The puck drops on the Seattle Kraken’s 2025-2026 NHL campaign on October 8, 2025, and the regular season wraps up on April 14, 2026. Over the course of these six months, fans can expect a dynamic schedule loaded with headline matchups. Highlights include coast-to-coast clashes against the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers, an intense Western Conference battle with the Edmonton Oilers, and an Original Six showdown with the Chicago Blackhawks. With rising star power, improved depth, and playoff momentum building from last season, Seattle enters the new year with a clear goal: push deep into the postseason and contend for a spot in the Stanley Cup Final. Planning to follow every hit, goal, and overtime thriller? Here's how to catch every Kraken game on DirecTV.
The NHL's multi-platform broadcast deal with ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery (which operates TNT and TBS) extends through the 2027-2028 season. For the 2025-2026 campaign, national coverage will continue to be split between:
Games aired on these national channels override local broadcasts, making them exclusive to the networks with no regional simulcast options. If you're watching via DirecTV, checking these networks' schedules will pinpoint which games are nationally exclusive and available across the U.S.
Root Sports Northwest continues as the official regional broadcaster for the Seattle Kraken through the 2025-2026 NHL season. This RSN will carry most of the team's regular-season games that aren't nationally exclusive. They handle game-day broadcasts, including pre-game and post-game analysis tailored for the Pacific Northwest hockey fanbase.
DirecTV subscribers in the Seattle DMA or within Root Sports Northwest’s territory will receive these local broadcasts as part of their RSN package. Outside of this region, these same games will be considered out-of-market and will require NHL Center Ice for access — unless picked up by a national broadcaster.
The NHL differentiates between nationally exclusive broadcasts and regionally available games. A few points clarify what that means for viewers:
Want to follow every puck drop? Mapping out the national network schedule alongside the RSN availability will help you avoid missing critical matchups.
The DirecTV Sports Pack includes more than 40 regional and specialty sports channels, expanding access to a wide range of NHL content. This package consistently features live look-ins, analysis, and game replays from channels like MSG, Altitude Sports, and Bally Sports regional networks, depending on market availability.
While the Sports Pack won't guarantee live broadcasts of every Seattle Kraken game across all regions due to blackout rules, it creates the foundation for comprehensive NHL access when paired with other packages.
For fans watching from outside the Pacific Northwest, NHL Center Ice is the key to catching all 82 regular season games of the Seattle Kraken. This add-on subscription delivers up to 40 out-of-market NHL games per week, all in HD. Subscribers can toggle between home and away broadcasts, with multilingual feeds available when applicable.
DirecTV typically launches its NHL Center Ice offering at the start of the preseason, and access continues through the regular season. The 2025-2026 season will be no exception, with full national and regional coverage included in the package.
Beyond the league-specific packages, DirecTV’s base and premium channel tiers embed substantial NHL coverage into everyday lineups. Here’s how:
All three channels are available through DirecTV's Choice package and above, or individually through select add-ons. For Kraken fans looking for wall-to-wall content beyond just game broadcasts, these channels supply the depth and consistency required for full-season immersion.
DirecTV delivers comprehensive NHL coverage through a combination of national and regional sports networks. For the 2025–2026 season, Seattle Kraken games will primarily appear on the following national channels:
Games may also air on regional sports networks, depending on league scheduling and exclusivity arrangements. NHL Center Ice subscribers will have access to additional game feeds from across the league, including broadcasts produced by visiting and home teams.
Finding upcoming Seattle Kraken games is quick and accurate through DirecTV’s on-screen guide. Use your remote to access the full guide menu, then either:
DirecTV updates its guide data daily; games that have altered start times or broadcast changes are reflected in real-time. Prime-time matchups, national broadcasts, and playoff coverage will consistently appear under highlighted sections in the guide.
To streamline your viewing experience, customize your DirecTV interface to prioritize NHL content. Here’s how to isolate hockey from the sea of other sports:
With the right filters in place, the clutter fades. What remains are crystal-clear options for catching every face-off, goal, and penalty from opening night through the postseason.
