You pay for ESPN Select, it’s game night, and your own team is the one game you can’t watch. That’s an NHL blackout. Streaming services check where you are before a game starts, and when the local TV rights belong to another broadcaster, the stream stays dark for you even though the same game plays normally a few states away.
So the question is how to watch blackout NHL games without moving across the country for the night. A VPN, an app that connects you through a server in another city, is the usual answer, and ESPN is harder to get past than most streaming services. Here’s how to get your team back on screen before the puck drops.
How to Watch Blacked-Out NHL Games: Summary
- Check your blackout zone by entering your ZIP code in the NHL’s Local Broadcaster Guide on NHL.com.
- Subscribe to ExpressVPN and install it on the device you watch on.
- Connect to a US server in a city outside both teams’ markets. ExpressVPN’s Chicago server worked for us.
- Open ESPN in your browser or app, sign in to ESPN Select, and start the game.
- Switch to another US server if the blackout screen appears again.
Why NHL Games Get Blacked Out on ESPN Select
Broadcast rights cause every blackout. Each NHL team sells the rights to its local games to one TV or streaming partner in its home market, and ESPN Select has to respect that. That’s why ESPN’s NHL Power Play package includes more than 1,000 out-of-market games a season, but blocks live games involving the teams in your area.
Take a fan in Chicago. Blackhawks games belong to the Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), the channel that replaced NBC Sports Chicago, so ESPN Select shows a blackout screen for them in the Chicago area. The same fan can watch a Kings or Bruins game on ESPN Select with no problem, because neither is local there.
National games add a second layer. Games on ABC and ESPN’s TV channels require the more expensive ESPN Unlimited plan, and TNT’s games stream on HBO Max, so ESPN Select doesn’t show them anywhere in the US.
ESPN decides where you are from your IP address, the number your internet connection uses online, which roughly reveals your city. That’s also the reason a VPN works: if you spoof your location with a server in another city, ESPN sees that city instead of yours.
Which NHL Streaming Services Have Blackouts
Every major way to stream the NHL applies some kind of blackout for the 2026 season.
| Service | What it includes | What’s blacked out |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN Select (US) | 1,050+ out-of-market games (NHL Power Play), 47 streaming exclusives | Games involving your local teams |
| ESPN Unlimited (US) | Everything on ESPN Select, plus ABC and ESPN games | Same local-team rules |
| HBO Max (US) | 72 TNT regular-season games and the Stanley Cup Final | Nothing local, but these games aren’t on ESPN |
| Sportsnet+ (Canada) | National and regional Canadian games, NHL Centre Ice | Regional games outside your team’s territory |
| NHL.TV on DAZN (outside the US and Canada) | Out-of-market games in about 200 countries | Live games in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland |
NHL.TV no longer exists in the US. ESPN took over the out-of-market package in 2021, so the ESPN app is now where American fans watch out-of-market games.
How to Check If Your NHL Game Is Blacked Out
Start with the NHL’s own Local Broadcaster Guide on NHL.com. Enter your ZIP or postal code, and it lists which teams are local to you and where their games air. If your team appears, ESPN Select will black out its live games where you are. Next, check who’s broadcasting the game itself.
A blackout screen on a TNT or ABC game means the game streams on another service, and a VPN server in another state won’t change that. In Canada, the Sportsnet+ schedule shows which games are regional in your area, and fans traveling abroad can get a Canadian IP address to sign in from home.
Living near a market border makes it trickier. Some ZIP codes sit inside two or three teams’ territories, so pick a VPN server well away from both teams in the game. A neighboring state can still count as local.
How to Watch Blackout NHL Games With a VPN
Connect to a US server in a city that isn’t local to either team, then sign in to ESPN Select and start the game. ESPN sees an IP address in that city, treats the game as out of market, and the stream starts. Using a VPN takes a minute once the app is installed, and the rest of your connection keeps working as usual.
