How to watch the NHL on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Plus (2024)

How to watch the NHL on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Plus (1)

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  • How to watch on ESPN Plus
  • How to watch on ESPN, ABC
  • Schedule

Hockey season is back, and the NHL on ESPN (as well as ABC and ESPN Plus) is here to bring you numerous games throughout the season.

Alongside the NHL on TNT, the NHL on ESPN is one of the two main homes for national hockey broadcasts throughout the 2023-2024 season. This year, that will all culminate with the Stanley Cup Finals being played on ESPN/ABC. But we've got a lot of hockey to go before that, a lot of which is going to be available to watch on ESPN.

Here's what you need to know on how to watch the NHL on ESPN, ESPN Plus and ABC.

How to watch the NHL on ESPN Plus

ESPN Plus is a subscription streaming service that currently costs $9.99 per month or $99.99 with a full year commitment. The sports-centric streaming service provides a bevy of live sports as well as original programming from ESPN, including live streams of the NHL.

ESPN Plus is also included in the Disney streaming bundle, which combines Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu for a single monthly fee of $12.99. It is also now included as a standard feature on Hulu with Live TV, which starts at $69.99 per month.

FYI, ESPN Plus does not offer a free trial at this time.

Once you’ve signed up for your ESPN Plus subscription, you can stream all of its content via a computer; Roku; Amazon Fire TV; Xfinity devices; Samsung or other smart TVs; Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles; PlayStation 4 and 5; Apple products; Android phones, tablets and TVs; Google Chromecast; via the Hulu app; and even an Oculus Go. Consumers can also AirPlay ESPN Plus onto their TVs.

For the 2023-2024 ESPN Plus is going to feature nationally televised games that are either streaming exclusively (available on both ESPN Plus and Hulu) or are being simulcast from a broadcast on either ESPN or ABC. It also has streaming plays of regional broadcasts, what it calls NHL Power Play.

How to watch the NHL on ESPN & ABC

ESPN and ABC are two of the traditional broadcast homes for the NHL during the 2023-2024 season (the other is the NHL on TNT).

ESPN is one of the most popular cable sports networks in the US and as such is available on just about every traditional cable provider subscription (though never hurts to double check). ESPN is also available on live TV streaming platforms like FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV.

ABC, as one of the four major broadcast networks that is available in essentially every local TV market across the country, is also carried on any basic cable or satellite pay-TV provider and can also be accessed through a TV antenna; simply check your local listing to learn what channel it is on. ABC is also available on live TV streaming services, including FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV.

If you subscribe to either a traditional of live TV streaming service, then you can also use that login information to watch NHL games through ESPN.com or the Watch ESPN app.

NHL on ESPN schedule

Check out the full schedule of NHL games on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Plus/Hulu this week, April 1-7:

Monday, April 1

  • Edmonton Oilers vs St. Louis Blues, 9 pm ET/6 pm PT (ESPN Plus/Hulu)

Thursday, April 4

  • St. Louis Blues vs Nashville Predators, 8 pm ET/5 pm PT (ESPN Plus/Hulu)

Saturday, April 6

  • Tampa Bay Lightning vs Pittsburgh Penguins, 1 pm ET/10 am PT (ABC/ESPN Plus)
  • Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins, 3:30 pm ET/12:30 pm PT (ABC/ESPN Plus)

Sunday, April 7

  • Dallas Stars vs Colorado Avalanche, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT (ESPN)

What you need to know about the NHL on ESPN Plus

In addition to exclusive national NHL games on ESPN Plus, the streaming service offers more than 1,000 live out-of-market games for its subscribers. Called NHL Power Play on ESPN Plus, this provides 1,050 games throughout the NHL season, with fans able to choose between the home team or away team's broadcast.

In addition, ESPN Plus features replays of every NHL regular season and playoff game through NHL Power Play on ESPN Plus.

ESPN Plus has been around for a few years now, offering original sports programming as well as exclusive coverage of live sporting events, including college football, college basketball, the PGA Tour, UFC fights and even, prior to this year, some out-of-market NHL games. The streaming service’s investment in hockey has increased exponentially though.

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How to watch the NHL on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Plus (2)

Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.

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How to watch the NHL on ESPN, ABC and ESPN Plus (2024)

FAQs

How to stream NHL on ABC? ›

National Games
  1. ESPN+ Broadcasts: Stream in ESPN+ and Hulu.
  2. TNT Broadcasts: Watch on TNT >> Stream in the Watch TNT and Max apps.
  3. ESPN Broadcasts: Watch on ESPN >> Stream in the ESPN app.
  4. ABC Broadcasts: Watch on ABC >> Stream in ESPN+

Does ESPN+ carry all NHL games? ›

ESPN+ subscribers can access all of our NHL games* all season long at no additional cost. Simply access the NHL hub on the ESPN app to preview or stream games available with ESPN+. Out-of-market games available through ESPN+ will include both the “home” and “away” team broadcasts — the choice is yours!