ROOT Sports Northwest is the regional sports network with exclusive rights to broadcast Seattle Kraken games in the local market. To determine if DirecTV gives you access, your billing ZIP code needs to fall within the ROOT Sports viewing territory. This typically includes Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and parts of Idaho and Montana.
DirecTV uses ZIP code geolocation to activate RSNs in your package. If your billing address qualifies, ROOT Sports Northwest will be automatically included in the CHOICE™ package and above. You won’t need to manually add it.
Not all cities fall within the ROOT Sports broadcast territory. For fans living in
In all of these markets, Kraken games not picked up for national broadcast will be subject to out-of-market rules and may require additional subscriptions.
While ROOT Sports Northwest carries the majority of Kraken regular season broadcasts in-market, alternatives exist for fans beyond the Pacific Northwest who choose DirecTV for NHL coverage.
Accessing Seattle Kraken games during the 2025-2026 NHL season becomes much more flexible through the DirecTV Stream app. This platform supports live game streaming on a range of devices—including smart TVs, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, mobile phones, and tablets. Once authenticated with your DirecTV account, the app mirrors your live television package, letting you stream regional sports networks, ESPN, TNT, and other NHL-rights-holding networks in real time.
With live feeds mirroring linear broadcasts, fans get full access to play-by-play action, in-game commentary, and supplementary shows, whether on the go or from the couch. The streaming quality adapts to bandwidth, with support for up to 1080p resolution and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio when available.
DirecTV’s integration with third-party apps gives subscribers more mobility. Log in using your DirecTV credentials on the NHL app or on WatchESPN to stream live Kraken games when they air on ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPN+. These apps are compatible with iOS and Android devices as well as most tablets and game consoles.
Login is a one-time setup. Once your DirecTV account is verified, live streams and replays unlock without additional subscriptions.
DirecTV’s streaming options remove geographical limitations. For fans in cities like Philadelphia or Boston—markets outside the official Kraken broadcast region—accessing out-of-market games becomes straightforward. With the right package, an authenticated DirecTV account enables full digital access to Kraken games through both DirecTV Stream and NHL-integrated apps.
This eliminates the frustration many fans in non-local markets face when trying to follow their team. There’s no need for local broadcasts or alternative feeds; the Kraken's game is available at your fingertips, no matter your location within the United States.
NHL Center Ice on DirecTV includes access to up to 40 out-of-market NHL games each week during the regular season. The package pulls feeds from both home and away broadcasts, providing options for audio commentary and camera angles. Games are delivered in HD as standard, with select matchups available in 4K where station partners support it.
Unlike general sports packages, Center Ice focuses strictly on out-of-market coverage. This makes it ideal for tracking teams you're passionate about but aren't locally televised in your area. With real-time scores, in-game highlights, and multiplex channels during busy slates, viewers receive the full-spectrum NHL experience without needing to switch between networks.
Seattle Kraken fans living outside the Pacific Northwest won't have access to ROOT Sports Northwest, which broadcasts most of the team's local games. In those regions, Kraken matchups fall into the "out-of-market" category, which is exactly what NHL Center Ice covers. Instead of relying on national broadcasts, which showcase only a fraction of any team’s season, subscribers gain consistent access to Seattle’s full schedule of non-national games.
Consider a Kraken supporter living in Tampa or Chicago — most regular-season Seattle games wouldn't appear on local RSNs. With Center Ice, those games become accessible every week, complete with local Seattle broadcast commentary and full pre-game and post-game segments depending on the feed.
Center Ice isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. Its real value appears in specific viewing contexts. Here's when to use it instead of relying on regional or national networks:
However, fans located within ROOT Sports Northwest’s coverage area don’t benefit from Center Ice for Kraken games due to blackout restrictions. For in-market games, regional networks or streaming integrations within DirecTV platforms provide better local coverage.
