The energy around the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2025–2026 NHL campaign is already building. With eyes on the Stanley Cup and a roster stacked with veteran talent and fresh prospects, this season holds high stakes and drama. Fans won’t want to miss a single game—whether they're watching from the living room or streaming between appointments.
DirecTV stands out as a go-to platform for catching all the NHL action. Its lineup covers major networks like ABC and reliable game coverage partners that support both live TV and mobile streaming. Subscribers can lock into the complete Penguins schedule, stream on compatible devices, and even follow updates on platforms like Yahoo Sports. When it comes to dependable access to every faceoff, power play, and overtime thriller, DIRECTV delivers options that flex with your lifestyle.
The complete Pittsburgh Penguins 2025–2026 regular season schedule appears on the official NHL Penguins schedule page. Yahoo Sports also maintains an up-to-date Penguins game schedule that includes scores, times, and broadcast information throughout the season.
Knowing when the Penguins take the ice—and where to watch—is the difference between catching the puck drop live or scrambling for highlights later. Primetime matchups like those on Saturday nights or midweek rivalries tend to shift start times. Plus, broadcast rights vary. Some games air on national partners like ESPN or TNT, while others are handled by regional networks.
Each listing includes key details:
Staying up to date also means checking back frequently. The NHL revises schedules throughout the season due to weather delays, playoff implications, or television changes. Bookmark the official page, sync your calendar, and align your DirecTV sports programming early to avoid surprises.
In the 2025–2026 NHL season, league-wide broadcast rights remain divided between ESPN, TNT (through Warner Bros. Discovery), and ABC. This structure stems from the landmark seven-year deal announced in 2021, which runs through the 2027–2028 season. Under this agreement, ESPN and ABC share a significant portion of the national television coverage, while TNT provides consistent weekly games and playoff matchups. The NHL Network, although not a primary national broadcaster, supplements coverage with analysis, simulcasts, and out-of-market games.
ESPN and its digital platforms – specifically ESPN+ – hold rights to stream over 1,000 out-of-market games per season. TNT, meanwhile, airs around 72 exclusive national matchups each year, including Wednesday primetime games and a slate of Stanley Cup Playoff contests. The split ensures viewers using DirecTV get access to both regular season and playoff coverage through multiple channels.
ABC carries some of the NHL’s most anticipated games, especially during the postseason. Each year, the network telecasts a select number of games from the Stanley Cup Playoffs and has full rights to the Stanley Cup Final in alternating years with TNT. In the 2025–2026 season, ABC is scheduled to air the entire Stanley Cup Final series, making it a focal channel for fans during the playoffs. Several high-profile regular-season matchups — including the NHL’s Thanksgiving Showdown and New Year’s Day games — also appear on ABC, expanding the league’s visibility on broadcast television.
DIRECTV integrates these national broadcasts into its core sports offering. Subscribers with packages that include ESPN, TNT, and ABC will receive full access to nationally-televised games without needing to bundle extra services. For NHL Network content, however, adding the Sports Pack is required. This tier also allows for more comprehensive NHL coverage, particularly for out-of-market games and in-depth analyses.
By aligning channel packages with this broadcast structure, DIRECTV subscribers will receive full coverage of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ nationally featured games, along with access to the league’s biggest events throughout the season.
Direct access to Pittsburgh Penguins games on DirecTV begins with selecting the right package. Each tier offers a distinct mix of national sports networks, and this directly affects how many Penguins matchups land on your screen during the 2025–2026 NHL season.
An up-to-date program guide on the DirecTV interface or the app will display local ABC coverage numbers, determined by your service address. Penguins games picked up for national broadcast usually rotate among ESPN, TNT, and ABC with occasional features on the NHL Network.
If a game airs on ESPN or TNT, even the Choice package will carry it. But once NHL Network steps in with exclusive coverage—common for midweek games or hockey-themed programming blocks—you need either the Ultimate or Premier tier. Without access to NHL Network, gaps in the schedule will appear, especially when ESPN shifts priority to college football or NBA commitments.
