What Happened to NHL TV?
TV Answer Man, I get NHL TV every year, but I can’t find it anywhere. And the season is starting next month! How do you subscribe this year? And how much does it cost? — Garry, Orlando.
Garry, you can’t find it because it no longer exists. But you can still subscribe to it! Now that I’ve completely confused you, let me explain.
Five years ago, the National Hockey League started NHL.TV, an online package of out-of-market regular season games, similar to Major League Baseball’s streaming plan called MLB.TV. However, the NHL last March announced a new television contract with ESPN that permits the sports network to stream 1,000 out-of-market regular season games at ESPN+. The agreement also allows ESPN+ to air 75 exclusive games during the season.
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The NHL-ESPN partnership eliminated the need for NHL.TV so the league disbanded its online package.
But you can still watch the out-of-market games at ESPN+, which costs $6.99 a month or $69.99 for one year. That’s a good deal considering that the streamer also has a large number of other live sporting events, including MLB games, as well as original documentaries from ESPN.
But if you’re just a NHL fan, you could subscribe in October (the 2021-22 season starts on October 12) through April and only pay $49 to watch those 1,000 out-of-market games. By comparison, the 2020-21 season of NHL.TV cost $144.99!
Final note: The elimination of NHL.TV does not affect NHL Center Ice, the league’s out-of-market package for cable and satellite operators.
Garry, hope that helps. Happy viewing, and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
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FYI just saw a commercial for NHL hockey games coming to TNT in october or was it TBS?. So keep checking your tv guide on those channels to see what games will be on.
If I have NHL Center Ice thru Directv will I still need to get ESPN+?
No.
Will ESPN + have all the games? Will I be able to choose which teams broadcast to watch?
It would appear that such is not the case. You get only the games THEY want you to see. With NHL.tv, as horrible as the video quality was, at least you could select from EVERY game, subject to blackout rules, as well as selecting the home or away feed, as well as the French broadcasts from Quebec.
Why anyone thinks this move to ESPN+ is an improvement is beyond me. Once again Bettman sticks it to the fans who want to follow their “home” team when away from home.
If I’ve misunderstood the ESPN+ schedule, please enlighten me…….
You haven’t ESPN+ will not have all or even most of the out of market games.
Apparently you need to get cable to see most of the games now which is 100% BS.
NHL is dead to me after 5 years of loyalty they’ve decided to screw us all over. Will miss the entire preseason AND opening game because it’s not available on ESPN+
So am canceling my Disney Bundle I just canceled my paid Hulu annual subscription to get FML
Not sure how this is better. ESPN only seems to give select games. Fans got screwed on this one
Talk about really left out, Australia is NOT available in ANY package.
We just spoke with the ESPN+ people. They’re only airing 75 games. If you want all your games, gotta have Center Ice.
That’s not true. It will have 75 exclusive games, and more than 1,000 out of market broadcasts.
Want to watch nyr games in 06457 it’s blacked out and no tv channels. Found local msg on fubo but xfinity won’t let the app download. How can I watch live games?
I’d love to agree, but that’s not what they’re telling us. They even linked us to the schedule.
I reached out to ESPN+ just a bit ago on Twitter. Here is what the convo looked like:
Me: Hi! Can you confirm what NHL games will be on ESPN+? We’re getting conflicting information, even from your people. Will ALL games be available on ESPN+? We’re really confused since we used to be NHL TV customers.
ESPN+: Thank you for reaching out. ESPN+ will broadcast 75 exclusive regular-season games, with ABC and ESPN airing a combined 28 exclusive regular-season games for a total of 103 games.
We have to order Center Ice to get all games. We’re super disappointed. We used to get a military discount with NHL TV. So we’re paying almost double now.
From the ESPN + web site:
“Beginning with the 2021-22 season, access more than 1,000 out-of-market NHL games and 75 exclusive games per season—making ESPN+ a must-have for hockey fans.”
Here’s the site: https://plus.espn.com/nhl?ex_cid=DSS-Search-Google-71700000078968413-&s_kwcid=AL!8468!3!547131299518!e!!g!!espn%2B%20nhl&cid=DSS-Search-Google-71700000078968413-&gclid=CjwKCAjwtfqKBhBoEiwAZuesiKWt4F9DLNwdjcGRSfroX9WxIzhXr0NkZC4D4EXxIyxFok6L_jrf6BoCosMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Here’s another story that says the same thing: https://www.whattowatch.com/how-to/how-to-watch-the-nhl-on-espn-plus
On NHL TV I was able to buy specifically one teams games to watch. Can I still do that for ESPN +
No.
But if you’re just a NHL fan, you could subscribe in October (the 2021-22 season starts on October 12) through April and only pay $49 to watch those 1,000 out-of-market games. By comparison, the 2020-21 season of NHL.TV cost $144.99!
What are you referring to when you say you can subscribe?
ESPN+.
For years i have purchased Center Ice on Direct TV for about $150 to get all games at home and then could access nhl.tv for free with the Center Ice subscription credentials so i didn’t have to pay a second fee for remote streaming access. Has that changed so now despite having a Center Ice I now also need to also buy ESPN+?
What a bunch of bunch. ESPN plus only showing 1 capitals game a month. I just waisted 75 bucks for crap nhl coverage.
Hi, I subscribe to NHL Center Ice through Directv to watch all the New York Rangers broadcasts. My question is will I still be able to get the Rangers games when it’s only an ESPN+ or Hulu through my Center Ice package?
Yes, if you live outside their market.
Thank You so much.
