CBC Gem offers completely legal, free NHL streams in HD. However, if you’re not in Canada, you’ll need a VPN to access these live streams (which are geo-blocked in all other countries).
Here’s how you use a VPN to watch NHL games free online with CBC Gem:
- Subscribe to a VPN with fast and stable servers in Canada, such as NordVPN.
- Download the VPN app on the device with which you want to watch NHL games.
- Open the VPN app and log in.
- Connect to a server in Canada.
- Visit the CBC Gem website to stream the NHL games.
Continue reading for more information.
The 2025-26 NHL season is set to start on October 7th, and many hockey fans are looking for ways how to stream the NHL for free. There definitely are options to watch the NHL season for free; however, most of the streaming sites are geo-blocked to Canada only, due to distribution rights.
Fortunately, NHL fans can access free 2025-26 NHL season streams with a VPN (Virtual Private Network), no matter where they are. The technology allows you to change your virtual location to Canada and stream the NHL games as if locally. For the best experience and guaranteed access to free NHL streams, you will need to use a fast VPN with lots of secure servers in Canada, such as NordVPN.
Continue reading this guide and learn how to stream the NHL for free with a VPN and which services are the best for the job.
How to stream 2025-2026 NHL for free
If you want to watch the National Hockey League games, you can do it for free by using a VPN to access a free stream from abroad.
- Subscribe to a fast VPN with Canadian servers. I recommend NordVPN, now 75% off, as it has worked the best for accessing free NHL streams.
- Download and install the VPN app.
- Launch the VPN and connect to a server in Canada to change your virtual location.
- Visit the CBC Gem website and create a free account.
- Start streaming the NHL games for free!
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is an official NHL broadcaster in Canada, and locals can watch anything in its catalog for free as long as they have a Canadian IP address and an account on its website.
The easiest way to get a Canadian IP address if you’re not currently located in the country is to use a VPN. With a VPN, you can connect to a server in Canada, mask your real virtual location, and obtain a Canadian IP address in a matter of moments.
When you connect to a Canadian VPN server while visiting CBC, the website will see the Canadian IP address and won’t block you from accessing its content, even if you’re on the other side of the globe.
Step-by-step guide: Use a VPN to watch NHL games for free online
Using a VPN to unblock CBC from anywhere and stream the NHL for free is very straightforward and does not require a lot of additional steps. Here’s a quick guide on how to use a VPN to watch NHL games for free based on my extensive testing:
Step 1. Select a reliable streaming VPN
For guaranteed access to CBC from anywhere and a smooth streaming experience, you will need to choose a VPN with lots of servers in Canada and fast connection speeds. During my research and testing, I found that NordVPN has over 486 servers in 3 cities across Canada and offers the fastest connection speeds in the industry. I can easily recommend the service as the best for streaming NHL for free.
Step 2. Download and install the VPN
Once you select your VPN provider, download its app from the official website. Alternatively, you can get the app from the Google Play Store for Android or the Apple App Store for iOS devices. Then, install the app following the on-screen instructions and granting all permissions if asked.
Step 3. Launch the VPN and connect to a server in Canada
Open the VPN app and connect to a server in Canada. Once the connection is on, your network traffic will be routed through your selected server, which will mask your real location and change it to a Canadian one. This simple step will allow you to access CBC Gem as if you were actually in Canada and avoid all geo-blocks.
Step 4. Open the CBC Gem streaming site and create an account
With the VPN connected, head to the CBC Gem website and create an account. You may need to provide a Canadian postal code to register, but you can easily find the necessary information on Google. After our account is created, you will be able to stream the 2025/26 NHL season games for free.
Step 5. Stream NHL on CBC for free
Select a live NHL game on the Live TV section or browse the NHL games library for previous games and start streaming for free and without restrictions!
Which free 2025-2026 NHL games can I watch?
Regular-season games will be available on CBC Gem. Play-offs can only be seen on CBC TV (cable required). They will not be available on the broadcaster’s streaming service, CBC Gem.
You can watch CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada for free and without any limitations.. CBC will broadcast this iconic Saturday night game until 2026. You do need to create a free account on CBC Gem and make sure you have a Canadian IP address.
If you want to watch other games, such as the Stanley Cup, for free, you can use a free trial of a paid streaming service. I’ve listed all popular NHL streaming services below.
You can look through our list of free sports streaming sites to find more free sports streams.
How to watch the NHL online worldwide
While hockey is the national winter sport of Canada, no one should underestimate its popularity around the globe. Hockey fans have two options to watch live matches:
- Access an international free stream using a VPN
- Use local paid streaming services or trials
Below, I’ll discuss each of these options to watch hockey, focusing on CBC’s free livestream. I’ll also explain how to access your local stream if you’re abroad.
Access CBC’s free livestream
The Canadian broadcaster CBC offers free livestreams of all regular-season NHL games, except the playoffs. Anyone with a free CBC account and a Canadian IP address can watch hockey with these streams on CBC Gem.
