Source: ESPN
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.
NHL FACEOFF
The 2021 NHL FaceOff will feature a doubleheader matchup on ESPN with the early game showcasing the Pittsburgh Penguins against the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by the Seattle Kraken’s franchise debut against the Vegas Golden Knights at 10 p.m. ET. Both matchups will be simulcast on ESPN+.
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.
ESPN+ and Hulu exclusive game schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Teams |
| Oct. 15 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Minnesota vs. Anaheim |
| Oct. 19 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Colorado vs. Washington |
| Oct. 22 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Boston vs. Buffalo |
| 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Los Angeles vs. Dallas | |
| Oct. 23 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Vancouver vs. Seattle |
| Oct. 26 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | San Jose vs. Nashville |
| Oct. 29 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. Detroit |
| Nov. 2 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | New Jersey vs. Anaheim |
| 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Buffalo vs. San Jose | |
| Nov. 5 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Arizona vs. Anaheim |
| 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | New Jersey vs. Los Angeles | |
| Nov. 9 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. New Jersey |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Seattle vs. Vegas | |
| Nov. 12 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Edmonton vs. Buffalo |
| 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Arizona vs. Chicago | |
| Nov. 16 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | NY Islanders vs. Florida |
| 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Detroit vs. Dallas | |
| Nov. 19 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Colorado vs. Seattle |
| Nov. 23 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Edmonton vs. Dallas |
| Nov. 26 | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | NY Rangers vs. Boston |
| 6 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | New Jersey vs. Nashville | |
| Nov. 30 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | San Jose vs. New Jersey |
| 8 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Tampa Bay vs. St. Louis | |
| Dec. 3 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Vegas vs. Arizona |
| Dec. 7 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Nashville vs. Detroit |
| 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Anaheim vs. Buffalo | |
| Dec. 10 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Pittsburgh vs. Washington |
| 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Nashville vs. New Jersey | |
| Dec. 14 | 8 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Carolina vs. Minnesota |
| 9 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | NY Rangers vs. Colorado | |
| Dec. 17 | 8 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Dallas vs. St. Louis |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Arizona vs. Anaheim | |
| Dec. 21 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Washington vs. Philadelphia |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Arizona vs. Seattle | |
| Dec. 28 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Montreal vs. Tampa Bay |
| 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Arizona vs. San Jose | |
| Jan. 4 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Colorado vs. Chicago |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | NY Islanders vs. Seattle | |
| Jan. 6 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia |
| Jan. 11 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Detroit vs. San Jose |
| Jan. 13 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Columbus vs. Carolina |
| Jan. 17 | 4 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Montreal vs. Arizona |
| Jan. 18 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Columbus vs. NY Islanders |
| Jan. 20 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Washington vs. Boston |
| Jan. 25 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Dallas vs. New Jersey |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Nashville vs. Seattle | |
| Jan. 27 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Los Angeles vs. NY Islanders |
| Feb. 1 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. NY Rangers |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Buffalo vs. Vegas | |
| Feb. 24 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Columbus vs. Florida |
| March 1 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | New Jersey vs. Columbus |
| March 4 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Minnesota vs. Buffalo |
| March 7 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Toronto vs. Columbus |
| March 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Arizona vs. Detroit |
| March 10 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Minnesota vs. Detroit |
| 8 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Anaheim vs. Nashville | |
| March 15 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. San Jose |
| March 17 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | San Jose vs. Los Angeles |
| 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Florida vs. Vegas | |
| March 22 | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Nashville vs. Los Angeles |
| March 24 | 8 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Philadelphia vs. St. Louis |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Chicago vs. Los Angeles | |
| March 25 | 10 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Seattle vs. Anaheim |
| March 29 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Carolina vs. Tampa Bay |
| March 31 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Columbus vs. NY Islanders |
| April 5 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Carolina vs. Buffalo |
| 8 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Minnesota vs. Nashville | |
| April 7 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Pittsburgh vs. NY Rangers |
| 7:30 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Buffalo vs. Carolina | |
| April 14 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Detroit vs. Carolina |
| April 19 | 8 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Boston vs. St. Louis |
| April 21 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Detroit vs. Florida |
| April 25, | 8 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Philadelphia vs. Chicago |
| April 26 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Edmonton vs. Pittsburgh |
| April 28 | 7 p.m. | ESPN+/Hulu | Tampa Bay vs. NY Islanders |
ESPN
ESPN will carry 18 exclusive regular-season games beginning with the NHL FaceOff on Opening Night. ESPN will air an exclusive game each Tuesday throughout October. On October 19, ESPN focuses on former first overall pick and three-time Stanley Cup Champion Patrick Kane in the Chicago Blackhawks’ home opener at the United Center against the New York Islanders at 8 p.m. ET. The following Tuesday, October 26, the Vegas Golden Knights travel to take on the 2021 President’s Trophy winners, the Colorado Avalanche. ESPN will carry three Thursday night matchups in January, beginning on Thursday, January 6, with the Minnesota Wild traveling to Boston to take on the Bruins. The following two Thursdays on ESPN feature the Philadelphia Flyers at the Boston Bruins, followed by the Colorado Avalanchetaking on the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, January 20.
