How to watch NHL games on ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ and Hulu

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 air 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