There are millions of diehard hockey fans all over the United States and Canada. While many fans enjoy local teams and college hockey, the most exciting games come courtesy of the teams in the NHL. Each game offers the thrill of the fight between two teams trying to get a chance at the coveted Stanley Cup! Cable users won’t have any problem watching the games they want throughout the season. Luckily, thanks to streaming, you can also watch NHL without cable, too. So, if you’re looking for a way to watch hockey without cable, keep reading and we’ll tell you how!

The following guide will explain everything you need to know to watch NHL online. Whether you’re looking for pre-season, regular season, or championship games, you should be able to watch hockey online. If you’ve cut the cord, there are several ways you can stream NHL without cable and they are all in the sections below!

Channels You Need to Watch NHL Games without Cable

NHL coverage is available on many different channels. You’ll find the season split up amongst the following networks:

• NBCSN
• NHL Network
• CNBC
• USA
• Regional FOX Sports channels
• Regional NBC Sports channels

Obviously, you’ll be able to watch the most games if you have access to as many of these channels as possible. The good news is that all of these channels are available through streaming apps and services, so you should be able to stream NHL without cable all season long!

How to Watch NHL without Cable: At a Glance

If you’ve cut the cord, you’ll find multiple ways to watch NHL online without cable. It should be noted that these options will cost some money, though the cost will be substantially lower than when you had cable. Unfortunately, there aren’t any legal ways to watch hockey without cable for free. Here are our top picks:

Hulu with Live TV is a popular choice if you want to watch NHL without cable. The package includes over 50 channels of live TV, including many popular cable favorites. You’ll have CNBC, NBCSN, USA, and regional FOX and NBC Sports channels, depending on your location. Most areas will also have NBC and other local channels. The only channel you won’t have to watch hockey online is NHL Network. That said, if you’re looking to fully replace cable, this is a great option. Try Hulu’s 7-day free trial and see if this service is for you!

NHL.TV is also a popular way to watch hockey online. This is a good choice if you have another streaming setup and you’re only looking to watch NHL online and no other programming. This service offers you access to games from the entire league with just one catch. You won’t be able to live stream local games. That said, if your favorite teams are out of your local area, this is a great option. You can learn more below!

Using Live Streaming Services to Watch NHL Online

When you first make the decision to cut the cord, it can be a daunting decision. It may lead you to try and find a replacement for some of the channels you’ve lost. This is where a streaming TV service comes in handy. Luckily, there are plenty of services available and all of them offer something for everyone.

From Hulu Live to DIRECTV NOW, live TV streaming options offer packages at a lower cost with a large selection of channels. In most cases, a channel lineup will include everything from sports and news to other entertaining options. Smaller packages may contain only 20-30 channels, but you can find larger packages with over 100 channels. These streaming packages work a lot like cable packages, they just allow you the freedom to watch where you want at a lower price.

Sling TV has packages from $25 a month. DIRECTV NOW starts at $40 per month. In either case, you won’t find a cable bill with a starting price as low as these ones! In fact, the average cost for most cable and satellite users is over $100 a month.  Even better, while many cable companies will require a contract or commitment, streaming services will not. If you sign up for Sling TV and decide you don’t like it, you can cancel online with no hassles and no added fees.

The main difference beyond a lower bill is that these services work by streaming through an Internet connection. If you have a slower connection, you might notice problems with buffering when you’re trying to stream TV. You’ll also need the proper device to stream your favorite shows. Some options include Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku. Once you pick a streaming service, you’ll have a better idea of which device you’ll need.

Once you pick and sign up for a service, it will be easy to watch NHL without cable. As long as you know when the game is on, you’ll be good to go. Streaming hockey will allow you to watch on a number of devices, from your TV to your mobile device, and will allow you a lower cost option to watch the shows you love.

Don’t stop now! Keep reading so you can learn more about the recommended services available to stream NHL without cable.

Hulu with Live TV is a Great Way to Watch NHL Without Cable

You can watch hockey online along with plenty of other sports and TV shows, thanks to Hulu with Live TV. Everything you need for hockey streaming, with the exception of NHL Network is available in the 50+ channel package. This includes sports access for baseball, basketball, and other sports, as well as both local and network TV.