The best-fit package depends on viewing habits. Occasional viewers may rely on ESPN and ABC broadcasts within the Choice plan. Those tracking every game, from season-opener to spring playoffs, will benefit from the package depth offered by Ultimate or Premier tiers.
For the 2025–2026 season, Pittsburgh Penguins games will continue to air primarily on SportsNet Pittsburgh, their dedicated regional sports network. This local channel provides in-depth coverage, including pregame and postgame analysis, coach interviews, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content. If your DirecTV package includes this RSN, you’ll receive live broadcasts of nearly every regular-season game.
DirecTV grants access to RSNs like SportsNet Pittsburgh based on ZIP code. Subscribers living within the designated Pittsburgh Penguins home broadcast territory — including most of southwestern Pennsylvania and parts of West Virginia and Ohio — will automatically receive the channel in their base package. No additional add-ons are necessary if the ZIP code falls within this distribution area.
However, if you're outside this regional zone, SportsNet Pittsburgh won’t appear in your channel lineup. The NHL's territorial rights limit live RSN broadcasts to viewers within a specific geographic boundary defined by the league.
Living outside the Pittsburgh market? DirecTV offers a reliable workaround for catching every Penguins game. With the NHL Center Ice add-on, you gain access to out-of-market games, including all non-nationally televised Penguins matchups. This subscription bypasses RSN limitations and delivers feeds directly, whether you're in California or Florida.
Another alternative combines a much wider footprint: DIRECTV STREAM with the Choice package or higher. In some areas, this service includes multiple RSNs, allowing broader access to teams outside your home region — but availability still depends largely on local broadcasting rights agreements.
Curious if your ZIP code qualifies for SportsNet Pittsburgh? Check DirecTV’s RSN lookup tool directly on their website to confirm channel access in your area.
DIRECTV STREAM delivers live Pittsburgh Penguins hockey directly to your screen, without a satellite dish or cable box. Subscribers can access regional RSNs like SportsNet Pittsburgh (where available), national NHL coverage on ESPN, TNT, and ABC, and specialty sports networks depending on the plan selected. All games aired on these networks will be viewable live with DIRECTV STREAM, matching the access available through the traditional satellite service.
DIRECTV STREAM uses internet-based delivery, so there is no need for satellite equipment or technician installation. While traditional DIRECTV requires a two-year contract, DIRECTV STREAM offers month-to-month subscriptions with no annual commitment. DVR capabilities shift from physical hardware to cloud storage, with the streaming version offering unlimited cloud DVR for recorded games—watchable for up to nine months.
Channel availability remains largely identical across both services at the higher tiers. However, access to regional sports channels like SportsNet Pittsburgh depends on the zip code and market area, so but users living outside the Penguins' market may require NHL Center Ice and a VPN to bypass blackout limitations.
DIRECTV STREAM works on a wide range of platforms, ensuring fans can follow the Penguins across all 82 regular season matchups without switching inputs or juggling remotes.
Simultaneous streaming is supported on up to 20 devices per household network, and up to 3 on the go. That means whether you're watching on the living room TV, keeping an eye on the action from a tablet in the kitchen, or streaming from a smartphone at the office, the Penguins can follow you.
To follow every Pittsburgh Penguins faceoff, goal, and power play in the 2025–2026 season, you'll need the right DirecTV package with the right add-ons. Here's a precise breakdown of the monthly and seasonal costs tied to viewing all the NHL action DirecTV has to offer.
DirecTV offers several base packages, each with varying levels of sports content access:
For Penguins fans not in the Pittsburgh area, the Choice package becomes vital since it offers broader RSN coverage depending on zip code eligibility.
To watch every out-of-market Penguins game, add the following services:
These add-ons transform a base package into a complete NHL experience, especially critical for watching early start times, West Coast games, and postgame content.
Promotional offers rotate throughout the year. During NHL preseason (August–October), DirecTV typically introduces discounted bundles. For example:
Timing matters. Signing up before the regular season opener increases the chances of securing trial periods and promotional pricing. Reviewing the DirecTV promotions portal or speaking with a DirecTV rep during high-traffic sports months—August, September, and February—can reveal limited-time offers not featured online.
