How to watch NHL games: Live stream Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers and more --[Reported by Umva mag]

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Fall is here, meaning it's time for ice hockey to return to our screens. The 2024-2025 NHL regular season kicks off on October 8, and we've compiled everything you need to know about how to watch NHL games, including cable and live streaming options.

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The Florida Panthers closed out the 2023-2024 regular season with a bang, taking home the Stanley Cup in Game 7 of the Finals against the Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers will help kick off the season with a banner-raising home game against the Boston Bruins on ESPN and ESPN+ on Tuesday. Each team will play 82 games this season, so the schedule is shaping up to be absolutely stacked.

Nationally broadcast games are spread across several networks, including multiple Disney and Warner Bros.-owned options, so it can get a bit tricky to figure out how to watch everything, especially since there are now streaming-exclusive games. Fortunately, we've combed through all the viewing options to highlight the best and most affordable ways to watch.

Keep reading to learn how to tune in to every nationally broadcast NHL game of the 2024-2025 season. Plus, we'll show you how to watch from anywhere if you happen to be traveling away from home, so you never have to worry about missing out on any of the action.

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How to watch NHL games in the US

Nationally broadcast NHL games will air on ABC, ESPN, TNT/TBS, and ESPN+ this season. Most (but not all) ESPN and ABC games will be available to live stream through ESPN+. There will also be some exclusive streaming service-only games on ESPN+, which you can also watch through Hulu.

ESPN+ costs $10.99/month, although its subscription price will increase to $11.99/month in mid-October. It's one of the cheaper hockey-friendly streaming services out there and will grant you access to several games this season, including those streaming exclusive ones we mentioned above. An annual subscription costs $109.99/year and will also see a price hike in mid-October, so it's not a bad idea to lock into a yearlong plan now if you see yourself hanging onto ESPN+ for the foreseeable future.

Sling TV is another relatively affordable month-to-month streaming service that will give you access to all the ESPN and TBS/TNT games this season. You'll need to subscribe to Sling Orange to access all of these options - it also comes with 32 other live channels. Subscriptions start at $40/month, but Sling is always running an introductory offer that will give you at least half off your first month of service.

ESPN+ will cover you for several Disney-owned games, but if you're looking to just access Warner Bros. games like those on TBS and TNT, you'll need to turn to Max. Max is HBO's streaming counterpart, but it recently branched into live sports with the B/R Sports Add-on, which live streams games from TNT, TBS, and truTV. Subscriptions for Max start at $9.99/month for the ad-supported tier, and the B/R Sports Add-on currently comes free with every plan. This will eventually end up costing an additional fee each month, but right now, there is no specific end in sight for the promo.

If you have no existing cable, antenna, or streaming services, and your main focus is NHL games, Hulu + Live TV is a one-stop shop. The month-to-month live TV package offers 95+ live channels, including ABC, TNT, and ESPN. All subscriptions are bundled with ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu on-demand, so you can catch the exclusive ESPN+ games. Plans start at $76.99/month and the service offers a three-day free trial.

Another one of our top month-to-month live TV picks is DirecTV Stream. The service offers ABC, ESPN, TNT/TBS, and 90+ other live channels for $86.99/month. The service offers a five-day free trial and has some savings opportunities when signing up for long-term contracts, but you can also just subscribe to the month-to-month plan we've mentioned above if you're looking for something that you can cancel anytime.

How to watch NHL games from anywhere

If you'll be traveling away from home during any notable games, you can still access your subscriptions with the help of a VPN. VPNs, short for virtual private networks, are easy-to-use cybersecurity tools that enable you, among other things, to change your device's virtual location. This way, you can keep up with all of your usual websites, apps, and subscriptions from almost anywhere in the world, just like you would if you were back home.

If you don't already have a VPN, we recommend giving ExpressVPN a try. It's user-friendly, even if you're a beginner, and has a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee. You can check out our ExpressVPN review for more information.

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

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