Blackout restrictions exist to protect local broadcaster agreements and regional rights holders. When a Seattle Kraken game airs in the local market—typically encompassing most of Washington state—national and out-of-market streaming or satellite broadcasts may be blacked out. The blackout ensures that local RSNs like ROOT Sports Northwest maintain exclusive rights to air those Kraken matchups.
Local blackout rules are triggered based on the viewer’s IP address or satellite ZIP code. If DirecTV identifies the viewer as being within the Seattle media market, and a game is regionally televised, national feeds such as ESPN+ or NHL Network will black out that game. Conversely, if the game is part of a national exclusive broadcast—like on ABC, TNT, or ESPN—the local RSN loses access, and only the national channel carries the game live.
This distinction often results in fans needing more than one channel package to watch every game. A home Kraken game on a Wednesday night could be exclusive to TNT, while a weekend game might only be available through ROOT Sports Northwest for Seattle-area viewers.
Direct blackouts from DirecTV's satellite feed can’t be overridden without changing your billing ZIP code, which requires account modifications. However, devices using authenticated DirecTV logins can employ the VPN strategy with more flexibility, especially via mobile or streaming apps.
The Seattle Kraken's preseason schedule typically includes a mix of home and away matchups spread throughout late September and early October. On DirecTV, preseason broadcasts often air on ROOT Sports Northwest, the regional sports network responsible for Kraken coverage. For fans located in the Northwest broadcast area, ROOT Sports is available on channel 687 with most DirecTV packages that include RSNs.
In cases where ROOT Sports does not carry a particular preseason game, the NHL Network fills the gap. DirecTV includes NHL Network in the CHOICE package and above, accessible on channel 215. This national network frequently covers key preseason matchups, rookie showcases, and season previews — offering broader coverage for fans outside local broadcasting zones.
Once the postseason begins, the broadcasting rights transition to national networks. DirecTV subscribers can watch the early rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on a rotating mix of networks including ESPN, TNT, and ABC. For the 2025-2026 NHL season, this arrangement remains in effect based on the long-term rights deal the league signed in 2021.
Want full playoff access without missing a game? Ensure your DirecTV package includes all three networks. If you're using a base package like ENTERTAINMENT, an upgrade to CHOICE or ULTIMATE will give you access to both ESPN and TNT — critical for complete postseason coverage.
The Stanley Cup Final remains an exclusive national event. ABC holds full rights to broadcast the entire championship series, typically starting in early June. In most U.S. markets, ABC is available through DirecTV as part of the local channels included in all packages.
Check your ZIP code using DirecTV’s local channel lookup tool to confirm ABC carriage. For viewers in Seattle, ABC affiliate KOMO (channel 4) will broadcast the Final, available in HD across DirecTV lineups.
DirecTV Stream provides full access to Seattle Kraken games in real time, and the service works seamlessly across multiple devices. Whether you're at home or traveling, the DirecTV Stream app runs smoothly on:
With DirecTV Stream, viewers receive the same live broadcast available on traditional DirecTV setups, including commentary, intermission content, and highlight coverage. The interface supports pause, rewind, and live record functionalities, improving the experience across connected devices.
DirecTV subscribers can link their account credentials with NHL.tv and ESPN app logins. This integration unlocks access to live Kraken broadcasts, full-game replays, and exclusive NHL content curated by ESPN. The linking process requires:
Once linked, fans can watch Kraken games even when traveling out of the broadcaster's region—provided blackout restrictions don’t apply to that matchup.
Fans who rely heavily on mobile for updates will benefit from DirecTV’s support for push notifications and real-time alerts. Through the DirecTV app, set game-specific alerts for puck drops, period scores, goal notifications, and final outcomes. These mobile updates appear as banners or lock-screen messages, delivering key moments directly without opening the app.
For those unable to watch a full stream but wanting to stay current, the app also offers condensed game recaps and real-time score tracking. Seamless integration with Apple Watch and select Android smartwatches adds another way to stay connected—ideal during travel or working hours.
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