ESPN+ Announces Rebranded ‘NHL Power Play’ Out-of-Market Package; More Local Pre, Post-Game Coverage Anticipated

The National Hockey League returned to ESPN last year for the first time since the 1990s, arriving in a very different era of televised sports than the last time the league was in business with ESPN. The relationship continues with the upcoming season, with 103 exclusive games this season, on the ESPN family of networks.

In addition, ESPN has now announced the arrival of NHL Power Play on ESPN+, featuring more than 1,050 out-of-market games. Available to all ESPN+ subscribers without an add-on, NHL Power Play on ESPN+ represents a renaming of what was formerly known as NHL.TV, which became part of ESPN+ last year, when the worldwide leader in sports got back into the hockey broadcasting business.

For games, subscribers will have the choice of either home or away commentary. And in addition to the live games, users will have access to replays of the regular season and playoff games that air on ABC, ESPN, NHL Network, and TNT, as well as nightly broadcasts of the popular “Hockey Night in Canada” show.

The Streamable has heard that audiences will have greater access to pre and post-game shows from local regional sports networks (RSNs) via ESPN+ this season. The lack of access had been a major pain point for viewers during the first year of NHL.TV on ESPN+.

As for in-market games, the individual NHL teams have deals with RSNs, most of which have some streaming component. For example, the recently launched in-market RSN service Bally Sports+ has the streaming rights to 12 NHL teams.

The NHL season gets underway on Tuesday, Oct. 11, with a pair of games — the Tampa Bay Lightning against the New York Rangers and the Los Angeles Kings against the Vegas Golden Knights — that will be simulcast on ESPN+. During this year’s preseason, ESPN+ streamed 45 out-of-market NHL games.