The easiest way to access CBC Gem from outside Canada is to use a VPN service. If you connect to a Canadian VPN server, you’ll be able to stream live events on CBC Gem, regardless of your actual location.
- Subscribe to a VPN service, such as NordVPN, now 75% off.
- Install the VPN app on your device.
- Open the VPN app and sign in.
- Connect to a server in Canada to get a Canadian IP address.
- Head to the CBC Gem website, create a free account, and stream NHL for free from anywhere.
I recommend NordVPN for livestreaming your favorite games from anywhere in the world. NordVPN has 486+ Canadian servers with lightning-fast speed. These servers are perfect for watching games without buffering. Moreover, NordVPN is great at bypassing geo-restrictions.
Check out my extensive step-by-step guide about watching NHL games on CBC Gem.
How to watch NHL games from the US and other countries
As CBC Gem will not livestream all NHL games, you will need to use another streaming service to see all NHL action, such as the Stanley Cup playoffs. Below, I have listed the most commonly used international NHL streams.
A few even offer free trials so you can test out their service and watch a couple of games for free! I have first listed subscriptions with free trials. The other subscriptions are ordered based on their price.
| Streaming Service | Country | Subscription | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Viaplay | UK | £14.99/month | ❌ No free trial on the sports package |
| 2. Amazon Prime Video | Canada | CAD $9.99/month | ✅ Yes, 30 days for new members |
| 3. YouTube TV | US | $82.99/month | ✅ Yes, 5 days |
| 4. Fubo TV | US | $84.99/month | ✅ Yes, 7 days, but it can differ |
| 5. DirecTV Stream | US | $84.99/month | ✅ Yes, 5 days |
| 6. Disney+ | Brazil | R$27.99/month | ✅ Yes, has occasional free trial promos |
| 7. ESPN+ | US | $11.99/month | ❌ No |
| 8. Sportsnet | Canada | CAD $29.99/month | ❌ No |
| 9. TVA Sports | Canada | CAD $17.99/month | ❌ No |
| 10. Sling TV (Orange package) | US | $45.99/month | ❌ No |
| 11. Hulu+ Live TV | US | $82.99/month | ✅ Yes, 3 days |
These streams will only work if you’re in the country mentioned in the second column. If you’re in a different country during the NHL season, you’ll need to use a VPN to get access to these streams.
How to stream local Canadian NHL games for free from abroad
If you are abroad, you won’t be able to access your local stream. Streaming services use your IP address to trace your location and validate that you are in an area in which they have the broadcasting rights for the NHL games. For example, if you’re outside of Canada, you can’t access Prime Video’s NHL stream.
Again, a VPN is the best tool to change your IP address and access your local streaming services from anywhere. If you’re abroad, you can use a VPN to get an IP address in your home country. This will grant you access to your local paid stream.
You can even use this method to access local streams of other countries. If you have a Disney+ subscription, you can access the Brazilian stream, regardless of your location and residence. In the same way, you can access the Canadian Amazon Prime library from anywhere in the world.
- Subscribe to a VPN provider with excellent geo-block bypass capabilities. My top recommendation is NordVPN, now 75% off.
- Download the VPN app and install it.
- Open the app and sign in.
- Connect to a VPN server in the country of the local stream you want to access. For example, if you want to access the Canadian Prime Video library, you have to select a server in Canada.
- Visit the local streaming service and sign in.
- Enjoy the game!
Prevent NHL blackouts with a VPN
You may not be able to watch a hockey game even when you’re in the U.S. and you have a subscription to a channel that broadcasts NHL games. This usually happens because of a blackout, which has to do with local broadcasting rights.
Sometimes, the rights to a certain game are in the hands of a local television station. As a result, national broadcasters restrict that game from people in the region.
A blackout can be very annoying, but it can be solved with a VPN. The only thing you need to do is connect to a VPN server outside the area of this local television channel. This will allow you to watch local games online with your subscription and without any NHL blackouts.
- Subscribe to a premium VPN provider with an extensive server network in the US. My recommendation is NordVPN, a provider with 1970+ servers in the US.
- Download the VPN software on your device and install it.
- Open the VPN app and log in.
- Connect to a server in a state without blackouts. For example, if the blackout is around New York or the Southeast, just connect to a VPN server on the West Coast.
- Now you are ready to watch the NHL game!
The best VPN for the NHL
To find the best VPNs to access free NHL streams, I tested 17 services. I looked for a VPN with lots of servers in Canada to bypass the geo-blocks, fast connection speeds for smooth streaming, and solid security features to protect your privacy while you enjoy the NHL games. Ultimately, I found my top 3 NHL VPNs:
- NordVPN: The overall best VPN to stream NHL for free. NordVPN offers over 486 fast and secure servers in Canada alone, perfect for accessing NHL streams on CBC Gem. Additionally, the service has the fastest connection speeds in the industry and uses the latest technology to protect your privacy online.