NHL Center Ice on DIRECTV opens up the entire 2025–2026 Pittsburgh Penguins season for fans outside the Pittsburgh market. With this premium add-on, hockey enthusiasts get access to up to 40 out-of-market games each week, pulling from both home and away team broadcasts. If you're living in Chicago, Los Angeles, or any region without local Penguins coverage, this package bridges the gap between you and the team.
The package includes:
If your ZIP code doesn’t fall under SportsNet Pittsburgh’s broadcast region, NHL Center Ice becomes the most direct path to keeping up with the Penguins’ full-season slate. Local blackouts won’t block your connection to the team, and this national package lets you follow every hard hit, power-play goal, and overtime thriller no matter your location.
Adding NHL Center Ice is straightforward. You can:
The service typically becomes available for purchase a few weeks before the regular season starts. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled, so take note before the October opening week rolls around.
Pittsburgh games broadcast through NHL Center Ice will appear between channels 769 and 785. These move depending on the teams playing and feed availability. Use the guide function to look for games under "NHL CI" or filter by team names. The “Search & Browse” feature under Menu helps locate all upcoming Penguins games across packages.
Blackout restrictions apply when a game is televised locally or nationally, and the local broadcast rights take priority. If you're trying to watch a Pittsburgh Penguins game on DirecTV, the NHL will block out the game feed on national or out-of-market services if your location falls within the local broadcast zone of a participating Regional Sports Network (RSN).
These restrictions stem from contracts between the NHL, broadcasting networks, and individual teams. A game airing on a local affiliate like SportsNet Pittsburgh won’t be viewable on channels such as NHL Network or ESPN+ in Western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, or parts of Ohio if that region is considered in-market for the Penguins.
If you live in the Penguins’ designated broadcast territory and attempt to watch an out-of-market feed through NHL Center Ice or DirecTV’s national sports networks, you'll encounter a blackout. The principle is simple: the league wants viewers in the team’s region to watch through the RSN that holds exclusive rights there.
National broadcasts introduce another layer. If a Penguins game is slated to stream exclusively on ESPN or TNT, local RSNs won’t have access to air it, and fans will need to switch to the national outlet. This could affect several high-profile matchups throughout the 2025–2026 schedule.
Wondering if your zip code is in the blackout zone for the Penguins? DirecTV provides a zip code lookup tool to clarify market boundaries based on NHL rights. Use that as a definitive starting point before choosing a viewing option.
The DIRECTV app delivers complete access to live Penguins games—even when far from your home setup. Available for both iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, the app syncs with your DirecTV subscription, allowing you to stream nationally televised NHL broadcasts and regional RSN coverage included in your package.
Once logged in with your DirecTV credentials, you’ll get access to live Penguins games carried on ESPN, TNT, or your regional sports network. The app also supports out-of-market games via NHL Center Ice if you've added that to your plan. In-game DVR functionality lets you pause, rewind, or restart the livestream, depending on the content’s availability.
Want to catch the game during your commute or while traveling? The app optimizes stream quality for mobile networks, ensuring Penguins games remain viewable even on moderate connections.
DirecTV STREAM has native support for several smart platforms. Penguins fans can watch the full season schedule directly through their smart TV without relying on cable boxes.
The DIRECTV app permits both live streaming and cloud DVR playback across supported mobile and tablet devices. While watching live puts you in sync with the game clock, the app’s DVR features allow greater control. If you started watching midway through the first period, simply rewind to the puck drop.
The cloud DVR, available on select packages, stores up to 20 hours by default but expands to unlimited hours if you opt for premium tiers. This makes it possible to download Penguins games for later viewing—ideal if you miss the live window due to work or travel. All functionality is app-integrated, requiring no third-party services or add-ons.
Thinking of watching Sid the Kid light up the scoreboard from wherever you are? Just grab your phone, launch the app, and stream in real-time or from your saved recordings.
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