughout the NHL season. It also streams NHL Frozen Frenzy, an annual whip-around show that occurs when all 32 NHL teams play on the same night.
NHL on ESPN Plus FAQ
Will ESPN+ have all NHL games?
ESPN+ will stream every live out-of-market NHL game this season, along with 75 nationally televised matchups. While it won’t include other nationally televised games or those airing on in-market channels, ESPN+ offers all NHL games on demand for up to 30 days.
Do I need NHL Center Ice if I have ESPN+?
No, NHL Center Ice is the league’s out-of-market service for cable and satellite subscribers. If you already have ESPN+, you’ll get the same out-of-market coverage and 50 exclusive games. NHL Center Ice’s only content benefit over ESPN+ is that it includes access to NHL Network.
How soon are NHL replays available on ESPN+?
Most NHL replays are available on ESPN+ shortly after the final horn. But replays of games broadcast on TNT Sports, NHL Network, or local channels with blackout restrictions won’t be available until 24 hours after the match ends. Once added, on-demand replays remain on ESPN+ for 30 days.
How can I watch blacked-out NHL games on ESPN+?
NHL games blacked out on ESPN+ are usually available live on national channels like TNT or regional sports networks (RSNs). You can’t watch these games live on ESPN+ due to location restrictions, but the full replays are available 24 hours later.
Some users bypass blackouts using a VPN to connect to a server in a region where the game is available. But this is a risky method that may violate ESPN+’s terms of service. To avoid blackouts legally, you’ll want a TV service like DIRECTV STREAM that offers every national NHL channel and your local RSN.
Why you should trust us
Our sports experts continuously test ESPN+ to evaluate its worth for NHL fans. Entering this season, we analyzed the service’s cost, compared its game coverage to other NHL viewing platforms, and assessed its additional features. Our constant hands-on research ensures you get the most reliable information for choosing your NHL viewing options.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
