By Jim Kimble / Updated May 3, 2022
(Editor’s note on May 3, 2022: Now that the regular NHL season is over, you can refer to How to Watch NHL Playoffs guide for more information on streaming NHL games.)
ESPN+ remains one of the cheapest ways to stream live NHL games on a Smart TV or Roku.
A subscription costs $6.99 per month. During the 2021-2022 season, ESPN+ will stream more than 1,000 out-of-market NHL games.
But for cord-cutters and streaming fans, there are some added options this season to watch your favorite hockey team without a cable subscription.
The Walt Disney Company’s family of TV channels and streaming services will carry more than 1,100 out-of-market games. ESPN+ is the home of preseason games (see schedule below).
The schedule for the 2021-2022 NHL regular season games breaks down like this:
| Tuesday | ESPN, ESPN+ | Starting Oct 12 |
| Friday | ESPN+ | Until Jan. 2022 |
| Thursday | ESPN+ | Starting Jan. 2022 |
| Saturday | ABC | Starting Feb. 2022 |
So if you’re trying to figure out what NHL games are on today, and how to sign up for the cheapest streaming service to watch your favorite team, then you’re in the right place. (An updated ESPN+ NHL schedule is below.)
Table of Contents
In-market NHL games
Regional sports channels are usually the most important ones to have for in-market NHL games.
And this year is no different.
ESPN will also carry 18 regular season games. So you will want a live TV service that carries your local regional sports network and ESPN for in-market coverage.
You can now watch in-market games without cable on NESN, MSG, MASN and ROOT Sports. The regional Bally Sports networks are on DIRECTV STREAM, but you’ll notice that it has gotten more expensive than in years past.
How to start streaming NHL games
If you have a Smart TV, Fire TV Stick or Roku, then you pretty much have most of what you need to start streaming games. I also recommend a decent Internet connection, and setting up your own Wi-Fi router for better coverage.
- Once you sign up for ESPN+ online, you can activate your subscription through the ESPN app and start watching from there.
- Hulu subscribers have the option to add on ESPN+ for an additional $6.99 per month. Both services will be within the Hulu app.
- There are a number of live TV options to watch ESPN without cable, some of which include regional sports networks.
Today’s NHL Schedule for ESPN+
Regular Season Games on ESPN+
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Teams |
| Mar 4 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Minnesota vs. Buffalo |
| Mar 7 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Toronto vs. Columbus |
| Mar 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Arizona vs. Detroit |
| Mar 10 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Minnesota vs. Detroit |
| 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | Anaheim vs. Nashville | |
| Mar 15 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Florida vs. San Jose |
| Mar 17 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+ | San Jose vs. Los Angeles |
| 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Florida vs. Vegas | |
| Mar 22 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Nashville vs. Los Angeles |
| Mar 24 | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | Philadelphia vs. St. Louis |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN+ | Chicago vs. Los Angeles | |
| Mar 25 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+ | Seattle vs. Anaheim |
| Mar 29 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Carolina vs. Tampa Bay |
| Mar 31 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Columbus vs. NY Islanders |
| Apr 5 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Carolina vs. Buffalo |
| 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | Minnesota vs. Nashville | |
| Apr 7 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Pittsburgh vs. NY Rangers |
| 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+ | Buffalo vs. Carolina | |
| Apr 14 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Detroit vs. Carolina |
| Apr 19 | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | Boston vs. St. Louis |
| Apr 21 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Detroit vs. Florida |
| Apr 25 | 8 p.m. | ESPN+ | Philadelphia vs. Chicago |
| Apr 26 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Edmonton vs. Pittsburgh |
| Apr 28 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | Tampa Bay vs. NY Islanders |
Regular Season games on ESPN
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Teams | |
| Mar 24 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Dallas Stars vs. Carolina Hurricanes | |
| Apr 12 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Philadelphia Flyers vs. Washington Capitals | |
| 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Dallas Stars | ||
| Apr 14 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars | |
| Apr 19 | 10 p.m. | ESPN | Los Angeles Kings vs. Anaheim Ducks | |
| Apr 21 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | |
| 10:30 p.m. | ESPN | St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks | ||
| Apr 26 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals | |
| 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche |
Regular Season games on ABC and ESPN+
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Teams | |
| Mar 5 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Chicago Blackhawks vs. Philadelphia Flyers | |
| Mar 12 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Philadelphia Flyers vs. Carolina Hurricanes | |
| Mar 19 | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | |
| Mar 26 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vegas Golden Knights | |
| Apr 2 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Colorado Avalanche | |
| Apr 9 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | |
| Apr 16 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues | |
| Apr 23 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins |
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Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
