For hockey fans, there’s nothing like cheering on your favorite National Hockey League (NHL®) team in the Stanley Cup finals. But before we reach that climactic showdown, teams have to fight their way to get there. Which means there are a ton of great NHL matchups to watch throughout the whole season. Here are some of the most anticipated games of the 2024-25 season to watch on DIRECTV.
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With 32 teams playing 82 games over the course of a season, it’s hard for fans to catch every single one. Some matchups stand out more than others though, whether it’s a highly anticipated rematch of a riveting game from last season or a special one-off matchup celebrating a special occasion.
To help you prioritize your NHL watching experience, here are six of the most noteworthy games to pay attention to during the season. Read on to learn which NHL matchups are can’t-miss, and how to watch them live.
1. November 1-2: Dallas Stars vs. Florida Panthers in Finland (NHL Global Series)
Similar to NFL and NBA in recent years, the NHL is trying to make the league more popular worldwide. The best way to do that? Bring the games to the people!
That’s exactly what the league will be doing when they fly the Dallas Stars and the Florida Panthers, two of last season’s top performing teams, over to Europe to square off at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland. Both teams feature loads of Finnish-born players on their rosters.
The puck drops at 2 p.m. ET on NHL Network for US-based fans who want to catch the game.
2. November 8: Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL Hall of Fame Game)
Every year, the NHL celebrates its most famous players, coaches and other personnel by inducting them into the NHL Hall of Fame. And what would a hockey Hall of Fame ceremony be without, well, hockey? The Detroit Red Wings will travel to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs at home in Scotiabank Arena. It’s fitting that two of the teams with double-digit Stanley Cup wins will face off in this must-see matchup.
The game will get started at 7 p.m. ET.
3. December 16: Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers (2024 Stanley Cup Final Rematch)
Hockey players are no stranger to bad blood with their peers and rival teams (ever heard the phrase “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out?”), and games rarely get more heated than when one team has to face the same team that beat them out for a league championship the prior season.
That’s what we’ll see when the Edmonton Oilers welcome the Florida Panthers to Rogers Place on December 16, one of two meetings between these two teams this season. These types of matchups are never disappointing to watch.
Faceoff is at 8:30 p.m. ET.
4. December 31: St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks (NHL Winter Classic)
Since 2008, the NHL has put on the Winter Classic, where two teams are chosen to play a regular season game outdoors in a nod to the sports’ earliest days. A twist on the typical arena game, the Winter Classic is one of the most widely watched games of the season, and the 2025 Discover Winter Classic will be no exception. St. Louis will go head-to-head with the Chicago Blackhawks. Fun fact: the Blues have never lost an outdoor game.
The game starts at 5 p.m. ET.
5. February 12-20: Four Nations Faceoff
The NHL will be without one of its marquee annual events, the NHL All-Star Game, this year. Instead, fans will be treated to something even bigger: the first-ever Four Nations Faceoff. This new, tournament-style event will be held in Boston and Montreal and feature players from Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden.
The tournament will follow a round-robin format, with a points system determining standings and leading to a final game between the two top teams. Games will award three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime/shootout win, one point for an overtime/shootout loss, and no points for a regulation loss.
The top two teams will advance to a single-game final, with overtime rules including a 10-minute, three-on-three sudden death for round-robin games and successive 20-minute sudden-death periods for the final.
Catch all of the action on TNT, ESPN and ABC.
6. March 1: Detroit Redwings at Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL Stadium Series)
The 2025 Stadium Series will be the Blue Jackets’ first-ever outdoors game, and they’ll be playing it in Ohio Stadium at the Ohio State University. It’ll be a battle of Red versus Blue as they take on the Detroit Red Wings.
OTHER MUST-WATCH REGULAR SEASON NHL MATCHUPS
These major hockey events aren’t the only big games to keep an eye out for this 2024-25 NHL season. Here are some additional regular season games fans will want to watch. Whether it’s a fierce rivalry matchup or a Stanley Cup playoffs rematch, these games will keep you on the edge of your seat.
- November 19 –Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins: 7 p.m. on ESPN+
- November 27 – New York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes: 7 p.m. on ESPN+
- November 29 – Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars: 9 p.m. ET on TNT, Max
- December 10 – Florida Panthers at Seattle Kraken: 10 p.m. ET
- January 16, 2025 – Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers: 7 p.m. ET on ESPN\
CATCH ALL THE TOP NHL MATCHUPS WITH DIRECTV
You don’t have to miss a second of the NHL 2024-2025 season, thanks to DIRECTV. With access to the most regional sports networks (RSNs) plus national networks and NHL Center Ice, hockey fans can be on the top of their game.
Find out how to access your local RSN here and learn more about your favorite NHL team’s schedule right here.
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