Nine and NHL Sign Deal to Bring Ice Hockey Free-to-Air for Australian Fans

Nine and the National Hockey League (NHL) announce a media partnership that will bring the world’s premier professional ice hockey league to free-to-air television for the Australian community for the first time.

Starting Saturday, October 18, 2025, 9GO! will broadcast a live NHL game every Saturday morning throughout the 2025/26 regular season.

The partnership will deliver 21 regular-season games, giving fans across the country unmatched access to one of the fastest and most exciting sports on the planet.

The action kicks off at 10:00am AEDT on 9GO! and 9Now, with the Tampa Bay Lightning facing the Detroit Red Wings.

Commenting on the media announcement, Nine’s director of sport, Brent Williams, said: “Nine is incredibly excited to partner with the NHL to bring the fastest game on ice to Australian homes.”

“By producing a dedicated local feed with expert commentary, we’re not just broadcasting the sport we’re building a new community of ice hockey fans in Australia,” Williams said.

NHL executive vice president of media and international strategy, Daniel Kim, added: “The success of the NHL Global Series Melbourne and the growing enthusiasm for grassroots hockey show that Australia is ready for more NHL action. Nine’s commitment will help expand that passion nationwide,” Kim added.

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Nine and the NHL have created a bespoke broadcast feed tailored specifically for Australian audiences. Produced by NHL Productions in New York, the feed will include:

• Australian play-by-play commentators delivering expert insights and analysis.
• Customised intermission content featuring player profiles, deep-dive analysis, and simplified rule explainers to engage both new and seasoned fans.

The 2025/26 NHL season carries added significance as it will pause between February 6–24, 2026, while the league’s top players represent their nations at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

Nine’s coverage will highlight these storylines, linking the NHL season to its exclusive Olympic Winter Games coverage.

The announcement follows the success of the 2023 NHL Global Series Melbourne, which saw sold-out games between the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes, marking the League’s first-ever appearance in the Southern Hemisphere.

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