- Surfshark: Fast and affordable NHL VPN with servers in Canada and unlimited device connections. Thanks to Surfshark’s advanced security features and great connection speeds, the service works perfectly for bypassing geo-restrictions on free NHL streams.
- Proton VPN: A privacy-oriented VPN for NHL with over 400 servers in Canada. The service is fast enough for lag-free streams and just as powerful at bypassing geo-blocks imposed on the free NHL streams.
All of my top 3 NHL VPNs are great for accessing free NHL streams on the Canadian CBC Gem streaming platform. However, NordVPN still showed the best results and provided me with the smoothest streaming experience. You can try it during the free 3-day trial, or subscribe to NordVPN immediately risk-free with the 30-day money-back guarantee.
2025-2026 NHL schedule
Are you curious about the matches coming in 2025/26, like the Stanley Cup and the All-Star Weekend? Here’s a schedule of the big NHL events of the season.
| Date | NHL Event |
|---|---|
| 7 October 2025 | Start of the 2025-2026 NHL regular season |
| 11 October 2025 | All 32 teams play (regular season) |
| 13 October 2025 | Prime Monday Night Hockey doubleheader: Red Wings at Maple Leafs; Blues at Canucks |
| 28 October 2025 | Another full slate of games for all 32 teams |
The 2025-2026 NHL season will start on October 7, 2025, and will end in the beginning of April, 2026. There will be a mid-season break in February as the NHL will participate in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Watch other sports for free with a VPN
Once your much-anticipated NHL stream is over, you can use your VPN to watch more sports for free. I’ve compiled a number of guides detailing how to watch top international sports for free.
You can use a VPN to watch:
- Formula 1 Grand Prix races
- MotoGP
- UEFA Champions League soccer
- Out-of-market NFL games
- How to watch World Snooker Championship for free
In all of these instances, NordVPN provides the perfect solution.
A Quick wrap-up: watch NHL games online from anywhere
Currently, the best option to stream the NHL for free is through the CBC Gem player. The service offers a broad spectrum of available NHL games of the 2025/26 season and only requires creating a free account to access them. However, the service is only available in Canada, and you will have to use a VPN to bypass the geo-blocks.
After conducting my research, I found that NordVPN is the best VPN to access the free NHL streams on CBC Gem. The service offers close to 500 secure servers in Canada and has the fastest connection speeds for lag-free livestreams whenever you want. Plus, all NordVPN subscriptions are completely risk-free, thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee.
Now you’re ready to hit the ice! It doesn’t get any easier than that.
Want to know more about streaming NHL games online this season? Read some of the most commonly asked questions and get your questions answered fast.
To watch the NHL in the UK for free, you will have to use a VPN to access the CBC Gem player in Canada. The CBC Gem offers a broad selection of 2026-26 NHL season games for free; however, it is geo-locked to Canada. To access it in the UK, use a VPN, like NordVPN, connect to a server in Canada to change your virtual location, and access CBC Gem with no geo-restrictions.
To stream the 2025-26 NHL season games for free in Canada, simply head to CBC Gem, create a free account, and livestream the games. However, I still recommend using a reliable VPN, like NordVPN, to protect your privacy online while you enjoy the NHL games.
The best way to stream NHL games for free is to use a VPN to access the CBC Gem player. The streaming service offers a broad selection of 2025-26 season NHL games for free, but since it is only available in Canada, you will need to use a VPN to access it from abroad. Select a reliable VPN, like NordVPN, connect to a server in Canada, and access CBC Gem from anywhere.
Yes, you can stream NHL games on several platforms, including CBC Gem, ESPN+, and YouTube TV. However, CBC Gem is the only platform where you can stream the NHL games for free. To access the Canadian streaming service from abroad, get a reliable VPN, like NordVPN, connect to a server in Canada, and bypass the geo-restrictions to enjoy free NHL streams.
To watch the hockey game tonight for free, use a VPN to access CBC Gem. The streaming service offers NHL games for free, but is locked to Canada. To bypass the restrictions, use a VPN, like NordVPN, connect to a server in Canada, and access the platform. Then, create a free account and enjoy the games. Alternatively, you can stream NHL on FuboTV, YouTube TV, or Hulu + Live TV, but all of these platforms require pricey subscriptions.
Yes, ESPN+ will have all NHL games, including exclusive national matches and all out-of-market games. Currently, ESPN+ has replaced the NHL.tv streaming platform, but it is only available in the US. To access ESPN+ from abroad, use a VPN, like NordVPN, to change your virtual location to the US and bypass the geo-restrictions.
No, NHL.tv is not free, and since it will be available through DAZN for the 2025-26 season, the streaming platform’s subscription prices will apply. Currently, DAZN subscriptions in the US are around $29.99/month, in the UK £14.99/month, and in Germany €34.99/month. Alternatively, you can use a VPN, like NordVPN, to switch your virtual location to Canada and access the NHL streams for free on CBC Gem.
