The Walt Disney Company Announces 103 Exclusive NHL Games

For the first time since 2004, the National Hockey League (NHL) returns to The Walt Disney Company. ESPN's industry-leading collection of television and direct-to-consumer streaming platforms will showcase the world's best hockey beginning with a season-opening doubleheader on October 12. The 2021-2022 season will showcase 103 exclusive regular season games across ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu and ABC. In addition, more than 1,000 out-of-market games will be available on ESPN+.

Beginning October 12, ESPN, ESPN+ and Hulu become the destination for Tuesday night hockey throughout the regular season. ESPN+ and Hulu will also showcase an exclusive game every Friday night until January, then every Thursday night for the remainder of the regular season. ABC will regularly carry Saturday games beginning in February.
Click here to view full ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu and ABC game schedule.
ESPN+ AND HULU
Opening week on ESPN+ will feature the Minnesota Wild taking on the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, October 15. Momentum continues into the second week of the season beginning Tuesday, October 19, when the Colorado Avalanche and former first overall pick Nathan MacKinnon travel to the nation's capital to take on Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. On Friday, October 22, the Boston Bruins will travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres in a divisional matchup. A historic Saturday night in Seattle caps off the second week of the regular season on ESPN+ and Hulu when the Seattle Kraken take the ice in Climate Pledge Arena for the first time in franchise history against their border rivals, the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, October 23.
Each Tuesday in 2021, October 19 through December 28, ESPN+ will host at least one exclusive matchup with highlights including the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the St. Louis Blues on November 30, the New York Rangers versus the Colorado Avalanche on December 14, the Washington Capitals versus the Philadelphia Flyers on December 21 and the 2021 Stanley Cup Final rematch between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning on December 28.
Additional Friday game highlights include the Colorado Avalanche versus the Seattle Kraken on November 19, the New York Rangers versus the Boston Bruins on November 26 and a Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin matchup on December 10 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.
ESPN+ continues its premier slate in 2022 with Tuesday and Thursday night matchups through the remainder of the 2021-22 regular season. Highlights include: Colorado Avalanche at Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, January 4, Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, January 6, Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins on Thursday, January 20, Minnesota Wild at Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, March 8, and the new-look Florida Panthers with Joe Thornton take on the San Jose Sharks on March 15 as Thornton returns to San Jose after spending 15 seasons as a Shark. In a Thursday night doubleheader on March 24, the St. Louis Blues host the Philadelphia Flyers, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks taking on the Los Angeles Kings at the STAPLES Center.
In April, ESPN+ will feature the following match ups: Pittsburgh Penguins at New York Rangers on Thursday, April 7, the Boston Bruins at St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, April 19, the Philadelphia Flyers at Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, April 25, as the only NHL game that day, and a Connor McDavid-Sidney Crosby showdown between the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, April 26. The final game of the ESPN+ schedule will feature the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the New York Islanders on Thursday, April 28, in a rematch of the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals. Additionally, ESPN+ will stream more than 1,000 out-of-market games, all as part of an ESPN+ subscription.
Florida Panthers ESPN+ and Hulu exclusive game schedule:
| Date | Time | Channel | Game | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct. 29 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. Detroit | | Nov. 9 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. New Jersey | | Nov. 16 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | NY Islanders vs. Florida | | Feb. 1 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. NY Rangers | | Feb. 24 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Columbus vs. Florida | | March 15 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. San Jose | | March 17 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. Vegas | | April 21 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Detroit vs. Florida |
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
The NHL's Stanley Cup Final and Stanley Cup Playoffs action will return to the ABC and ESPN networks - including exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final in four of the seven years of the deal - beginning with the 2021-22 season. Additionally, in each season of the agreement, ESPN and ABC will have live, exclusive coverage of one Conference Final series and half of all First Round and Second Round games from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In March, The Walt Disney Company, ESPN and the National Hockey League announced a
historic and innovative seven-year television
, streaming and media rights deal, beginning with the 2021-2022 season and continuing through the 2027-28 season.
About ESPN
ESPN, the world's leading sports entertainment brand, features eight U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavours on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.
About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 14.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $6.99 a month (or $69.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for $13.99/month (Hulu w/ads) or $19.99/month (Hulu w/o ads).
About Hulu
Hulu is the leading premium streaming service offering live and on-demand TV and movies, with and without commercials, both in and outside the home. As part of Disney's Media and Entertainment Distribution segment, Hulu is the only service that gives viewers instant access to current shows from every major U.S. broadcast network; libraries of hit TV series and films; and acclaimed Hulu Originals like Emmy® and Golden Globe Award-winning series The Handmaid's Tale and The Act; Golden Globe Award-winning, Emmy® Award nominated and Peabody-winning series Ramy; and Emmy® Award nominated series Pen15 alongside hit series Little Fires Everywhere from Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, Normal People, The Great, Hillary and Solar Opposites; Oscar® and Emmy® nominated documentary film Minding the Gap, Golden Globe-Award winning and Oscar® nominated THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY, and critically acclaimed Hulu Original films PALM SPRINGS, RUN and HAPPIEST SEASON. The service also streams live news, entertainment and sports from 20th Television, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, CBS Corporation, The CW, Turner Networks, A+E Networks and Discovery Networks - available all in one place.
About ABC Entertainment
ABC Entertainment airs compelling programming across all day parts, including "Grey's Anatomy," the longest-running medical drama in primetime television; riveting dramas "The Good Doctor," "A Million Little Things," "Station 19" and fall's groundbreaking No. 1 new series, "Big Sky"; trailblazing comedy favorites "black-ish," "The Conners," "The Goldbergs" and "Home Economics"; the popular Summer Fun & Games programming block, including "Celebrity Family Feud," "Holey Moley," "Match Game," "Press Your Luck" and "To Tell the Truth"; star-making sensation "American Idol"; reality phenomenon "Shark Tank"; "The Bachelor" franchise; long-running hits "Dancing with the Stars" and "America's Funniest Home Videos"; "General Hospital," which has aired for more than 55 years on the network; and late-night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"; as well as two critically acclaimed, Emmy® Award-winning "Live in Front of a Studio Audience" specials. The network also boasts some of television's most prestigious awards shows, including "The Oscars®," "The CMA Awards" and the "American Music Awards." ABC programming can also be viewed on demand and on Hulu.