For the past few seasons, an NHL Center Ice customer would get a complementary subscription to NHL.tv. I’ve searched, yet can’t find anything one way or the other if NHL Center Ice subs will get some kind of comped ESPN+ or other NHL streaming package. Or, will those who get NHL CI just be locked out of streaming unless they buy ESPN+? Do you have any insight on this? Thanks.
The sub this year is only $60. But there’s no NHL TV.
I know that. Just trying to find out if you get a streaming package when you subscribe to NHL CI (as I said had been done in years past). Or if you want streaming with NHL CI, you have to pay for CI and then another $60 for ESPN+. DirecTV, ESPN and the NHL have been completely useless when trying to find this out.
If you want streaming with CI, you need to get ESPN+.
Nothing good ever comes from Disney involvement/
Well its opening night for the NHL season and neither game is on NHL Center Ice….this is BS….I was hoping I could ditch ESPN+ after the preseason…guess not.
I couldn’t find reliable info online so I just signed up for ESPN+ since their site made it sound like it was the same as NHL.tv. I’m a Hawks fan in Colorado and wanted to catch puck drop tonight. Quickly realized ESPN+ is a joke. I called and got a full refund. ESPN is among the worst companies in existence.
Maybe someone can help clarify this, but I do have the Center Ice package with Directv and we appear unable to stream anything this year…only watch the Center Ice 770+ pay channels. The Center Ice package the past couple years from Directv cost significantly more than this years rate of $60, so we are assuming after being on the phone with Directv and NHL.com today that the streaming portion is unavailable this year with the Center Ice package. NHL.com sounded surprised that we still had some TV games with Center Ice since the NHL.com call center said that NHL games were ESPN (& family) exclusive. The random guy at the call center for NHL.com said that Center Ice was supposed to go away. Directv escalated my call to two different supervisor levels and they are still working on it, but the last supervisor still had in their call center user guide that “streaming should be available with Center Ice”, but NHL.com said that NHL.tv is no longer in service. NHL.live is for Canada. Technically today should have been the first day that you could stream non national or blackout games since the games last night were national ESPN games, so is anyone able stream games on an ipad or computer with Center Ice?
I saw them advertise NHLtv during the Leafs home openener for $199 …don’t know if that was Canadian but it sounds about rght…this seasons messed up for tv
Jon, I live in San Diego and agree! Nhl is losing a lot of loyal out of market fans!
Maybe this will clear up all of the confusion. NHL.tv in the US no longer exists. The /only/ streaming option is ESPN+. NHL Center Ice continues as it has for satellite and cable customers.
In years past, you got a comp subscription to NHL.tv for streaming when you bought Center Ice. That no longer exists. The mitigating factor is the significantly lower cost of Center Ice. ($60/Directv).
Combined 21-22 subs to Center Ice and yearly ESPN+ cost just about the same as last year’s Center Ice with comped NHL.tv streaming.
(I’m not as knowledgable about the Canadian flavors of this. This is for US subscribers only.)
Is there any way to watch games after they have aired, like I used to with my NHL.tv subscription?
I tried to use the NHL app on my PS4 as in the past. First time I tried to use it, I got a message saying “Sorry you don’t have an account.”
Say WHAT? Turns out the PS4 app is for NHL TV and not NHL Live or whichever of the incredibly confusing names are out there. NHL TV is apparently tied-in w/ the old Rogers NHL version of what I was used to watching.
Well, I’ve had the ESPN+ app and account for a few weeks because that was apparently the only way to watch Seattle’s first contest (I don’t have cable; don’t want it, either) but the NHL has totally screwed fans w/ this utter confusion as to how one can watch games.
And Bettman wants to fool w/ Mexico and China…? How about take care of fans HERE in North America first, blast it all. Stop this nonsense of having a dozen different (and competing) businesses streaming games.
I have no idea if I’ll be able to watch my team at all, now. ESPN+ is only showing certain games; the rest are who-knows-where. Hulu and ESPN and NBC and BBC-17 and The Oxygen Social Network 3CP1 Ma’s Cow channel…it’s incredibly infuriating.
Guys, no post game? I will pay more for post game. You said its supposed to be there and its not. Paying less and getting less. Why espn. Why?
Is there any way to watch games after they have aired, like I used to with my NHL.tv subscription?
The sad thing is you cannot watch your local team like you could with NHL TV. ESPN+ blackouts games. Not a fan of this considering I over 300 miles away from my favorite team but I’m in the blackout zone. And I’m not big on watching a game recording after it has ended, like to watch it live as it is happening. Sadly it appears NHL has gone the same direction as MLB screwing the little guy who wants to simply sit at home and enjoy his favorite team on TV.
ESPN+ is suppose allow you to view games that were blackout 90 minutes after the game has finished.
I’m bummed because there’s suddenly no pregame or post game availability and now that it’s Saturday night, no After Hours show after the late Sportsnet game. You’d think they’d let people know about these changes before we have to pay for the season. ☹
Hey, a NHL fan from Germany here. I´m mostly interested in the games of the Washington Capitals and didn´t have any sort of subscription yet. This whole process of choosing the right provider is quite confusing to me. Could you give me an advice on what i should pick? best regards
and they’re only carrying replays this season for 16 days….48 hrs blackout on local games, then 2 weeks to watch or sol….screw Bettman, I’m cancelling
48 hrs….and it’s only available for 2 weeks after that….per support at ESPN+…..say they don;t care what NHL Live told me when I signed up…NHL Live dumps you to ESPN+ and the games fail to load….
Nils…save your money, and suffer through utube shares….NHL has screwed the fans with this deal with Disney
I had the same thought but almost by chance downloaded. the NHL Tv app (iPad and also Amazon Firestick, but not Apple TV. Just the same as NHL.com last year. The new app is pretty amateurish IMHO.
I live in the Philippines btw.