How to Watch NHL Games Outside North America

You moved to Europe. Or Australia. Or anywhere that isn't Canada or the US. And now you can't watch hockey. Not because the games aren't being broadcast — they are — but because the streaming services that carry them have decided your IP address puts you in the wrong box. It's maddening, especially mid-season when your team is finally playing well.

Here's how to fix it.

Why You Can't Watch NHL Games From Outside the US

The short version: broadcasting rights are sold territory by territory. ESPN+ has the rights to stream NHL games in the US. When you try to access ESPN+ from Germany or New Zealand or Brazil, their system sees a non-US IP address and blocks you. Same goes for NHL.tv, which used to be its own standalone service but is now folded into ESPN+.

And it gets worse. Even within North America, blackout rules apply. Local market games are blacked out on national streaming services to protect regional TV deals. So if you're a fan in Minnesota trying to watch the Wild, you might hit a blackout wall even with a valid ESPN+ subscription. The NHL has borrowed this approach straight from MLB's playbook, and fans hate it just as much.

But if you're outside North America entirely? The blackout issue is almost irrelevant — you're blocked before you even get to that stage. A VPN solves both problems at once.

What You Actually Need

One subscription: ESPN+, which runs $11.99/month (about £9.50 / €11) or is bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for $24.99/month (around £20 / €23). That bundle is genuinely good value if you watch other things too.

One VPN: more on this below. Don't skip this part thinking a free one will do — we'll explain why.

That's it. No special hardware. No grey-market workarounds. Just those two things working together.

The VPN You Should Use (And Why)

We'd recommend NordVPN here, specifically because of how it handles streaming. A lot of VPNs get blocked by services like ESPN+ almost immediately — the platform detects VPN traffic and shuts it down. NordVPN has a large enough pool of US server IPs and updates them frequently enough that it keeps working when others give up. That matters when you're trying to watch a playoff game at 10pm and you don't have time to troubleshoot.

NordVPN costs around $3.99/month (about £3.15 / €3.70) on a two-year plan. The monthly rate is higher, so commit to a longer plan if you're a regular watcher.

If NordVPN doesn't suit you for whatever reason, ExpressVPN is a solid alternative — slightly pricier but with excellent speeds. Surfshark is the budget-friendly option and handles ESPN+ well most of the time. But NordVPN is where we'd start.

Why Free VPNs Won't Cut It Here

Free VPNs are fine for basic privacy browsing. They are not fine for streaming live sports. The problems: slow speeds (buffering every 30 seconds during a power play), limited server options (you need a US server specifically), and most critically — free VPN IPs are almost universally detected and blocked by ESPN+. You'll get the geo-block error even with the VPN running. It's not worth the frustration.

Step-by-Step: How to Watch NHL on ESPN+ From Anywhere

On Desktop (Windows or Mac)

1. Sign up for NordVPN at nordvpn.com and download the desktop app.
2. Open the app and connect to a United States server. If you have the option to pick a city, New York or Chicago are reliable choices.
3. Go to espnplus.com. If you don't have an account yet, you can create one now — it'll accept your international payment card.
4. Search for NHL or find your game in the live sports section.
5. Watch hockey. Finally.

On iPhone or iPad (iOS)

1. Download NordVPN from the App Store and connect to a US server.
2. Here's the catch: the ESPN+ app may not be available in your country's App Store. If that's the case, you'll need to create a US Apple ID — there are guides for this, and it's a one-time setup. Alternatively, just watch via Safari on ESPN+'s mobile website, which works fine.
3. Log into ESPN+ with the VPN active and stream as normal.

On Android

1. Download NordVPN from the Play Store and connect to a US server.
2. If ESPN+ isn't in your regional Play Store, download the APK directly from ESPN's site or use a US Google account to access it. The APK route is straightforward and safe when downloaded from the official source.
3. Open the app, log in, and you're set.

On a Smart TV

This one's slightly more involved. Most Smart TVs don't run VPN apps natively. You've got two good options:

• Router-level VPN: Set NordVPN up on your home router and every device on your network — including the TV — routes through it. NordVPN has clear guides for this on their site.
• Use a streaming stick: A Fire TV Stick or Nvidia Shield runs Android, which means you can install NordVPN directly on the device. Much simpler than the router approach if you just want hockey on one TV.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

"ESPN+ is still showing me a geo-block error even with the VPN on." This happens. Try switching to a different US server — NordVPN has dozens of them. Also clear your browser cookies before trying again, since ESPN+ sometimes caches your real location.

"The stream keeps buffering." Connect to a US server geographically closer to you if possible, or try a server in a different city. Also check that nothing else on your network is hogging bandwidth. Live sports streaming needs a consistent 10–15 Mbps at minimum.

"I'm seeing a blackout message even with a US VPN." This is the regional blackout issue mentioned earlier. The fix is to connect to a US server in a market that isn't local to the game — so if you're trying to watch a Chicago Blackhawks game, don't connect through a Chicago server. Try New York or Los Angeles instead.

"My payment card isn't being accepted." ESPN+ generally accepts international cards. But if you're having trouble, a prepaid Visa or Mastercard (available in most countries) will almost always work. Some people use Wise or Revolut cards for this too.

FAQ

Is it legal to use a VPN to watch ESPN+ from outside the US?

Using a VPN is legal in most countries. It technically violates ESPN+'s terms of service, but the practical consequence is that your account might get flagged or asked to verify — which is rare. Nobody's getting sued for watching hockey.

Does NHL.tv still exist as a separate service?

No. NHL.tv was folded into ESPN+ a few seasons ago. Everything is under the ESPN+ umbrella now, which is actually more convenient — one subscription, one app.

Can I watch every NHL game on ESPN+?

Not every single one. ESPN+ shares NHL rights with TNT/Max, so some games will air there instead. If you want the full slate, you'd need both services. But ESPN+ covers a substantial portion of the regular season and playoffs.

Will a VPN slow down my connection enough to ruin the stream?

With a quality VPN like NordVPN, the speed reduction is minimal — usually 10–20%. If your base connection is 50 Mbps or more, you won't notice any difference. If you're on a slower connection, connect to the nearest US server to minimize the impact.

Do I need a US billing address to sign up for ESPN+?

ESPN+ doesn't always require one, but some users run into issues. If you do, a simple workaround is to use a US address (any real US address works — hotel addresses are fine) combined with a card that doesn't require address matching, like Wise or Revolut.

What about watching NHL games on other services — CBC, Sportsnet, TSN?

Canadian broadcasters like Sportsnet and TSN also carry NHL games, and they're geo-blocked to Canada. The same VPN method works — connect to a Canadian server instead of a US one. Some of these services offer free streaming with a cable login, and others have standalone subscriptions. Worth exploring if you prefer Canadian commentary.

Our Recommendation

Get ESPN+. Get NordVPN. Connect to a US server before you open the app. That's genuinely all there is to it.

The whole setup takes about 15 minutes the first time, and after that it's two clicks before every game — open NordVPN, hit connect, watch hockey. If you're a serious fan living abroad, this is the closest thing to just... having cable. And frankly, it's better than most cable packages ever were.

Stop missing games because of where you live. The workaround exists, it works, and it's not complicated.