Honestly, trying to figure out where the puck is going to be on your TV screen feels harder than tracking a 100 mph slap shot in a crowded crease. One night your team is on a local channel you've never heard of, the next they’re hidden behind a streaming paywall, and then suddenly they’re on national TV but blacked out because you live ten miles too close to the arena. It's a mess.
If you're asking where can i stream nhl games in 2026, the answer depends entirely on whether you’re a "die-hard home local" or an "out-of-market nomad." The landscape has shifted. We've moved past the days of a single NHL.TV login. Now, you’re basically a digital general manager juggling a roster of apps like ESPN+, Max, and various regional sports networks (RSNs).
The Big Three: ESPN+, Max, and Hulu
For most fans in the United States, your journey starts and ends with the Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery ecosystems. They hold the keys.
ESPN+ (and the new ESPN Select/Unlimited tiers) is the heavyweight here. If you live in, say, Florida but you’re a massive Edmonton Oilers fan, ESPN+ is your best friend. It hosts "NHL Power Play," which is just the fancy new branding for more than 1,050 out-of-market games. Basically, if the game isn't being shown on a local station where you currently sit, it’s probably on here.
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But wait. There’s a catch.
ESPN+ also has about 47 "exclusive" national games. These won’t be on your local cable; you must have the app to see them. They’ve also introduced "ESPN Unlimited" recently, which is a pricier direct-to-consumer tier that includes the actual ESPN linear channel.
Then you have Max (formerly HBO Max). Thanks to the TNT Sports deal, Max streams all the "NHL on TNT" games. This includes big-ticket events like the Winter Classic and Wednesday Night Hockey. If you see a game scheduled for TNT or TBS, you can usually fire up Max and find it in the B/R Sports Add-on section.
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The In-Market Nightmare: Regional Sports Networks
This is where people get grumpy. If you live in the same city as the team you root for, ESPN+ will likely black you out. Why? Because the local Regional Sports Network (RSN) paid millions for the exclusive right to show those games to people in that zip code.
- FanDuel Sports Network: Formerly Bally Sports, these guys handle a huge chunk of the league. If you're in Detroit, Dallas, or Tampa, you’re likely looking at their app.
- MSG & Gotham Sports: The New York/New Jersey corridor is its own beast. You’ll need the MSG+ or the new Gotham Sports app to catch the Rangers, Islanders, or Devils locally.
- Victory+: This is a newer, interesting one. It’s a free, ad-supported streaming service that picked up rights for teams like the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks. Free hockey? In this economy? It’s a rare win.
If you don’t want to buy five different apps, your best bet is a "Skinny Bundle" like Fubo or DirecTV Stream. They carry most RSNs, though they’ll cost you about as much as a traditional cable bill. Fubo is great for sports, but keep in mind they famously dropped TNT/TBS a while back, so you’d miss those national games unless you also have Max.
What About Canada and International?
North of the border, things are slightly more streamlined but still expensive. Sportsnet+ is the primary home. It’s the Canadian equivalent of the "all-in" package. You get the national games (Hockey Night in Canada) and the regional ones, provided you buy the right tier.
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Interestingly, Amazon Prime Video has carved out a slice of the pie in Canada too. They have "Monday Night Hockey," so if you’re a Canadian fan, your Prime sub actually gets you some puck.
For the rest of the world, the NHL made a massive move in 2025/2026 by moving NHL.TV onto DAZN. If you’re in Germany, the UK, or Australia, you’re probably watching through a DAZN subscription now. It’s much more stable than the old standalone apps used to be, honestly.
How to Actually Catch Every Game
If you want a 100% success rate without seeing that "This content is subject to blackout" screen, you have to be tactical.
- Check your zip code: Go to the NHL's official schedule and see which network owns your local team.
- Get ESPN+ for the rest: It’s the best value for volume. You get almost every game in the league that isn't your local team.
- Use a VPN (with caution): Many fans use a VPN to make their computer think they are in a different city. If you’re in Boston but tell your computer you’re in Los Angeles, the Bruins game suddenly appears on ESPN+. Just know that streaming services are constantly trying to block these, so it’s a bit of a cat-and-mouse game.
The 2026 season is also unique because of the Olympic break. Since the NHL is heading to Milano Cortina, the streaming schedule takes a massive pause in February. Don't go canceling your subs thinking the season is over; it's just a three-week hiatus for the best players in the world to chase gold.
Actionable Next Steps
Stop guessing and do these three things tonight:
- Download the NHL App and favorite your team. The "Watch" tab will tell you exactly which provider has the rights for tonight’s specific game.
- Audit your subs. If you have Disney+, you might already have ESPN+ through a bundle. Don't pay twice.
- Check for a "Season Pass." Services like Sportsnet+ or FanDuel Sports Network often offer a one-time yearly fee that’s $30–$50 cheaper than paying monthly through the playoffs.