The 2026-27 NHL local broadcast accessibility rankings

Following the shutdown of the FanDuel-branded regional sports networks, along with the collapse of the Victory+ streaming service, many NHL teams enter the 2026-27 season with new local broadcast agreements.

The NHL’s spectrum of local media deals vary widely this season. Some teams remain with traditional regional sports networks, while others have games exclusively on streaming services like Prime Video, or simulcast many of their games over-the-air.

But which fans face the biggest struggle entering the season? And which fan bases don’t have as much to worry about? Awful Announcing went through every NHL team to find just how hard it is to watch local games. We analyzed teams based on direct-to-consumer cost, cable/satellite availability, amount of nationally televised games, over-the-air access, and streaming exclusives to find out which teams had the best and worst setups for the 2026-27 season.

Here are the Awful Announcing NHL Accessibility Rankings for the 2026-27 season, from worst to best.

Note, for the purposes of this exercise, Canadian teams have been excluded.

25. Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars are the least-accessible NHL team in 2026, chiefly because they have the most unique TV deal. 57 of their 84 games in 2026 will be exclusive to streaming services. That is far and away the most, with the Ducks having the second-most such games (17). This is all because, after the free Victory+ streaming service went under earlier this year, the Stars turned to Amazon’s Prime Video to stream their games. With 13 nationally televised games, and only 17 Prime Video games being simulcast on local, over-the-air networks, Stars fans will have to juggle numerous different services if they want to watch all of their team’s games. The only saving grace for the Stars is that fans will not need an additional subscription on top of Prime Video to watch their games.

24. New Jersey Devils

Teams that are staying in the cable bundle often have one thing in common: few over-the-air games and a high direct-to-consumer cost. The Devils are not an exception. Despite only 11 nationally televised games, they will have no over-the-air games and six streaming-exclusives on Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu. That, coupled with a high direct-to-consumer cost of $210, and MSG’s ongoing carriage dispute with Comcast, will make it annoying to watch the Devils, especially if you don’t already have cable. If you do go the direct-to-consumer direction, subscribing to MSG comes with the bonus of Islanders, Rangers, and Knicks games.

23. Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres, another MSG team, are in a very similar boat to the Devils. Their cable carriage and direct-to-consumer cost are exactly the same. The differences are all slight. They will have three more nationally televised games (14), but will have an over-the-air game on ABC and only three streaming exclusives. With fewer streaming-exclusive games, we think the Sabres will be slightly easier to watch compared to the Devils.

22. New York Islanders

The Islanders are another MSG team, so the cable carriage and direct-to-consumer cost are exactly the same as the Sabres and Rangers. The differences, again, are slight. The Islanders will have only 10 national exclusives, but half of them will be streaming-only. The Islanders also do not have any games currently scheduled for over-the-air television.

21. New York Rangers

The Rangers are our last MSG team, with the same cable carriage issues and direct-to-consumer cost. The Rangers are basically in the opposite situation as the Islanders. They have a high number of national-exclusive games, but none of them will be streaming only, and five will be over-the-air on ABC. That’s better than the Islanders’ situation, but the MSG problems remain.

20. Boston Bruins

The Bruins are pretty unremarkable when it comes to their TV situation. Being the Bruins, they have 18 nationally televised games, with five on ABC but none streaming-only. Their cable carriage is fine, at least when it comes to sports, missing coverage on just YouTube TV, Hulu, and Dish. If you don’t have cable, that’s when things will really get expensive. In addition to finding ways to watch all the nationally televised games, you will also need to pay $210 for direct-to-consumer streaming.

19. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are another team being docked for the NHL’s fragmented national TV packages, though they do have problems of their own. The Kings may only have 12 nationally televised games, but eight will be exclusive to streaming, and none will be over-the-air. The Kings also don’t have a local over-the-air deal, though they did have one last year, so that could soon change. Direct-to-consumer streaming is middle of the road as well at $130.

18. Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers have a few things going for them in 2026-27. Despite a high 17 nationally televised games, three will be over-the-air on ABC, and only four will be exclusive to ESPN+. If you have cable, you are almost certain to be able to watch the Flyers. NBC Sports Philadelphia is one of the very few traditional regional sports networks to have carriage on YouTube TV and Hulu. The problems arise if you don’t have cable. The Flyers do not have a local over-the-air deal, and they have the most expensive direct-to-consumer streaming service at $238, which requires the base Peacock package plus an additional add-on.

17. Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild don’t have a lot going for them. They have an extremely high 17 nationally televised games (the max is 18) and only two games over-the-air (their website says they have more local games planned). But the big problem is the Wild’s current cable deal. They only have agreements with two cable providers: Spectrum and FuboTV. If you have any other cable carriers, you will have to spend $100 for the Wild’s Prime Video direct-to-consumer add-on. A middle-of-the-road three streaming exclusives helps the team from moving higher on this list. Hopefully, better cable carriage and more over-the-air games are in the works, because the current situation for Wild fans is subpar.

16. St. Louis Blues

The Blues have a very similar setup to the Wild. They have a direct-to-consumer agreement with Prime Video, and Spectrum and Fubo are the only cable providers who have signed up to carry them. So, with that, there are only slight differences from the Wild. They will have only 11 nationally televised games and three streaming exclusives. None of their national exclusives are currently scheduled to be over-the-air, though the Blues’ website does say they have plans to air local games over-the-air in the future.

15. Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings don’t have a particularly awful local television deal, but they are hurt in our rankings by the NHL’s national TV deals. They will have 16 games chosen for national television, five of which will be streaming-only on ESPN+, Disney+ or Hulu, and only one will be over-the-air on ABC. The Red Wings also aren’t currently scheduled to air any local games over-the-air, though MLB’s Tigers, which air on the same network as the Red Wings, did have a few such games, so it is possible that will soon change. If you don’t have cable, it will cost you $140 for a season’s worth of Red Wings games, though that does include overlap with the Tigers.

14. Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes share the same arrangement as the Blues and Wild, but have one big difference. They have already confirmed a 10-game over-the-air package. That makes it slightly easier to watch the Hurricanes, especially if you don’t have Spectrum or Fubo, but doesn’t help a whole lot. The Hurricanes also only have 12 nationally televised games, though six of them will be streaming-only.

13. San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are another team feeling the benefits from being on one of the few remaining NBC Sports regional networks. If you are already in the cable bundle, as long as you don’t have Dish, you probably get their local network. They also have a fairly small 11 nationally televised games, though four will be streaming-only. If you have cut the cord, that’s when things get tough. The Sharks’ direct-to-consumer streaming, which also requires Peacock and an add-on, will cost $217. That’s less than the Flyers, but the second-highest in the league.

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets could very easily be one of the lowest teams on this list. But they share the same cable-distribution issue as the Hurricanes, Blues, and Wild. If you don’t have Spectrum, you are out of luck. The Blue Jackets’ $100 direct-to-consumer service is actually a really good deal, because only two Blue Jackets games are currently scheduled for national TV, with one exclusive to streaming. Sometimes being an undesirable national television draw has its advantages.

11. Washington Capitals

The Capitals’ TV deal is best described as fine. They will have 13 games on national television, with two games over-the-air on ABC and three streaming exclusives. They don’t have any locally televised over-the-air games, and they are missing cable carriage on YouTube TV, Hulu, and Dish. Their direct-to-consumer streaming is $140, which is pretty typical. It’s not that easy to watch the Capitals, but it doesn’t have the deeper problems of the teams higher on this list.

10. Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks have a very interesting TV deal. CHSN was set up, originally, to carry all of its games over-the-air. But the cable companies weren’t fans, and Comcast refused to carry them until they got rid of over-the-air coverage in Comcast markets (mostly around Chicago). If you are a Blackhawks fan in Iowa or Wisconsin, you might get the vast majority of local games over-the-air; if you are in Illinois, you will have very few local over-the-air games. The Blackhawks will have 17 nationally televised games, with five over-the-air on ABC, and only one streaming exclusive. If you don’t have cable, the CHSN direct-to-consumer price is also pretty standard at $140.

9. Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche have been steadily improving their broadcast accessibility since the long-running Comcast-Altitude dispute ended in February 2025. In Denver, they will simulcast 20 games over-the-air. Among teams that remain focused on cable, the Avalanche lead in terms of over-the-air simulcasts. But several things keep the Avalanche from moving higher. Of their 14 nationally televised games, only one will be over-the-air, and five will be streaming exclusive. With 20 over-the-air games, the direct-to-consumer price hurts less, but it is still $140.

8. Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins are the final team on this list without a significant over-the-air agreement, which might be surprising because they are ahead of an over-the-air-heavy team like the Avalanche. They also have a high 17 nationally televised games. But their brand name is helping them out. Of the 17 nationally televised games, five will be over-the-air on ABC, and only one will be streaming-only. They also, like all the remaining teams on this list, have a relatively inexpensive direct-to-consumer streaming service at only $100.

7. Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks actually have a similar arrangement to the Stars, the worst team on this list, but have a very different execution. While the Ducks will also put all their locally televised games on Prime Video, 65 of their 77 locally televised games will be simulcast over-the-air. They also have a relatively low seven nationally televised games, though five are streaming only. So while, like the Stars, the Ducks will have an extremely high 17 streaming-exclusive games across national ESPN+ and local Prime Video, they will also have 65 over-the-air games and direct-to-consumer streaming via Prime Video. It would be much more accessible if the Prime Video games were free on Victory+ like last year, but as you can probably see, it could be much worse.

6. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning, like all of the remaining teams on this list, air all of their games locally over-the-air. That is mostly great for fans, though cable carriage can be hard, especially in outer markets. Overall, the Lightning will air 71 games over-the-air. If you don’t have an antenna, cable carriage can be hit and miss. No carriage on Dish, Hulu, and YouTube TV is no surprise, but the Lightning have also yet to announce a deal with Fubo. The Lightning do have the cheapest direct-to-consumer service among NHL teams at just $66. Overall, the Lightning will have 14 nationally televised games, with three being streaming exclusives.

5. Florida Panthers

The Panthers have one more national exclusive game, one less over-the-air game, and have a direct-to-consumer streaming service that costs $4 more. So why are they ahead of the Lightning? They also have carriage on FuboTV. These teams are pretty neck and neck, and this list certainly isn’t an exact science!

4. Nashville Predators

The Predators only have three games tapped for national television for the 2026-27 season, all on ESPN+, which means they lead the NHL in over-the-air games with 79. They do lack carriage on Fubo, and outer-market cable carriage is even worse, and their direct-to-consumer platform is $4 more than the Panthers, but the Predators have a very good TV situation for this year.

3. Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights may have 15 nationally televised games, but they will have 69 over-the-air and only two exclusively on streaming. If you don’t have an antenna, they also have great cable carriage, with YouTube TV and Hulu being the only misses, and a $70 direct-to-consumer streaming service. That is to say, it will be easy to watch the Golden Knights this season.

2. Seattle Kraken

The Kraken and the next team on our list have the exact same platform distribution of games. They have only seven nationally televised games, four streaming exclusives, and will end up with 77 over-the-air games. They also only lack carriage on YouTube TV and Hulu. The only difference is the direct-to-consumer streaming. The Kraken’s streamer is more expensive, but that’s because the base plan Prime Video is their streaming service. For $105, you get 77 of 84 Kraken games, plus free two-day shipping. That’s not a bad deal!

1. Utah Mammoth

The newest NHL team will be the easiest to watch for the 2026-27 season. They have only seven nationally televised games, with four being streaming exclusives, and 77 of their 84 games will be over-the-air. They may lack carriage on Hulu and YouTube TV, but $70 is a great deal for that many games.

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What do these rankings show? The teams in the cable bundle are generally less accessible, either by missing key cable providers like YouTube TV or Hulu or having extremely high direct-to-consumer streaming costs. The teams that have moved over-the-air are often way more accessible. Good teams also get the added bonus of additional national over-the-air games, and less national streaming games, even if that means more national exclusives total. Mediocre teams suffer the most from national deals, with extra games on streaming and few over-the-air games. But, the worst NHL teams have it the best, with very few national games leading to better deals for local packages.

Methodology: Each team was compared based on the cost of its direct-to-consumer streaming service, the number of major cable providers on which it is available, the number of exclusive national games, the number of over-the-air games, and the number of streaming-exclusive games