How to watch NHL live streams online for free in the U.S.

TL;DR: Stream the NHL for free on CBC Gem and Ran.de. Access these free streaming platforms from the U.S. with ExpressVPN.

There is no other sport that combines skill, grace, elegance, and people punching each other quite like ice hockey. We love the merging of elements, and so do millions of fans from all around the world. The issue for these legions of dedicated hockey fanatics is that it's not easy to follow the sport for free. But nothing is impossible in this golden age of streaming.

If you are interested in watching the NHL for free from the U.S., we've got all the information you need.

What is the NHL?

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America made up of 32 teams (25 in the United States and seven in Canada).

When is the NHL?

The NHL season is typically held from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. After the regular season, 16 teams advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs, a four-round tournament that runs into June to determine the league champion.

How to watch the NHL for free in the U.S.

It's possible to stream the NHL for free on these platforms:

• Canada — CBC Gem (select NHL games)

• Germany — Ran.de (select NHL games)

CBC Gem and Ran.de are geo-restricted to Canada and Germany respectively, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from anywhere else in the world. Fortunately, VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in Canada and Germany, meaning you can access these streaming services from the U.S.

Stream the NHL for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Canada or Germany

4. Connect to CBC Gem or Ran.de

5. Watch the NHL for free in the U.S.

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free)

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch NHL live streams before recovering your investment. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games without actually spending anything.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the NHL?

There are a number of streaming-friendly VPNs, including popular services like NordVPN and CyberGhost VPN. Those are strong choices, but ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming the NHL for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Canada and Germany

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.