Hulu Live is an affordable option that provides many of the channels you might have had with cable, but for a cheaper price. Using Hulu with Live TV is simple. Most people will be able to figure things out in no time. It works on most streaming devices and mobile devices, too. Here are some added details:

• Offers 50+ channels of live TV and Hulu’s on-demand service
• Costs just $40 per month
• No commitments – no contracts or termination fees
• Available NHL channels include CNBC, NBC, NBCSN, regional sports channels, and USA
• One of the top ways to watch sports without cable
• Works on mobile devices, computers, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and more
• Comes with a free 7-day trial to get things started

Hulu with Live TV offers a large enough package to provide all kinds of entertainment. The only thing missing to watch NHL without cable is NHL Network. If you want this missing channel, another service to consider is DIRECTV NOW, which offers everything for hockey streaming that Hulu Live has plus the addition of NHL Network.

You can learn more with our Hulu with Live TV review.

Use NHL.TV for a Complete League Viewing Experience

NHL.TV is the official streaming option for NHL fans. If you want every game from pre-season to the championship and you don’t live in the local market of the team you follow (this is important!), this is one way to get it. It should be mentioned that NHL.TV only allows you to watch NHL without cable. You won’t get any channel packages or non-hockey viewing options. It’s just all hockey, all the time.

If you want a full view of what’s happening in the league, NHL.TV might be for you. One thing that’s important to remember though is that NHL.TV only allows for live streaming out-of-market games. In-market games, which are games that play in your normal viewing area on local or regional channels, will not play in live stream, as those games are subject to blackouts. In other words, if you’re a Detroit fan who lives in Los Angeles, NHL.TV is a perfect option for you. However, if you’re a Detroit fan in Detroit, you might want to look for another streaming service. Here are some additional details about NHL.TV:

• An excellent option for hockey fans that love teams that are not in their area
• Pay $140 for the year or $25 per month – includes all out-of-market teams
• Choose only one out-of-market team for $110 per season
• Use DVR controls to pause, rewind, and hop through the highlights
• Watch on computers, tablets, phones, and a variety of streaming devices
• Watch up to 4 games at once using Mosaic view

NHL.TV is going to be best for fans not living near their teams or diehard fans that want to watch as many games as possible that don’t mind if the local games won’t air in live stream. If you’re a fan of your local team and want to watch the game in live stream, NHL.TV just wouldn’t be for you.

Other Ways to Watch NHL Without Cable

While Hulu Live and NHL.TV are great options, there are other ways to watch hockey online without a cable subscription. Here are some of the other options out there which will allow you to watch NHL online.

Sling TV – packages from $25/month – Sling TV offers CNBC, NBCSN, and USA in the Sling Blue package. Many areas also have access to regional FOX and NBC Sports channels, as well as NBC. Our Sling TV review has more details.

fuboTV – from $45/month – Includes regional sports channels, CNBC, USA, NBCSN, and NBC in some areas. Visit our fuboTV review to learn more.

DIRECTV NOW – available from $40 a month – Includes most of what you need for hockey streaming including NHL Network, CNBC, USA, NBCSN, and regional FOX Sports and NBC Sports channels. Here’s our DIRECTV NOW review with more details.

YouTube TV – starts at $40/month – NBC is available in most areas. You also have NBCSN, CNBC, and USA. Regional FOX Sports and NBC Sports channels are also included. Our YouTube TV review is a great source of information.

PlayStation Vue – from $45 a month – PS Vue includes regional sports networks, CNBC, USA, NBCSN, and NBC in many areas. Choose from multiple packages to find the one right for you!

All of the services above are similar to Hulu Live and other streaming services. The differences are in price, number of devices you can stream on, and channel availability.

Wrapping Up

That’s it! Those are the best ways that you can watch NHL without cable. As there is no real, legal option to watch hockey without cable, a streaming service will be required if you want to watch without a cable subscription.

You can learn more about streaming sports in our guide that details how to watch sports online. If you want to get rid of cable without sacrificing your favorite shows, we can help you find the service you need that won’t break the bank!