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The National Hockey League is a North American professional ice hockey league comprising 32 clubs. Of these, 25 are located in the United States, and the other seven are based in Canada. Each year, these teams compete for the highly coveted Stanley Cup.
While the NHL is an American and Canadian sporting league, it has a global audience of around 670 million fans. NHL games are available to watch in 160+ locations worldwide via streamlining platforms like ESPN, Sportsnet, and Viaplay.
However, if the games aren’t available in your country, you can easily access them by using one of the best VPNs. Using the software, you can connect to a US server, bypassing geo-restrictions.
VPNs can also prevent ISPs from throttling your broadband connection, allowing you to stream lag-free. Read on to find out how to stream the NHL using a VPN.
How to Stream the NHL From Anywhere
- Select a reliable VPN provider capable of bypassing geo-restrictions. Our top suggestion is Surfshark.
- Download and install your chosen VPN app on your device.
- Log in to your VPN account and connect to a server in a country where the NHL is available to stream. The US and Canada are good options.
- Open a streaming platform that offers NHL games. Opt for ESPN, Turner Sports, or NHL NetworkMC in the US, or Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada.
- Relax and enjoy the chilling thrill of the games!
- Show Full Guide
Why Do You Need a VPN to Watch NHL Online?
If you’ve never used a VPN app before, you’re probably wondering why you need one for watching the NHL online. There are several ways how a VPN can enhance your streaming experience.
- Bypass geo-restrictions – With a VPN, you can mask your real IP address by connecting to a server in a foreign country. This way, you can stream the NHL from anywhere. Simply connect to a US or Canadian server.
- Prevent buffering – The content may sometimes buffer if you’re a heavy TV streamer. Often, this comes down to your ISP throttling your broadband connection – particularly at peak times of the day. By using a VPN, you essentially trick the ISP that you’re not streaming, enabling you to watch the games lag-free.
- Improve online privacy and security – A reliable VPN will effectively encrypt your internet traffic and hide your original IP, preventing third parties from accessing your personal data online.
Top 3 VPNs for NHL Streaming
- Starting from $2.19/month
- Starting from $6.67/month
- Starting from $3.09/month
- Starting from $2.19/month
- Starting from $2.14/month
- Starting from $29.00/year
- Starting from $1.99/month
- Starting from $2.19/month
Best VPNs to Watch NHL Games Without Cable
When looking for the best NHL VPNs, you should ensure the provider is easy to use and provides fast, lag-free streaming. Plus, take price into consideration too.
Based on this and numerous additional factors, we tested over 20 VPNs and selected the three best VPNs for NHL game streaming.
1. Surfshark – The Best Overall VPN for Streaming NHL Games
| Cheapest Plan | Max Devices Supported | Free Version | Server Count | US Server Count |
| $2.29 per month | Unlimited | No | 3,200+ | 600+ |
Surfshark is the best VPN service for streaming NHL games overall. With over 3,200 servers in 100+ countries, you can unblock a wide range of global streaming services and stream the NHL regardless of your geographic location.
Surfshark comes with limitless bandwidth, meaning you can watch NHL games without worrying about bandwidth and data caps. And thanks to Surfshark’s limited device policy and multi-platform apps, you can stream the NHL on all your devices. Its SmartDNS feature allows streaming even on Smart TVs.
As Surfshark uses the WireGuard tunnelling protocol, you can stream NHL games without compromising on speed and security. Best of all, the prices start at as low as $2.29/month.
Read the full Surfshark review.
Pros
- Over 3,2000 global servers
- Affordable prices
- Extensive security suit
- Works on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and routers
- Unlimited connections
Cons
- No free plan
2. ExpressVPN – The Fastest VPN for Streaming NHL Games
| Cheapest Plan | Max Devices Supported | Free Version | Server Count | US Server Count |
| $6.67 per month | 8 | No | 3,000+ | N/A |
ExpressVPN is another major player in the VPN space, making it a great option to consider if you want to stream NHL games online, especially since the provider offers over 3,000 servers in 105+ countries.
Since ExpressVPN has updated servers’ bandwidth from 1Gbps to 10Gbps, you can stream the NHL games lag-free. Capable of unblocking major streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and more, ExpressVPN is naturally a good choice. Regarding other features, ExpressVPN comes with strong AES-256 encryption, a kill switch, private DNS, and eight simultaneous connections.
With prices starting at $6.67/month, ExpressVPN is more expensive than Surfshark. But there is a 30-day money-back guarantee if ExpressVPN is not quite right for you.
Read the full ExpressVPN review.
Pros
- 3,000+ server fleet
- 10Gbps bandwidth
- Speedy Lightway protocol
Cons
- Premium prices
3. NordVPN – A Comprehensive and Affordable NHL VPN
| Cheapest Plan | Max Devices Supported | Free Version | Server Count | US Server Count |
| $3.39 per month | 6 | No | 6,000+ | 1,970+ |
NordVPN offers an extensive range of 6,000 high-speed servers across 60 countries, so it’s an ideal candidate for a VPN service that will let you watch NHL games anywhere in the world.
