nhl.com
Cord-cutting is becoming more and more popular these days. More and more people are ditching traditional cable and satellite television and signing up for subscription-based streaming services instead. Hence the label, âcord-cutters,â people are snipping the cords of landlocked cable and embracing the internetâs abilities to provide any kind of content you could ever want, any time of the day or night, with much more convenience than traditional cable ever could offer.
With so many streaming services available, you can always stay up-to-date on your favorite shows and games. No need to miss a single moment of the action!
If you're going to the store to restock on beer during the game, you can do it with either a streaming service or by using an app on your smartphone. It's really a beautiful time to be alive.
However, there is still the question of which streaming service to use. Do you go with a more cable-like service that provides access to all your favorite networks and some sports broadcasts, like Hulu Live TV does? Or do you go with a specific sports package? If you're a sports fanatic, no matter your sport of choice, you will likely want to at least entertain the latter. Whether you are hoping to keep up with NFL, MLB, or NHL games, there is a streaming service out there that caters directly to your needs.
If you like sports, NHL TV might be a valuable investment to make. When you take into account that the NHL usually has more games per season than any other professional sports league and that a lot of them aren't shown on the traditional cable networks, NHL TV looks like a good decision. Let's dive in and take a look at all that it has to offer.
History
The National Hockey League was founded in 1917, and it quickly replaced the National Hockey Association. Over time, disagreements between team owners caused tension and eventually led to the NHL being created as a fresh start. Today, the NHL is one of the leagues that can compete for the Stanley Cup. The Toronto Maple Leafs won the first Stanley Cup in 1918 by defeating the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association.
The NHL continued to grow and prosper in the years following that All-Star game. The first NHL All-Star game was held to benefit Ace Bailey, whose career had been cut short due to a savage hit from Eddie Shore. Deaths and injuries, as well as the Great Depression and World War II, all took a toll on the league, but despite this, expansion slowed somewhat during these years. By the time the 50s and 60s came around, however, the NHL was thriving again.
In the mid-1960s, the NHL finally grew beyond the original 6 teams that comprised the league. The NHL was hungry for American television contracts, so during the 1967-68 season, the league doubled itself, totaling 12 teams now. Canadian fans, needless to say, were not pleased that all 6 new teams were housed in the US. The league responded to this criticism by adding the Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabers in 1970.
And so the NHL's history continued, as they went from needing US TV networks to stream their games on their own terms, to doing so themselves today through NHL TV.
Design
I love NHL TV! It is such a classic and sharp looking design, and it is really easy to use. Just click on any of the site menu options and you will be taken to the content you are looking for. It's really easy!
NHL TV makes the experience more personalized than most streaming services. You can choose your favorite team when you sign up, and get customized updates on that team - basically, an NHL TV experience built around that team. Of course, you can watch any games you want and check in on other teams too. But there will always be quick access to check up on your favorite team's news, updates, scores, etc. NHL TV makes being a hockey fan easier than it's ever been before.
Content
Well, as I was starting to discuss, NHL TV offers access to every single NHL game that takes place (well, depending on your subscription, but more on that in a bit). Games that are not televised on any network can be viewed on NHL TV. Plus, you get additional angles on games that are being televised which cable networks do not provide which is pretty cool.
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NHL TV is a great streaming service with great quality at 60 fps, the ability to choose different announcers and commentaries, and full DVR capabilities to record games you will have to miss. It definitely has everything you could expect from a streaming service.
Desktop and Mobile Experience
NHL TV offers a great live streaming experience no matter what device you are using. The service is available on just about any device out there, from Roku to Playstation to Chromecast to X Box and more. It's a versatile service that works well on just about any device.
The NHL TV app on the App Store, to illustrate, has been extremely well received. It is easy to use, totally streamlined, and just as intuitive as the site. The app has received an average rating of 4.4 stars (of 16 thousand reviews). NHL always makes a quality product.
Pricing and Plans
The cheapest way to watch NHL TV is the individual game pass. This will only cost you $24.99 per month and you will get access to all of the games that are televised live. However, this is not the best deal, because you only get one game per week. The premium option is the weekly pass and this will only cost you $39.99 per month. This means that you will be getting six games per week and those games will be aired live, in addition to all of the other hockey content that NHL TV has to offer.
The monthly pass is $24.99 a month. However, this add up quickly if you do some quick math based on how long the NHL season is. But I could see doing this option if you aren't convinced that you want to drop $70 right away. This can be a good way to test the service out.
Then NHL TV offers its final option, which I actually think is pretty novel. For a grand total of $55.99, focus on just your favorite team. You will not be able to watch any game that your team is not playing in, but you will have full access to all other games as well. If you are more of a fan of your team than you are the sport overall, this might be the best way for you to go. However, once you're already paying nearly $60, what's an extra $10 to have full access, right?
Suggestions that I have for NHL TV
It would be nice to see a family plan where all members can pay for individual season tickets or partial seasons, and then follow their favorite teams' progress and rankings against each other. Maybe add in some elements of a fantasy league so that everyone can have some fun.
The study found that playing video games can improve cognitive function.
All in all, if you are a serious hockey fan, NHL TV is a great service. With great streaming quality, access to every single NHL game, and the ability to keep tabs on your team in a matter of seconds no matter where you are, you really can't go wrong with this service.