2026-27 NHL National TV Schedule: 172 Games, Opening Night & Printable

The 2026-27 NHL national TV schedule is set, and it opens fast. HockeySchedules has the full national picture: 172 nationally televised games split across ESPN and TNT Sports, a three-game opening night on September 29, and every marquee date from Frozen Frenzy to the Winter Classic. Below is how the networks split the season, the opening-night slate, the can’t-miss national dates, and a free printable you can pin to the fridge.

2026-27 NHL National TV: Quick Facts

• Nationally televised games: 172 total
• ESPN family: 100 games (53 on ESPN/ABC, 47 on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu)
• TNT Sports: 72 games (also on HBO Max and truTV)
• Opening night: Tuesday, September 29, a three-game showcase
• Out-of-market: 1,050-plus games via ESPN+ (NHL Power Play on the ESPN App)
• Marquee events: Frozen Frenzy, Heritage Classic, Winter Classic, All-Star Weekend, Stadium Series

Opening Night: September 29

ESPN launches the season with a Tuesday tripleheader, and TNT Sports begins the following night.

Matchup	Time (ET)	Network
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers	5:00 PM	ESPN
New York Rangers at Boston Bruins	8:00 PM	ESPN
Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights	10:30 PM	ESPN
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia (Sep 30)	–	TNT
Los Angeles at Colorado (Sep 30)	–	TNT

How ESPN and TNT Split the Season

ESPN and its streaming partners carry 100 exclusive national games, with 53 on ESPN and ABC and another 47 streaming on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu. TNT Sports carries 72 regular-season games across TNT, HBO Max and truTV. National windows run throughout the week during the season, and ESPN holds the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If your team is not in a national window, ESPN+ carries more than 1,050 out-of-market games through the NHL Power Play hub on the ESPN App.

Marquee National TV Dates

Event	Date	Matchup	Network
Frozen Frenzy (all 32 teams)	Oct 13	League-wide	ESPN
Tim Hortons Heritage Classic	Oct 25	Montreal vs. Winnipeg	TNT
Discover Winter Classic	Dec 31	Utah Mammoth vs. Colorado	TNT
All-Star Weekend	Feb 5-6	All-Star	ESPN/ABC
Stadium Series (AT&T Stadium)	Feb 20	Dallas vs. Vegas	ESPN
Stanley Cup Playoffs (first 3 rounds)	Apr-May	TBD	ESPN

Printable 2026-27 NHL National TV Schedule

Download the free printable national TV reference below. It lists the network split, opening night, and every marquee date on one page, so you always know where to find the big games.

Where to Watch

Nationally: ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu on the ESPN side, and TNT, HBO Max and truTV on the TNT Sports side. For out-of-market games, ESPN+ carries the bulk of the league through NHL Power Play. Local and regional broadcasts still cover the rest of each team’s slate.

More 2026-27 NHL Schedules

Planning the whole season? Grab the full 2026-27 NHL schedule calendar and every team’s schedule right here at HockeySchedules.net. For a printable multi-sport view, our sister site also keeps a 2026-27 NHL national TV printable at SportsBrackets.net.

2026-27 NHL National TV FAQ

How many NHL games are on national TV in 2026-27?

172 games are nationally televised: 100 across the ESPN family (53 on ESPN/ABC and 47 on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu) and 72 on TNT Sports, HBO Max and truTV.

When is 2026-27 NHL opening night?

Opening night is Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with an ESPN tripleheader: Carolina vs. Florida at 5:00 PM ET, Rangers at Bruins at 8:00 PM ET, and Blackhawks at Golden Knights at 10:30 PM ET.

What channels show the NHL in 2026-27?

Nationally, the NHL airs on ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu, plus TNT, HBO Max and truTV. ESPN+ also streams more than 1,050 out-of-market games.

When is the 2026-27 Winter Classic?

The Discover Winter Classic is December 31, 2026, featuring the Utah Mammoth against Colorado, on TNT.