NHL on ESPN

The NHL on ESPN is a forthcoming television presentation of National Hockey League (NHL) games on ESPN properties, including ABC, ESPN+, and Hulu, set to return to The Walt Disney Company in 2021. ESPN first televised National Hockey League (NHL) games in the 1979–80 season, initially by sub-contracting rights from individual franchises. After the NHL shifted to only having one exclusive rightsholder, ESPN acquired the NHL's national television rights in 1985 to replace USA Network (which had previously aired NHL games in parallel with ESPN). ESPN lost the rights to SportsChannel America in 1988.

NHL on ESPN

The NHL on ESPN is a forthcoming television presentation of National Hockey League (NHL) games on ESPN properties, including ABC, ESPN+, and Hulu, set to return to The Walt Disney Company in 2021. ESPN first televised National Hockey League (NHL) games in the 1979–80 season, initially by sub-contracting rights from individual franchises. After the NHL shifted to only having one exclusive rightsholder, ESPN acquired the NHL's national television rights in 1985 to replace USA Network (which had previously aired NHL games in parallel with ESPN). ESPN lost the rights to SportsChannel America in 1988.