If you are an NHL fan, the good news is that hockey's national rights deal — the 7-year, $4.5 billion ESPN-plus-TNT deal signed in 2021 — runs through the 2027-28 season. So unlike basketball, the national TV map is stable for two more seasons. The bad news is the same FanDuel Sports Network collapse that hit MLB and NBA fans also stranded seven NHL teams.

National hockey TV in 2026

ESPN and ABC. ESPN pays roughly $400 million a year for its package. The Stanley Cup Final, half of the conference finals, weeknight Stanley Cup Playoff games, and a regular-season schedule. Some games air on ABC for free over the air. ESPN+ ($11.99 a month, or included with the Disney+/Hulu/ESPN+ bundle) carries every out-of-market regular season game — effectively the new NHL.tv.

TNT and TBS. Warner Bros. Discovery's deal runs about $225 million a year. Half of the conference finals (alternating with ESPN), midweek games, the Winter Classic. Available on YouTube TV, Hulu+Live, DirecTV Stream, and Sling Blue.

The wildcard for 2028. The NHL's national TV deal goes back up for bid for the 2028-29 season. ESPN is likely to keep the top package; the second seat could go to NBC, Amazon, or stay with TNT depending on how the bidding plays out. For now, this is not something a fan needs to plan around.

The seven teams that lost their regional channel

These teams had FanDuel Sports Network through April 2026 and lost it:

For 2026-27, expect each of these teams to announce a local solution — some combination of free over-the-air broadcast and a direct-to-consumer streaming app. Hockey teams generally have fewer national-broadcast appearances than basketball teams, so the loss of a local channel is more painful for everyday game access.

The regional channels that still exist for NHL teams

The bigger New York and New England markets came through the FanDuel collapse intact because their teams sit inside the Dolan family (MSG) and Fenway Sports Group (NESN) ownership structures. Those families had no reason to sell to Diamond and stayed independent.

ESPN+ is the cheapest hockey path

For an NHL fan who lives outside their team's home market — or whose team went over-the-air locally — ESPN+ at $11.99 a month is the cleanest answer. Every out-of-market regular season game is on ESPN+. National ESPN games are simulcast there too. For a hardcore hockey fan, $144 a year covers almost everything.

The blackout rule applies: ESPN+ does not carry your local team's games inside your home market. For those, you need either the team's broadcast partner or whatever direct-to-consumer app the team launches.

Antenna value for hockey

Hockey has fewer free over-the-air games than football or even baseball, but it is not zero. ABC airs several Stanley Cup Playoff games each spring, including parts of the Final. NBC affiliates occasionally pick up Winter Classic and outdoor games. If you already have an antenna for football or local news, the hockey bonus is real.

What you should actually do

If you root for one team in their market and they kept their RSN: Fubo Pro at $84.99 is the best live TV bet because Fubo carries the most NHL RSNs. DirecTV Stream CHOICE is the second option.

If your team lost their RSN: Wait for the 2026-27 announcement. The Suns and Jazz model (free over-the-air plus a small streaming app) is the most likely outcome for most of these teams.

If you live outside your team's market: ESPN+ at $11.99 a month is the answer. Add YouTube TV at $82.99 if you also want ESPN, ABC, and TNT for national games and other sports.

If you only want national games plus playoffs: A $30 antenna plus a $14.99 ESPN-Disney+-Hulu bundle covers most of the picture. ABC games come over the air for free; ESPN national games come via the bundle.

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Last verified: 2026-06-04 against live carrier and rights data. Streaming rights shift quarterly — we re-check every season.

Sources: NHL media-rights deal announcement (April 2021); Cord Cutters News on 7 NHL teams needing new TV homes (April 2026); SPORTS-RIGHTS-MASTER.md (verified 2026-06-04); RSN-BLACKOUTS-REFERENCE.md.