Hockey is the reason a lot of Canadian households keep paying for cable long after they have stopped watching anything else. The good news for the 2026 season is that you no longer need a satellite dish or a receiver box to follow your team. A decent internet connection and an IPTV subscription cover the same games, usually for a fraction of the monthly bill.
Where the games actually live in Canada
Before you cut cable, it helps to know which networks carry hockey. In Canada, national rights sit largely with Sportsnet, which produces Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday evenings, while TSN carries a strong slate of regional and national coverage through the season. CBC still shows Hockey Night in Canada games over the air on Saturdays as well. The takeaway is simple: if you can reach Sportsnet, TSN and CBC, you can follow the vast majority of the schedule from October through to the playoffs in spring.
SMARTIFLIX carries these Canadian sports and broadcast networks as part of its 25,000+ live channels, so a single subscription replaces the sports tier most people were paying extra for on cable.
What you need to watch without cable
The setup is short. You need three things:
- Home internet that holds a steady 25 Mbps or better. Most Canadian broadband plans clear this easily. Hockey in 4K wants a bit more headroom, so wired Ethernet to your main TV beats Wi-Fi if you have the option.
- A device you probably already own: a Fire TV Stick, a Google TV or Android TV set, an Apple TV, a Samsung or LG smart TV, or even a phone or tablet for the commute.
- An IPTV subscription such as SMARTIFLIX, which supplies the channel list and a player app.
Activation with SMARTIFLIX takes under 15 minutes, and the service runs at 99.9% uptime, which matters most on a busy Saturday night when everyone is tuning in at once.
Following a full hockey season, game by game
A regular season runs from early October into April, followed by the playoffs. With an electronic programme guide and catch-up TV built in, you can see what is on tonight, set your evening around the Saturday doubleheader, and go back to a game you missed. The catch-up feature is quietly one of the best parts for hockey fans in later time zones, because a late western game is still there the next morning.
If your household watches on more than one screen at once, say the main game in the living room and a second matchup on a tablet, choose a plan with more connections. SMARTIFLIX offers 1, 2, 3 and 5 screen tiers on every term.
What it costs against a cable sports package
This is where cord-cutting pays off. A month on one screen is $12.99. The six-month plan, marked Popular, is $45, and twelve months is $57.99 for one screen, which works out to roughly $4.83 a month. All prices are in US dollars and are one-off payments for the term, with no box rental. Set that beside the sports add-on and equipment fees on a typical Bell or Rogers bill and the gap is hard to ignore.
Ready to line up the season? Message the team on WhatsApp for setup help, or start with the 24-hour free trial to confirm the hockey channels come through on your TV before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
Can I watch Hockey Night in Canada without cable?
Yes. Hockey Night in Canada airs on Sportsnet and CBC, both of which are available through SMARTIFLIX. Start the free trial on a Saturday evening to see the broadcast come through before you commit.
Do I need fast internet for hockey in 4K?
A stable 25 Mbps handles HD comfortably. For 4K streams, aim higher and use a wired Ethernet connection to your main TV where possible to avoid buffering during peak evening viewing.
Which networks carry NHL games in Canada?
National coverage runs mainly through Sportsnet, with TSN carrying a large regional and national slate, and CBC airing Saturday games. All are included in the SMARTIFLIX channel list.
How much does it cost to watch hockey this way?
Plans start at $12.99 for one month on one screen, with the six-month plan at $45 and twelve months at $57.99, all in US dollars and paid once per term with no equipment rental.
All 25,000+ channels, priced in US dollars
Ask on WhatsApp and your login usually arrives in under 15 minutes. Every plan comes with a 7-day refund window.
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