They say Lightning never strikes the same place twice, but after beating the Montreal Canadiens in five games in July, Tampa Bay could become the first team to pull off a three-peat since the New York Islanders, who won four in a row from 1980 to '83. Read on as we explain how to watch an NHL live stream online wherever you are for every game of the 2021/22 season.
Dates: October 12 - June 2022
Defending champions: Tampa Bay Lightning
Live stream: ESPN, TNT, TBS, ABC via Sling TV discount / ESPN Plus (US) | SN NOW+ / NHL Live (CA) | Premier Sports (UK) | ESPN / Kayo Sports FREE trial (AU)
Watch anywhere: try the world's best VPN 100% risk-free
The Buffalo Sabres made defenceman Owen Power the first overall pick in the draft, the Canadian teenager adding his considerable weight behind the franchise's efforts to slake the league's longest ongoing post-season drought.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, meanwhile, have their work cut out extending their 15-season playoff streak, with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin missing the start of the season, and likely more than just a few games.
And, of course, Alex Ovechkin's steady march towards Wayne Gretzky's 894-goal record is the subplot we're all going to be following week by week.
Read on for details on how to get a NHL live stream and watch hockey online for every game of the new 2021/22 season, no matter where you are in the world right now.
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How to watch NHL blackout games and more with a VPN
Whether you’re watching hockey online or on TV, blackouts can be especially annoying as you won’t be able to watch your local games, and you won't be able to tune in at all when you’re out of the country.
A VPN will allow you to change your IP address so that you appear to be in a completely different location where the game you want to watched isn't blacked out, and let you access the content and services you already pay for back home no matter where you are.
VPNs are ridiculously easy to set up and use and aren't just for watching sports from abroad - they're also a great first line of defence for your online activity and many people use them to get around other geo-blocked websites or to access foreign Netflix content.
We’ve tested hundreds of VPNs and can recommend ExpressVPN as the very best VPN currently available.
NHL live stream 2021/22: how to watch every game in the US
How to watch the NHL: live stream 2021/22 hockey games online in Canada
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