NHL RSN Situation: What You Need To Know

Every NHL season raises new questions regarding regional broadcasters and TV rights. If you live in a market affected by the league’s ongoing issues with regional sports networks (RSNs), you may wonder if you can watch your team locally this season.

After the parent company of many RSNs emerged from bankruptcy, all Bally Sports channels rebranded as FanDuel Sports Network. Simultaneously, several NHL teams ditched the premium cable route entirely to strike deals with local broadcasters and establish their own streaming subscriptions. The good news is that despite all this chaos, in-market viewing options are still available for every single team.

Here’s what you need to know about the NHL RSN situation and the best ways to make sure you don’t miss the current NHL season.

Jump to:

• Local NHL channels
• The NHL’s RSN Landscape
• Best local NHL TV providers

What channel is your local NHL team on?

Each NHL team has a local broadcast partner to carry games that don’t air nationally. Finding your local team can be confusing, especially with access varying between cable, streaming, and even antenna TV. That’s why we’ve created the table below, listing every team’s local TV affiliates.

If you’re unsure which team is considered “in-market” for you, the NHL has a great Broadcast Area Lookup tool where you can enter your zip code for a definitive answer. Of course, you’ll want to verify those details anytime you sign up for a TV service for RSN access.

List of local NHL channels

Data effective as of post date.

The NHL’s shifting RSN landscape

RSNs have been in a tough spot in recent years. But two big moves created shockwaves for NHL teams and fans. In 2023, FanDuel Sports Network’s parent company entered bankruptcy, and Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it’d shut down its RSNs.

This instability has led to a fascinating new era of local NHL broadcasting. Some teams, like the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth, have moved to a model of free over-the-air broadcasts paired with a direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service. Others, like the Pittsburgh Penguins, have even purchased their own RSN to ensure fans don’t miss a game.

So, what happens next? The situation is constantly evolving, but the NHL has been clear that it has backup plans in place. In a 2023 interview with The Athletic, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league is “prepared to do what needs to be done” to ensure fans can watch local games.

Best local NHL TV providers

The best way to watch local NHL games really depends on your location and TV setup. We often recommend live TV streaming services like DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo because they carry most of the major RSNs with flexible plans. But you could go with a much cheaper option if your team offers its own DTC service, like Victory+ streaming all in-market Dallas Stars games for free to local fans.

Cable and satellite TV providers like Spectrum, Xfinity, and DIRECTV are still a valid way to get traditional RSNs. If you live in an area with spotty internet, a cable or satellite package is often your most reliable option.

For a much deeper dive into our top provider picks, specific package recommendations, and more viewing tips, check out our complete How To Watch the NHL guide.

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