The National Hockey League, known as the NHL, is a professional ice hockey league in North America, with teams from the United States and Canada. Its influence and reach is not just on the continent, as its legacy of exciting games and great sports stars contributed to popularizing hockey around the world.

Ice hockey began to be developed in North America, where it is believed that the first games were played on frozen ponds, rivers and open spaces in Montreal, Canada. The form of play varied in each location, and the sport continued as an amateur sport for many years, but had the same objective of hitting the disc known as a “puck” into the goal. It was only with the formation of the National Hockey League, in 1917, that the sport gained a more professional aspect, as the league contributed to establishing rules and regulating hockey, which in fact transformed the sport on the continent.

In the beginning, the NHL had only four Canadian teams, but, with the process of evolution and expansion, the league currently has 32 teams. A new format was adopted for configuring and dividing teams. The Eastern Conference has the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions, while the Western Conference is divided into Central and Pacific.

Ice hockey is an exciting sport that has an international reach and loyal fans around the world. Nowadays it's much easier to follow the NHL season online, you can see coverage and broadcasts in real time. In this article, we have separated the best tips for you to watch ice hockey matches with the big NHL teams.

How does the NHL season work?

The NHL regular season runs from October to April, when teams play a total of 82 games, half at home and the other half away, and all teams play twice against opponents from other conferences. At the end of the season, the team with the most points receives the Presidents' trophy. The points system works like this: there are two points for a victory, one point for a defeat in extra time or penalties, but a defeat in normal time does not receive any points.

The tiebreaker criteria are by the number of victories, direct confrontation and goal difference. If there are more than two teams tied, in addition to the first tiebreaker criterion, the result of each team against the other teams is also taken into account.

When the regular season ends, the Playoffs are played in April, May and sometimes in June as well. These matches take place between the three best-ranked teams in the two divisions and teams with the highest number of points in each conference. These playoffs are knockouts and teams face each other in a best of seven to advance to the round.

The Stanley Cup is the league's most important and oldest trophy, awarded to the champion each season. The finals are called the Stanley Cup Finals, and are played at the end of May and beginning of June by the champions of the Eastern and Western conferences, in a best-of-seven system.

Thus, there are four trophies for the teams: Presidents' Trophy is for whoever has the most points in the regular season; Prince of Wales Trophy, for the Eastern Conference playoff champion; Clarence S. Campbell Trophy, for the Western Conference champion; Stanley Cup, for the champion of the NHL playoffs.

Here's how to watch NHL for free

Nowadays it's much easier to follow NHL games in real time for free and have access to a variety of content from the league. There are several ways to follow your favorite team and stay up to date with the fierce competitions, no matter where you are. We brought you the best tips for you to follow the season and stay up to date with the main information. Check out our recommendations:

NHL App: With the official NHL app, you can access a variety of free content. It has highlights, analysis and news, so you can stay up to date with everything. Download the app from Available on Google Play It is App Store;

Official NHL website: From time to time, the league offers free games to watch on its official site. Just stay tuned and follow the news on the website. Additionally, you can find key information about the season, promotions, special events and the broadcast of free games;

Hulu: The American streaming service broadcasts the NHL within your subscription. They also offer a free trial period for new users, so you can enjoy and follow the matches for free;

Social media: Follow the NHL and teams on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. They often share highlights, interviews, and information about games. This can be a good opportunity to have access to real-time coverage and find out details about behind the scenes and preparation for the games, a way to get closer to the teams;

YouTube: with the app, you can find several channels dedicated to hockey coverage, which provide free content, such as match summaries, in-depth analyses, memorable moments and even discussions about teams and players. It has a wide range of content creators, so you can choose the type of content that suits you best. You can find more in-depth content such as analysis and comments, as well as more fun content, made by fan for fan.

NBC or ESPN: NBC and ESPN, which hold the broadcast rights to the NHL in the United States, can broadcast selected games for free on their streaming platforms and apps;

Radio: Live radio broadcasts of NHL games are usually free and available on local stations and sometimes online. Check the stations available in your location to follow the games;

Online Forums and Communities: A good way to enjoy the gaming season is to be in community. Contact with other fans can transform your experience, making it unique and memorable. Participate in discussion forums, subreddits or online communities dedicated to the NHL. In these places, you can follow more information about how to watch games for free and share resources with others.

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The National Hockey League, known as the NHL, is a renowned professional ice hockey league in North America and one of the most acclaimed sports organizations in the world. O Planeta Sports I brought you the best tips for watching NHL games for free.

It's important to note that there are several ways to access free NHL content, but you need to check the availability of broadcasts in your location, as well as see if there are any possible copyright restrictions. So, check out our tips and choose the resource that best suits your preferences.