The hard part is ESPN itself. It detects most VPN servers, and in our tests, unblocking it took a lot of trial and error with different US locations. ExpressVPN worked on its Chicago server, in the app and the browser extension.
Surfshark worked on Miami, and CyberGhost worked on its Los Angeles server labeled for FOX, while several other US servers on each VPN were blocked. For more West Coast choices, compare the VPNs with servers in California.
One thing to keep in mind: ESPN’s subscriber agreement prohibits hiding your location, and Disney can restrict an account that breaks its terms. Using a VPN is legal in the US, but it’s a breach of ESPN’s rules, so the decision is yours.
When ESPN Still Shows a Blackout
Change the server first. In our tests, a private browser window and switching off the ad blocker didn’t help on a blocked server, but connecting to a different US city did. If that doesn’t fix it, try these:
- Clear your browser cookies and sign in again, so ESPN doesn’t reuse your old location.
- Watch in a desktop browser, since phones can share GPS location with the ESPN app.
- Turn off location access for the ESPN app in your phone’s settings, and connect over Wi-Fi.
- Pick a server outside both teams’ markets. The visiting team’s area is blacked out too.
Other Ways to Watch Blacked-Out NHL Games
A VPN isn’t the only option, and for local fans it isn’t always the best one.
Smart DNS on TVs and Consoles
Smart DNS reroutes only your streaming traffic through a server in another region, without encryption. It suits a smart TV or a games console that can’t install a VPN app, and NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and PIA offer it. With ESPN, though, it’s less reliable than a full VPN connection, and it offers no privacy on public Wi-Fi.
On a TV, a VPN app is usually the more reliable option for the ESPN app. Our guide to the VPNs that support the Fire TV Stick covers the easiest setup, and the same VPNs work on Android TV.
Your Team’s Own Streaming App
If you live in the market, you may be able to skip the VPN for local games. FanDuel Sports Network shut down after the 2026 playoffs, and many teams now stream in their home market directly:
- Prime Video: Ducks, Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Stars, Wild, Blues, and Kraken.
- Free over-the-air TV and team apps: Panthers, Predators, Lightning, Mammoth, and Golden Knights.
- Team network apps: NESN 360 (Bruins), CHSN (Blackhawks), Altitude+ (Avalanche), and Monumental+ (Capitals).
- DAZN: Rangers, Islanders, Devils, and Sabres through MSG, plus the Kings.
Live TV services also offer several of these channels. Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo cover different teams, so check your local channel before subscribing.
Free Streams: Why to Skip Them
Sites offering “free NHL streams” are usually unlicensed and full of pop-ups, fake download buttons, and malware. The video is often low quality, the stream can disappear in the third period, and watching pirated broadcasts is illegal.
A paid service with a money-back guarantee costs less than cleaning up an infected laptop.
Best VPNs to Watch NHL Blackout Games in 2026
ESPN decided this lineup, the same one as our best VPNs for ESPN Select. ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost unblocked it in our tests, while NordVPN and Proton VPN couldn’t unblock ESPN on any of the US servers we tested.
I was genuinely shocked that NordVPN didn’t work, given how well NordVPN unblocks most other streaming services, especially ones in the USA.
| VPN | ESPN server that worked | Average speed loss | Smart DNS | Simultaneous devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | Chicago (app and extension) | 7.8% | Yes | Up to 14, depending on plan |
| Surfshark | Miami | 9.6% | Yes | Unlimited |
| CyberGhost | Los Angeles (FOX-labeled server) | 13.3% | Yes | 7 |
1. ExpressVPN: Best for Unblocking ESPN Select
Pros
- Unblocked ESPN in the app and the browser extension
- Fast Lightway protocol
- Simple apps on every major device
- Smart DNS for TVs and consoles
Con
- Higher price on renewal
ExpressVPN was the only VPN that unblocked ESPN in both its app and its browser VPN extension, which makes it the most flexible pick for watching on a laptop. Its Chicago server worked for us, and once a game was running, the 7.8% speed loss was too small to notice in HD. The apps are the easiest of the three to use: pick a city, connect, and refresh ESPN.
