The NHL season returns on Oct. 12 with a doubleheader that will air on ESPN. The first game will feature the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30 p.m. ET, and the nightcap will showcase the Seattle Kraken, the NHL’s newest franchise, against the Vegas Golden Knights. Both games will also have simulcasts available on ESPN+.
This will mark the first time ESPN has aired NHL games since 2004. 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.
The complete broadcast schedule can be found here.
How to watch
On ESPN+ and Hulu
-
ESPN+ will air one exclusive matchup every Tuesday from Oct. 19 to Dec. 28.
-
ESPN will have an exclusive Friday night matchup with Hulu until January.
-
In 2022, exclusive matchups on ESPN+ will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
-
More than 1,000 out-of-market games will be available on ESPN+.
On ESPN
On ABC
-
ABC will air 10 regular-season games.
-
One of those 10 games will be the 2021 Thanksgiving Showdown between the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, Nov. 26.
-
The 2022 NHL All-Star game will air on ABC.
-
Beginning Feb. 22, ABC will air a weekly game on Saturday night.
-
All ABC games can be watched on ESPN+.
Stanley Cup playoffs
-
The Stanley Cup playoffs and Stanley Cup Final will return to ESPN and ABC starting with the 2021-2022 season.
-
As part of the seven-year TV deal between ESPN and the NHL, ESPN and ABC will have exclusive coverage of one conference finals and half of all first- and second-round games.
Featured games and networks
-
Minnesota Wild vs. Anaheim Ducks: Oct. 15 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
Chicago Blackhawks vs. New York Islanders: Oct. 19 on ESPN
-
Colorado Avalanche vs. Washington Capitals: Oct. 19 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche: Oct. 26 on ESPN
-
Tampa Bay Lightning vs St. Louis Blues: Nov. 30 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
New York Rangers vs. Colorado Avalanche: Dec. 14 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Dec. 21 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
Colorado Avalanche vs. Chicago Blackhawks: Jan. 4 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
Minnesota Wild vs. Boston Bruins: Jan. 6 on ESPN
-
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Jan. 6 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings: Jan 20 on ESPN
-
Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins: Jan. 20 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: Feb. 26 on ABC
-
Minnesota Wild vs. Detroit Red Wings: March 8 on ESPN+
-
St. Louis Blues vs. Philadelphia Flyers: March 24 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: April 9 on ABC
-
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Washington Capitals: April 12 on ESPN
-
Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues: April 19 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning: April 21 on ESPN
-
New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins: April 23 on ABC
-
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Chicago Blackhawks: April 25 on ESPN+ and Hulu
-
New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals: April 26 on ESPN
