NHL's global strategy: DAZN secures exclusive international streaming rights

The National Hockey League is moving its international NHL.TV service exclusively to DAZN, offloading its streaming operations to chase a global audience on the sports platform.

Passing the puck: Starting with the 2025-26 season, the multi-year deal makes DAZN the home for all live and on-demand games in nearly 200 countries outside of the U.S., Canada, and Nordic nations. Current subscribers to the league's international service will be migrated to the new platform, which will be offered as a standalone package or a DAZN add-on.

A global power play: The move is a direct play to engage the NHL's international fanbase, which the league says is growing fast. With 30 percent of its players born outside North America, NHL COO Steve McArdle called media distribution the "core" of the league's global strategy.

Another one for the roster: For DAZN, the partnership continues its ambition to become a global hub for major sports leagues. The NHL joins a lineup of top-tier properties on the platform, which already features international access to NFL Game Pass and PGA Tour Pass.

The final score: The deal effectively outsources the NHL's international streaming, giving the league a direct line to DAZN's 120 million registered users while adding another major North American sport to the streamer’s portfolio.

Also on our radar: Meanwhile, the NHL's media strategy in North America remains a separate game, with streaming focused on ESPN+ in the U.S. and partners like Prime Video in Canada. The international move also represents a technology shift, migrating the service away from its previous platform provider, Sportradar.