What’s the best way to stream the 2025-26 NHL season?
What’s the best way to stream the 2025-26 NHL season?
The NHL season starts on Tuesday evening, and we’ve got all the details you need about the best ways to stream the season from start to finish.
It’s time to get back on the ice! The 2025-26 NHL season will drop the puck on Tuesday, Oct. 7 with an exciting tripleheader on ESPN. Games begin at 5 p.m. ET, and from there they continue all the way through spring, when the always-thrilling 2025-26 Stanley Cup Playoffs heat up.
The league will spread its national broadcasts across several different outlets once again in 2025, and each team will play the majority of its games on regional sports networks that are only available in the home markets of the clubs in question. That means that, as per usual, customers will either need to stack streaming services to watch their favorite team, or watch on a live TV streaming service.
Which platforms will offer the widest selection of NHL games in 2025-26? Which is the best way to stream the most games in one place? We’ve assembled a list of the best ways to stream pro hockey from season start to end this year, so fans can catch their favorite club as often as possible.
What are the best ways to stream the 2025-26 NHL season?|
What channels are hosting NHL games this year?
There haven’t been any major changes to the broadcasting arrangements for national NHL games in 2025. Games will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and TNT, and some will appear exclusively on NHL Network over the course of the season as well. No major streamers have rights packages for exclusive national NHL games at the moment.
ESPN+ content has been moved to the ESPN Select tier of the channel’s new direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service. That includes NHL Power Play, the out-of-market games streaming platform that allows viewers to watch every non-national NHL game not playing on TV in the viewer’s home area.
A web of regional sports networks will offer local games for U.S.-based NHL teams in 2025. Most teams now have a direct-to-consumer streaming service for watching in-market games not appearing on ESPN or TNT, as well.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| ESPN | + $24 | + $59 | + $61 | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| NHL Network | + $15 | + $11 | - | - | - | - | + $11 | + $11 | - | |
| TNT | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Which services are best for streaming the NHL this year?
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is our favorite way to stream the NHL season this year. To start with, all new DIRECTV customers who opt to get their channel package through their own streaming device or smart TV get a five-day free trial of DIRECTV, which means if you sign up before the season starts, you’ll get to see the opening action at no cost.
You get to choose which type of channel plan you want to watch NHL games with on DIRECTV. If you’re mostly a sports fan and don’t have much need for live news or entertainment channels, you can try the MySports Genre Pack, which comes with ABC, ESPN, TNT, NHL Network, and ESPN Unlimited, so you’ll also get NHL Power Play for out-of-market games. This plan costs $70 per month normally.
Additionally, you can also add on the MyHome Team package of regional sports networks available in your market for an additional $20 monthly.
What teams are available on DIRECTV’s MyHome Team add-on?
If you do want news and entertainment networks with your channel package, you can shop DIRECTV Signature plans starting at $85 per month for the ENTERTAINMENT plan. This comes with 90+ channels, but doesn’t have the NHL Network. To get that, you’ll have to step up to the ULTIMATE plan, which offers more than 160+ channels total for $125 per month.
Regional sports networks in a wide range of markets are available starting with the CHOICE package, which costs $95 per month but includes a regional sports network fee as well. No matter how you want to watch the NHL season, DIRECTV has a perfect option for you.
DIRECTV
DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.
Sling TV
Sling TV is a close runner-up to DIRECTV for NHL fans this year. The service carries both ESPN and TNT in its Orange package, which also includes ESPN3, a useful channel since it simulcasts live sporting events appearing on ABC. Sling Orange starts at $46 per month, but Sling also sells Passes to its Orange package’s programming for as little as $5 per day, $10 per weekend, or $15 per week.
You can add NHL Network to your Sling TV plan starting at $11 per month as part of the Sling Sports Extra add-on pack. Sling TV doesn’t have any regional sports networks available, but it’s a great way to watch nationally available games at a great price all season long.
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.
Hulu + Live TV
Hulu + Live TV is a fantastic alternative to DIRECT for watching NHL games, if you’re looking for a service with a bigger channel plan. Hulu has 90+ channels to its name, including ESPN and TNT. It doesn’t carry NHL Network in any way, but it does come with ESPN Select free of charge with all plans starting at $83 per month — rising to $90 per month on Oct. 21. ESPN Select access means you get all out-of-market NHL games with Hulu + Live TV at no extra charge. Hulu + Live TV comes with a three-day free trial for all new subscribers, and includes regional sports networks in a small handful of markets, but not all.
Hulu Live TV
Hulu Live TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 70 channels for $89.99 per month. Hulu + Live TV base plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs). Subscribers get free access to Disney+ and ESPN Select at no extra charge.
Fubo
Fubo is one service that makes regional sports networks widely available. This streamer comes with FanDuel Sports Network channels and many others, offering great day-to-day NHL coverage for most fans. It also offers ABC and ESPN, but unfortunately, it does not come with TNT.
The Fubo Elite with Sports Plus plan — normally costing $105 per month plus RSN fees — comes with NHL Network as well, so you’ll get a great selection of NHL coverage with Fubo, even if it isn’t total. Fubo also comes with a free trial between one and seven days for new subscribers, depending on factors like what time of month you subscribe.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.
YouTube TV
Unlike Fubo, YouTube TV doesn’t come with a great selection of regional sports networks. It also doesn’t come with NHL Network, but it does have ESPN, TNT, and ABC in its base plan. That plan costs $83 per month for now, and comes with a free trial that can range as high as 21 days during some promotional periods, but usually settles between two and 14 days.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.
ESPN direct-to-consumer
The ESPN direct-to-consumer service has two plans, each of which carries NHL games this year. The Select plan carries NHL Power Play, which, as mentioned, offers all out-of-market games not playing on national channels each day. As of the time of this writing, this plan costs $12 per month, but it will increase to $13 on Oct. 21, 2025.
ESPN Unlimited offers everything found in the ESPN Select plan, and also offers all live NHL games scheduled to stream on ABC or ESPN throughout the 2025-26 season. That plan costs $30 per month, but through a special introductory offer, new customers can bundle Disney+ and Hulu with ESPN Unlimited at no extra cost.
ESPN Unlimited
ESPN launched its highly anticipated direct-to-consumer streaming service on August 21, 2025. For the first time, this service gives sports fans access to its full lineup of linear channels without a traditional cable or satellite subscription.
HBO Max
A new TNT Sports streaming service is on the way, but until it launches, HBO Max will continue to offer live NHL games via its ad-free plans. These tiers start at $17 per month, and will carry all live NHL games airing on TNT in the 2025 regular season and playoffs. This is a great service to pair with Fubo if you’re missing NHL games appearing on TNT, though it carries a smaller number of games overall than other platforms.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.