How to watch NHL for free? ›

Watch NHL games on ABC and ESPN for free with Fubo

You can also catch playoff games airing on ABC and ESPN on Fubo. Fubo is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to access to local network affiliates, ESPN and more. To watch the NHL Playoffs without cable, start a seven-day free trial of Fubo.

Why can't I watch NHL playoffs on ESPN+? ›

If you're having trouble accessing a particular game or event on the ESPN app, there may be two general reasons: a regional blackout may be in place or the content may only be available by logging in through a participating TV provider.

Can you watch ABC on ESPN+? ›

With access to Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, and live TV, including local channels like ABC, viewers can enjoy sports and shows without the hassle or price tag of traditional cable.

What is the cheapest way to watch the NHL? ›

Usually, we would recommend signing up for Hulu + Live TV because it includes ESPN+ at no extra cost. But Hulu + Live TV doesn't carry NHL Network, and you can get complete national NHL coverage through Sling TV for around $20 cheaper.

What service has all NHL games? ›

Watch the NHL Live on Hulu

Catch your favorite hockey games all season long with Hulu + Live TV, now with Disney+ and ESPN+. Enjoy over 95 live channels, plus Hulu's entire streaming library. Cancel anytime. Hulu (With Ads) + Live TV plan $76.99/month after 3-day free trial (if any) unless canceled.

How do I get ESPN+ for free? ›

Although there's no ESPN+ free trial, there are often other ways that you can try it free if you shop around. Your best bet is by scoring a deal with a new network service plan (internet or cellular) such as Verizon or AT&T, as these providers often run offers to entice new customers to switch.

Is NHL on Hulu free? ›

Add ESPN+* to your Hulu subscription for just $10.99/month and get access to NHL Power Play — 1,050+ out-of-market NHL games featuring every team, all season long. Current subscribers can add ESPN+ in their Account menu under “Add-ons.” New subscribers can add ESPN+ after they sign up for Hulu.

Can I watch NHL for free on Roku? ›

The National Hockey League has debuted its first-ever NHL FAST (free ad-supported streaming) channel. The NHL FAST channel can be found on channel 216 on The Roku Channel in the United States. It was announced by the league on Thursday.

How much is NHL streaming? ›

For $ 69.99 per season, the service brings you nearly every puck between the pipes and shows 40 live NHL games per week during the regular season. NHL Center Ice also carries NHL Network in subscription.

Does ESPN+ blackout NHL games? ›

Does ESPN+ blackout NHL games? Yes, ESPN+ blacks out NHL games in regions where the games are being broadcast by local TV broadcasters. You can easily bypass these NHL blackouts by using a VPN on ESPN and changing your IP address to be from some other region than you are based in.

How many NHL games will be on ESPN Plus? ›

NHL Power Play on ESPN+ (Out-of-Market Games on ESPN+)

In addition to 50 exclusive games on ESPN+/Hulu, more than 1,050 out-of-market games will be available through NHL Power Play on ESPN+ – available to all ESPN+ subscribers – throughout the season.

Why can't I watch ESPN with ESPN+? ›

*ESPN+ does not include access to ESPN network programming (e.g., ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN News). You must have an existing subscription with a participating TV provider to view ESPN network programming.

Can I stream sports on ABC? ›

Catch thrilling moments from the MLB, NHL & NFL regular season and playoffs. Live stream games from anywhere for the ultimate sports experience. Stream live TV** for your morning dose of GMA, nightly world news from ABC News, and live sporting events, like college basketball and NBA Saturday Primetime.

Does ABC have NHL? ›

The new deal is highlighted by: exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final on ABC in four of the seven years of the agreement, with the ability to simulcast/megacast on ESPN+ and additional ESPN networks; the return of live NHL action to ESPN networks with 100 exclusive national regular-season games across ESPN, ESPN+ ...

How do I watch live sports on ABC? ›

Download the free ABC app on your smartphone, tablet or connected TV to stream full episodes of your favorite shows, watch live news and events, or discover new live streaming channels available to watch 24/7.

How can I stream NHL games live? ›

The NHL playoffs are here and Hulu + Live TV* is your go-to streaming service to stay connected all the way up to the Stanley Cup Finals.

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