In February, ESPN will also carry the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, February 4 in primetime from Las Vegas. Following the Winter Olympic Break, as the regular season pushes towards the playoffs, ESPN ramps up its coverage with three doubleheaders in the month of April. On Tuesday, April 12, the Philadelphia Flyers take on the Washington Capitals followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Dallas Stars. The following week on Thursday, April 21, the NHL’s 2021 leading goal scorer Auston Mathews and the Toronto Maple Leafs travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Lightning, followed by the St. Louis Blues at San Jose Sharks. Rounding out ESPN doubleheaders on Tuesday, April 26, the New York Islanders take on the Washington Capitalsfollowed by St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche.
ESPN exclusive game schedule:
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Teams |
| Oct. 12 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN+ | Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 10 p.m. | ESPN/ESPN+ | Seattle Kraken vs. Vegas Golden Knights | |
| Oct. 19 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | New York Islanders vs. Chicago Blackhawks |
| Oct. 26 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche |
| Jan. 6 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Minnesota Wild vs. Boston Bruins |
| Jan. 13 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins |
| Jan. 20 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings |
| Feb. 24 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers |
| March 3 | 9 p.m. | ESPN | Boston Bruins vs. Vegas Golden Knights |
| March 24 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Dallas Stars vs. Carolina Hurricanes |
| April 12 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Philadelphia Flyers vs. Washington Capitals |
| 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Dallas Stars | |
| April 14 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars |
| April 19 | 10 p.m. | ESPN | Los Angeles Kings vs. Anaheim Ducks |
| April 21 | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 10:30 p.m. | ESPN | St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks | |
| April 26 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals |
| 9:30 p.m. | ESPN | St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche |
ABC
ABC will carry 10 regular season games, including the 2021 Thanksgiving Showdown between the St. Louis Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, November 26. Additional highlights include the 2022 All-Star Game on Saturday, February 5 from Las Vegas. Beginning February 26 – following the Winter Olympic break – ABC will host a weekly Saturday NHL game throughout the remainder of the regular season. The first of nine Saturday matchups will feature the New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins. Additional highlights include a powerhouse matchup of Alex Ovechkin’s Washington Capitalsversus Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, April 9.
All ABC games will be simulcast on ESPN+.
Exclusive ABC schedule below:
| Date | Time (ET) | Network | Teams |
| Nov. 26 | 1 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks |
| Feb. 5 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | 2022 NHL All-Star Game |
| Feb 26 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins |
| March 5 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Chicago Blackhawks vs. Philadelphia Flyers |
| March 12 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Philadelphia Flyers vs. Carolina Hurricanes |
| March 19 | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning |
| March 26 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vegas Golden Knights |
| April 2 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Colorado Avalanche |
| April 9 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins |
| April 16 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues |
| April 23 | 3 p.m. | ABC/ESPN+ | New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins |
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.
– 30 –
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.
About Post Author
More Stories
‘Phineas and Ferb’ Revival is Bringing Back Co-Creator Jeff “Swampy” Marsh
What Disney can do to make the ‘Robin Hood’ remake great
OPINION: The Academy Still Doesn’t Respect Animation