Chicago Blackhawks
More Chicago Blackhawks pages
Updated August 30, 2026 · 2026 NHL season coverage
How to Watch the Chicago Blackhawks in 2026-27
Fubo carries the national Chicago Blackhawks games
Carries ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and TNT — every national NHL channel in one subscription — plus NHL Network in the sports tiers.
Important: The large majority of an 84-game season airs locally on the team's regional sports network or local broadcast partner, which is a separate subscription from the national services.
The Chicago Blackhawks play 84 regular-season games in 2026-27, opening Tuesday, September 29, 2026. The 2026-27 season is the first with an 84-game schedule since 1993-94, expanded under the new collective bargaining agreement — which is why it starts in late September rather than October. US national coverage is split between Disney (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2) and Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT, TBS, truTV). Both deals run through 2027-28.
NATIONAL TELEVISION PARTNERS
ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2
STREAMS ON ESPN APP / ESPN UNLIMITED, HULUOpens the season with a tripleheader on September 29. ABC runs Hockey Saturday windows from January through April and carries the All-Star Game and the Stadium Series.
TNT, TBS, and truTV
STREAMS ON HBO MAXWednesday nights all season, select Sundays, the Thanksgiving Showdown, and the Winter Classic. TNT holds the 2027 Stanley Cup Final.
NHL Network
STREAMS ON INCLUDED WITH MOST LIVE-TV PACKAGESSelect regional games outside their local markets, plus league programming.
WHERE GAMES AIR BY NIGHT
LOCAL GAMES AND BLACKOUTS
The large majority of an 84-game season airs locally on the team's regional sports network or local broadcast partner, which is a separate subscription from the national services.
Your local team is blacked out on ESPN's out-of-market package — those rights belong to the regional network. In-market games appear on the out-of-market service only as replays after the fact.
ESPN Select (NHL Power Play)
ABOUT $12.99/MONTHMore than 1,050 out-of-market games per season, with home or away commentary feeds, subject to local blackouts.
This is for following the Chicago Blackhawks from outside their market. If you live in the market, it is the wrong product — you need the regional network instead.
LIVE TV STREAMING SERVICES THAT CARRY CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS GAMES
Fubo
RECOMMENDED FOR CORD CUTTERSCarries ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, and TNT — every national NHL channel in one subscription — plus NHL Network in the sports tiers.
- ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC
- TNT, TBS, and truTV for the Turner half of the schedule
- Includes ESPN Unlimited access
- Cloud DVR and a free trial for new subscribers
Hulu + Live TV
Carries ABC, ESPN, and TNT, and includes ESPN Unlimited — which covers both halves of the national split.
YouTube TV
Carries ABC, ESPN, and TNT with unlimited DVR.
Sling TV
Cheapest route to the national games: Orange carries both ESPN and TNT. NHL Network requires the Sports Extra add-on.
DirecTV
Carries the national channels plus most regional sports networks, which is the practical answer if you want your local team's full slate.
DIRECT SUBSCRIPTIONS
- ESPN Unlimited — All ESPN- and ABC-produced games plus the out-of-market package, without a cable login.
- HBO Max — Required to stream the TNT half of the national schedule, including the Winter Classic and the 2027 Stanley Cup Final.
KEY DATES THIS SEASON
Compatible Streaming Devices
All major live-sports streaming services support the same set of devices. If you have any modern smart TV or streaming stick, you can watch on it:
- Roku — Roku Streaming Stick, Roku Ultra, Roku-enabled smart TVs (TCL, Hisense, others)
- Amazon Fire TV — Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, Fire-enabled smart TVs
- Apple TV — Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD
- Google Chromecast — Chromecast with Google TV (newer models), older Chromecast streaming devices
- Smart TVs — Samsung Tizen TVs, LG webOS TVs, Vizio SmartCast TVs, Android TV models
- Gaming Consoles — PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
- Mobile — iOS (iPhone, iPad), Android phones and tablets, with the option to AirPlay or cast to a TV
- Web Browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge on Mac and Windows
FREE WAYS TO WATCH THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
ABC's Hockey Saturday games are genuinely free over the air with an HD antenna from January through April, and the Stanley Cup Final is free in the years ABC carries it — though the 2027 Final is on TNT.
Streaming free trials are the other zero-cost option — Fubo offers one for new subscribers, which covers a few weeks of the season.