NHL Streaming Transition for 2025-26 Season
As the 2025-26 NHL season approaches, a significant shift is on the horizon for hockey fans outside North America. NHL.TV, a beloved service for streaming games, will transition to DAZN, impacting viewers in nearly 200 countries. This change, announced by the league, will remove direct access to NHL.TV in these regions, except for Canada, the U.S., and the Nordic countries, which include Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.
Subscription Options on DAZN
Fans will be able to subscribe to NHL content on DAZN either as a standalone option or as part of existing DAZN bundles. This move aligns with similar strategies the NHL has taken in North America—where the service has already integrated into other streaming platforms. Specifically, in Canada, NHL.TV has been rebranded under the Sportsnet+ Premium service, while ESPN+ has exclusive streaming rights in the United States.
Uncertainty in Viewing Experience
The details regarding how this transition may affect the viewing experience remain uncertain, particularly whether the comprehensive access to games and archives that NHL.TV users have enjoyed will continue. In the past, NHL.TV provided fans with access to a decade’s worth of games. DAZN is well-known for its diverse sports offerings, including NFL rights and extensive coverage of live events, which sets a promising stage for NHL fans abroad.
Amazon’s Prime Video Collaboration
In related news, Amazon’s Prime Video has confirmed its schedule for the upcoming season, featuring six exclusive Toronto Maple Leafs games. This marks the second consecutive year that the streaming platform is providing fans with access to Maple Leafs’ matches. Prime Video’s collaboration in broadcasting NHL games aims to build upon a successful inaugural year, during which they streamed games weekly and produced engaging content like the ‘Coast-To-Coast’ live look-in show and the docuseries ‘FACEOFF: Inside The NHL’.
Enhanced Viewer Engagement
Additionally, fans can look forward to an exciting experience as star player Auston Matthews will once again be mic’d up for the U.S. broadcast of upcoming games, further enhancing viewer engagement and connection to the on-ice action.
Conclusion
As these changes unfold, it will be critical for fans to adjust their viewing habits in preparation for the new partnerships that will shape the future of NHL streaming.