NordVPN also sports a SmartDNS feature. Like with Surfshark, SmartDNS will enable you to use VPN on devices like smart TVs, gaming consoles, routers, and more. Thanks to unlimited speed and bandwidth, NordVPN will allow you to stream unlimited NHL games without maxing out data limits. The NordLynx tunnelling protocol will also allow you to enjoy a high-speed streaming experience.
Other top features include threat protection, an ad blocker, and more. With the cheapest subscription starting at $3.39/month, NordVPN will protect up to six devices simultaneously.
Read the full NordVPN review.
Pros
- 6,000+ servers in 60 countries
- Fast WireGuard protocol
- Smart DNS features
Cons
- Just six simultaneous connections
Where to Watch NHL?
If you’re an NHL fan not based in the US or Canada, you’re probably wondering how you can watch the next big hockey match.
As a result of varying copyright laws and distribution agreements, NHL games are available to watch via different streaming providers in different countries.
Here’s where you can watch the NHL hockey games:
| Location | Streaming platform | Network |
| The US | ESPN+, Hulu, Watch TNT | ESPN, ABC, TNT, Regional Sports Network |
| Canada | Sportsnet+, TVA app, Sports, | Sportsnet, TVA, Regional Sports Network |
| The UK | Sky, Virgin Media, Amazon Prime Video | Viaplay |
| Australia | Foxtel, Kayo, Fetch TV | ESPN |
| Global | FASTENAL, NHL.TV | Regional Sports Network |
Watch the NHL From Anywhere
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can enjoy NHL streaming from anywhere.
Choose a powerful VPN with a large global network of servers.
We suggest checking out Surfshark.
Download, install, and sign into your VPN app.
Connect to a VPN server in a country where NHL games are available for streaming.
For this, we’d recommend choosing a US or Canadian server.
Sign up for a streaming platform that offers NHL games.
If you’re connected to a US server, opt for ESPN+.
Sit back and enjoy the latest NHL game.
Watch NHL in the USA
For the national games, ESPN+ broadcasts are available to stream using ESPN+ and Hulu. ESPN+ also streams ABC coverage of the NHL national games. You can stream TNT’s NHL broadcasts via the Watch TNT and Max apps. You can also catch the national games via the ESPN app. Local NHL games are available to stream via the Regional Sports Network in the US. Out-of-market fans can stream the regional games via NHL Center Ice on ESPN+.
Watch NHL in Canada
Canadians can stream NHL national games via Sportsnet+ and TVA using their respective apps. Local market fans can catch the regionals via the Regional Sports Network, while out-of-market viewers will need to access NHL Centre Ice via the Sportsnet app.
Watch NHL in the UK
For British NHL fans, you can watch the games through Viaplay. Sky, Virgin Media, and Amazon Prime Video provide access to Viaplay through their sports channels, or you can take out a subscription on the Viaplay website.
Watch NHL in Australia
In Australia, you can watch the NHL games via ESPN through Foxtel and Kayo subscriptions. Fetch TV also provides a dedicated ESPN channel, meaning Australians can enjoy the latest NHL coverage.
How to Watch NHL for Free?
If you want to watch the NHL for free, you’ll need to choose a free VPN provider and a free streaming service.
Using a website like Nhlwebcast.com allows you to access NHL live streams that won’t cost you a penny. It provides pre-season and regular-season games, highlights, and more.
When using such free services, it’s best to couple them with a VPN service. While free VPNs do exist, they’re not always great for streaming due to stringent data caps and adverts.
That’s why we’d recommend using a premium VPN service that offers a free trial, such as Surfshark. The latter offers a 7-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it’s a good option to watch the NHL at no cost.
Everything To Know About The NHL 2024
Established in 1917, the NHL is one of the world’s oldest ice hockey leagues. The 2023-2024 NHL regular season is ongoing, starting on October 10th, 2023, and ending on April 18th, 2024.
| Event | NHL Season Start | NHL Season End | NHL Games In the Season |
| NHL 2023/2024 | October 10th, 2023 | April 18th, 2024 | 82 |
The successful teams will compete for the iconic Stanley Cup during the finals in June. The 2023/2024 season is made up of 82 games and 32 teams, who will play 41 games home and away.
NHL schedule
The 2023-2024 NHL season is ongoing, with several matches happening over the next few months. To get the latest information and up-to-date NHL schedule, check out the official NHL website and see who’s playing the NHL games today.
Conclusion
The NHL season is an exciting time for any hockey fan. Due to its global success, NHL games are available on multiple streaming platforms worldwide.
However, if the games are geo-blocked in your region by chance, a powerful VPN like Surfhark can help you. Simply connect to one of its offshore servers, where the NHL is available, and enjoy the thrill. On top of this, a VPN can improve your online security, lowering the risk of your personal data landing in a third party’s hands.
FAQs
How many games are in the NHL season?
How long is the NHL season?
When do the NHL playoffs start?
How do NHL playoffs work?
References
- NHL.TV Official Webiste (NHL.TV)
- NHL WEBCAST Official Webiste (NHL WEBCAST)
- Schedule (NHL)
