The 2026-27 NHL regular season is set to begin Tuesday, Sept. 29, bringing another crowded viewing picture for hockey fans who want to follow games without a conventional cable package. The central complication is not a shortage of ways to watch. It is that regular-season coverage is distributed among multiple linear TV channels and streaming services.
The listed TV channels are ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS, truTV and NHL Network. ESPN Unlimited and HBO Max are also presented as streaming destinations for selected NHL coverage. That means the best subscription is not necessarily the lowest advertised monthly price; it is the one whose channels line up with the games a viewer actually wants to see.
For fans deciding among live-TV streaming bundles, the most useful starting point is a simple channel check. ESPN and ESPN2 matter for ESPN-carried games, ABC matters for its broadcasts, while TNT, TBS and truTV form the TNT Sports side of the lineup. NHL Network is a separate consideration, because it is not included with every listed base plan. No single recommendation can guarantee that every game will be available in every market, and the supplied pricing specifically notes that local market conditions can affect channel availability.
The NHL viewing map is spread across seven TV networks
A live-TV streaming service is a subscription that delivers a package of scheduled television channels over the internet rather than through a traditional cable connection. It is different from an on-demand library: a channel such as ESPN or TNT has a live feed and a programming schedule, just as it would in a cable package.
For NHL viewers, that distinction is important. A service may have hockey programming or sports content without carrying every live channel named in the season’s distribution. Before signing up, compare a plan’s current channel list against these seven names:
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ABC
- TNT
- TBS
- truTV
- NHL Network
The material identifies Fubo, DirecTV, Sling TV and Hulu + Live TV as live-TV options, while ESPN Unlimited and HBO Max provide more focused streaming routes. Each approach has a different trade-off. A broad bundle can cover more of the listed channels, but it costs more after introductory offers end. A narrower service may cost less, but can require an add-on or leave out NHL Network.
It is also worth separating a promotional price from an ongoing price. Several services list a reduced first-month or first-three-month rate, followed by a higher recurring monthly charge. That is not a minor footnote for a season-long subscription: the later rate is the figure to use when judging the long-term cost.
DirecTV: broad channel coverage with a three-month introductory rate
DirecTV’s Entertainment package is listed at $59.99 per month for the first three months, increasing to $89.99 per month afterward. The package is described as including more than 90 channels.
Related coverage includes How to Stream the 2026-27 NHL Season Without Cable.
For the NHL channel checklist, it is presented as carrying ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS, truTV and NHL Network. On the information provided, that makes DirecTV a comprehensive live-TV route for the full group of seven named broadcasters.
The practical question is whether that broad coverage is worth the post-promotion price. Someone who watches games across ESPN, TNT Sports and NHL Network may value the convenience of one package. A viewer who only plans to catch occasional nationally televised games may find that the larger channel bundle includes much more television than they intend to use.
Sling TV: lower base price, with NHL Network as an add-on
Sling TV’s Orange + Blue package is listed at $69.99 per month. It includes ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS and truTV. NHL Network is not part of that stated base lineup; fans can add Sports Extra for an additional $11 per month to receive it.
That makes Sling’s decision relatively easy to frame. Without Sports Extra, the package covers six of the seven named networks. With the add-on, its listed total becomes $80.99 per month before any taxes or other charges not detailed here.
The source material flags an especially important caveat: Sling pricing and channel availability are subject to the viewer’s local TV market. In plain terms, a plan name alone is not enough. Check the service’s channel availability for the location where it will be used before treating ABC or any other channel as guaranteed.
Sling is also the exception among the named live-TV services when it comes to a free trial: the material says the other listed services offer trials, while Sling does not. That may matter for viewers who want to test the app, stream quality and channel lineup during the opening stretch of the season before committing.
Fubo: all seven named NHL networks and a five-day trial
Fubo is listed at $63.99 for the first month and $88.99 per month afterward. It is described as offering more than 230 live TV channels and, crucially for hockey viewing, all seven of the networks in the supplied list: ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS, truTV and NHL Network.
That listed coverage puts Fubo in the same broad-access conversation as DirecTV. Fubo also offers a five-day free trial, according to the supplied details. A trial is best viewed as an opportunity to verify the experience rather than as a permanent workaround: check the channel guide, confirm the local lineup and understand the date on which billing begins if the plan is kept.
