NHL Expansion Seattle Kraken’s New TV Deal Leaves Streamers Without Many Options

The Seattle Kraken, the 32nd team to join the NHL, will join the league at the start of the 2021-22 season. Last week, it was revealed that the team had reached a TV deal with ROOT Sports Northwest, the regional sports network, owned by the Seattle Mariners and AT&T.

Unlike some RSNs like NBC Sports RSNs, MSG, NESN, [AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh], and AT&T SportsNet Southwest – with ROOT Sports Northwest your options are limited. Currently, the only way to stream the channel is with AT&T TV “Choice” plan for $84.99 a month.

Fortunately, you even have an option.

The deal to bring ROOT Sports Northwest to streaming only came to fruition last July. In fact, it was the first time that Seattle Mariners games were able to be streamed by local fans.

fuboTV is the only other Live TV Streaming Service to carry some of the other AT&T-owned RSNs: AT&T SportsNet Southwest and [AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh]. They don’t carry AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, which airs the Vegas Golden Knights.

The NHL is currently without a national TV deal starting next season. Most of the likely options though, whether it be ESPN/ABC, FS1/FOX, or USA Network/NBC (after NBCSN is shut down) – are all available across Live TV Streaming Services. That means you will be able to stream nationally televised Kraken games .

If you live outside of the Seattle (and surrounding blackout area), you will be able to watch the games using NHL.TV, the league’s out-of-market streaming service.

If you can catch the games though, the Seattle Kraken managed to snag one of the best play-by-play announcers in the game – former Hurricanes announcer John Forslund.

So while your streaming options may change by the time the Kraken hit the ice, for now, if you’re in Seattle – you really only have one way to stream the latest entry into the NHL.