Lightway, ExpressVPN’s own protocol, connects quickly, which helps when you’re switching servers just before puck drop. It has servers in 113 countries, and its renewal price is higher than the first term, so a longer plan keeps the low rate longer. Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Surfshark: Best for Watching on Every Device in the House
Pros
- ESPN unblocked on its Miami server
- No limit on simultaneous devices
- CleanWeb blocks ads and trackers
- Browser extension with location spoofing
Cons
- Several US servers blocked by ESPN
Surfshark unblocked ESPN on its Miami server, and its 9.6% speed loss was small enough for full HD games. Other US locations were blocked, so if Miami is local to the game you want, expect to test a few servers before one works.
It’s also the easiest pick for a hockey household. Surfshark doesn’t cap simultaneous connections, so the living room TV, a laptop, and every phone can connect on one subscription. CleanWeb removes ads and trackers on the websites you visit.
On top of that, the browser extension can override your browser’s location, a useful extra when ESPN checks more than just your IP address. Plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. CyberGhost: Best Budget VPN for ESPN
Pros
- Los Angeles FOX server unblocked ESPN
- Servers labeled by streaming service
- 45-day money-back guarantee on long plans
- Low long-term price
Cons
- Its ESPN-labeled server was blocked
- Slower on distant servers
CyberGhost labels its servers by streaming service, but the one labeled for ESPN+ was blocked in our tests. Its Los Angeles server labeled for FOX unblocked ESPN instead, so if the obvious choice fails, try CyberGhost’s other US streaming servers before giving up.
Its 13.3% speed loss was the highest of the three, still enough for HD games on a typical home connection. On a long plan, CyberGhost costs around $2 a month, which puts it among the cheap VPNs that still unblocked ESPN.
One subscription covers seven devices, which handles a phone, a laptop, and a TV with room to spare. Long-term plans come with a 45-day money-back guarantee, so you can test it across several game nights before deciding.
Conclusion
A blackout is a location check, and changing your IP address to a city where your team isn’t local is the fix. Find out which teams are blacked out for your ZIP code, connect to a US server well away from both teams in the game, and sign in to ESPN Select as usual. Two things decide whether it actually works.
ESPN blocks most VPN servers, so expect to switch cities once or twice, and national TNT or ABC games won’t appear on ESPN Select anywhere, VPN or not. ExpressVPN worked for us in both its app and its browser extension, so it’s the one we’d install for game night. If you live in your team’s market, check its own streaming app first.
With FanDuel Sports Network gone, many local games now stream legally on Prime Video, DAZN, or a team app, no VPN required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Blackhawks game blacked out?
Blackhawks games are blacked out in the Chicago area because the Chicago Sports Network holds the local rights, so ESPN Select blocks live Blackhawks games for viewers in that market.
Does ESPN Select have NHL blackouts?
Yes. ESPN Select blacks out live games involving local teams, and it doesn't include national games on ABC, ESPN, or TNT, which require ESPN Unlimited or HBO Max.
Can a VPN get around NHL blackouts?
Yes, in many cases. A VPN server in another US city shows ESPN Select a location outside the blacked-out market, although ESPN detects many VPN servers and its terms prohibit hiding a location.
Does NHL.TV have blackouts?
Yes, in some countries. NHL.TV on DAZN blacks out live games in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, where local broadcasters hold the rights, and offers full replays instead.
Can a free VPN unblock NHL blackout games?
No, usually not. Free VPNs offer few US servers, which ESPN detects quickly, and their monthly data limits are used up fast by HD hockey streams.
Can ESPN ban an account for using a VPN?
Yes, it can. ESPN's subscriber agreement prohibits disguising a location, and Disney may restrict, suspend, or terminate an account that breaks those terms.