For a viewer comparing Fubo and DirecTV, the introductory rates are only part of the story. Their stated ongoing prices are close: $88.99 per month for Fubo and $89.99 per month for DirecTV Entertainment. The differentiator may therefore be the overall non-hockey channel package and which interface a household prefers, not simply the one-dollar difference in the recurring headline price.
Hulu + Live TV: live channels plus Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited access
Hulu + Live TV is listed at $49.99 for the first month, then $99.99 per month. Its stated NHL channel coverage includes ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS, truTV and NHL Network, again covering the full seven-network list.
The package is also described as including more than 100 other channels alongside access to Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited. That bundle structure changes the value calculation for viewers who would otherwise pay separately for those entertainment services. It may be less compelling for a household that does not want the extra streaming libraries, but it is a single-bill option for those that do.
The stated ongoing monthly rate is the highest among the full live-TV packages detailed here. As with all bundles, the right choice depends on whether those included services are genuinely useful to the subscriber, rather than treating their presence as an automatic saving.
ESPN Unlimited and HBO Max: targeted streaming alternatives
ESPN Unlimited is listed at $31.99 per month and is described as including ESPN’s wider lineup, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN on ABC, ESPN Deportes, SECN, ACCN, SECN+, ACCNX and ESPN+. The service includes live NHL games, but the available information only says it features some NHL games. It should not be assumed to replace every channel in the seven-network regular-season lineup.
That makes ESPN Unlimited a potentially useful choice for fans whose main interest is the ESPN side of the schedule, or for people who also want access to other sports identified in the package, including UFC, Formula 1, MLB and La Liga. It is not presented as a full substitute for TNT, TBS, truTV or NHL Network.
HBO Max is listed from $10.99 per month with ads. The ad-free tier is listed at $18.49 per month, while the ad-free 4K Ultra HD tier is listed at $22.99 per month. A Hulu, Disney+ and HBO Max bundle is listed from $21.99 per month. HBO Max does not offer a free trial in the supplied information.
For hockey, HBO Max is positioned around NHL on TNT Sports. That makes it relevant for viewers looking for TNT Sports coverage rather than a one-service answer to the entire season. The other listed programming on HBO Max, including scripted series and films, may influence the subscription decision, but it does not change the need to check where a particular NHL game is scheduled.
A practical way to choose a plan
Rather than beginning with a brand, begin with the kind of NHL viewer you are. The following checklist keeps the decision tied to the coverage information available:
- Decide whether NHL Network is essential. If it is, confirm that it is included. The listed live-TV bundles from DirecTV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV include it, while Sling requires Sports Extra.
- Check the post-promotion price. DirecTV rises to $89.99 per month, Fubo to $88.99, and Hulu + Live TV to $99.99. Sling Orange + Blue is listed at $69.99, or $80.99 with the stated Sports Extra addition.
- Confirm local availability. The provided details specifically warn that Sling’s pricing and channel lineup may depend on the local market. More generally, verify any service’s current local channel page before payment.
- Use a trial carefully where one is offered. The available information says DirecTV, Fubo and Hulu + Live TV offer free trials, while Fubo’s is specifically listed as five days and Sling has no trial. Read the current enrollment terms and cancellation timing before starting one.
- Do not assume a focused streamer covers the whole schedule. ESPN Unlimited includes live NHL games, and HBO Max carries NHL on TNT Sports, but the season’s stated distribution covers multiple networks.
For viewers who are already juggling a growing number of subscriptions, this season is another reminder that “watch online” is not a single product category. One service may offer a complete set of channels, another may combine most of them with a paid add-on, and a third may focus on a particular rights package.
The league enters the season with 32 teams competing for division positions and playoff places, leading to the Stanley Cup. The supplied season preview identifies the Carolina Hurricanes as returning champions. Off the ice, the season may also draw familiar celebrity fans, including Toronto Maple Leafs supporter Justin Bieber, Vegas Golden Knights supporter Lil Jon, Ottawa Senators supporter Avril Lavigne, Los Angeles Kings supporter Will Ferrell and Utah Mammoth supporter Benson Boone.
But celebrity sightings will not help locate a game. For that, the dependable move is to check the game’s network designation, compare it against a subscription’s real channel lineup, and pay close attention to the difference between an initial offer and the rate that arrives after it. For broader coverage of subscription models and the changing practicalities of online sports access, see our report on what happens when a digital service shifts its online access model.
