NHL Center Ice Free Preview: Top Games to Watch

A not-uncommon scenario in October: your team moves across the country, or you do, and suddenly the club you have followed your whole life is a rumor on a distant regional channel you cannot get. Out-of-market, they call it — as if geography should decide who you root for. NHL Center Ice exists to fix exactly that, and right now DISH is handing you the keys for free. From September 30 through October 9, the NHL Center Ice free preview (Channel 475) opens up to 40 out-of-market games a week at no extra cost — the entire league, wherever you live, for a week and a half.

The catch with a free preview is that it is short, and the schedule does not wait. So here is the honest, useful version: the five must-watch NHL games most worth your time during the preview window, plus five backups — chosen for the top projected teams, the biggest stars, and the rivalries that actually mean something. National games on ESPN and TNT are left off on purpose; those are not Center Ice games, and you can catch them anyway with DISH. This list is the out-of-market gold you would otherwise miss.

How to watch NHL Center Ice with DISH

NHL Center Ice is the NHL's out-of-market season pass — up to 40 games a week from teams outside your local region. During the free preview from September 30 to October 9, it is unlocked on Channel 475 for all DISH subscribers.

After the preview, you can keep every out-of-market game for the rest of the season by adding NHL Center Ice for $80 — payable in one shot or two installments of $40 — good from the September 30 opener through the April 10 end of the regular season. Here's a look at how to watch NHL with DISH.

Channels included

Note: the games below are out-of-market matchups carried on NHL Center Ice during the free preview. Nationally televised ESPN and TNT games are not Center Ice games and are left off this list — you can watch those with DISH on America's Top 120 or higher.

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5 must-see NHL Center Ice games in the free preview

One marquee out-of-market game on five different dates, so you are not chained to a single night. All times Eastern.

Boston Bruins at Winnipeg Jets

Friday, October 2, 8PM ET

The storyline: Can anyone solve Connor Hellebuyck? The reigning Vezina favorite anchors a Jets team with legitimate Cup ambitions, and this early out-of-market look pits his elite goaltending against an Original Six Bruins side hungry to prove last season was a blip. Two strong projected clubs, one of the best netminders alive — a genuine measuring-stick game for two teams with real ambition this season.

Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers

Saturday, October 3, 7PM ET

The storyline: The champs hit the road for the first time. Carolina raised its banner just days earlier, and now the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes have to prove the hangover is a myth — in a rowdy Philadelphia building against a Flyers team that would love nothing more than to spoil the party. It is an early test of Carolina's repeat bid against a feisty Metropolitan Division rival, exactly the kind of out-of-market matchup the preview is built for.

Florida Panthers at Anaheim Ducks

Sunday, October 4, 8PM ET

The storyline: A battle-tested contender meets a young team on the rise. The Panthers have spent recent springs deep in the bracket, and now they visit an Anaheim club stacked with ascending talent and eager to announce itself. A relaxed Sunday-night watch with real edge — and a great look at two teams headed in opposite directions on the standings curve.

Minnesota Wild at Tampa Bay Lightning

Thursday, October 8, 7PM ET

The storyline: Kirill Kaprizov — fresh off signing one of the richest deals in NHL history — brings his Wild to Tampa to face a battle-tested Lightning side that has spent recent Octobers in the contender conversation. It is a genuine cross-conference test of Minnesota's ceiling, and a regional out-of-market matchup you would never catch outside a Center Ice pass.

New York Rangers at Washington Capitals

Friday, October 9, 7PM ET

The storyline: Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals close out the preview window at home against an Original Six rival in the Rangers — two proud franchises with plenty of history and playoff-tier stakes. It is a marquee Metropolitan Division matchup on the regional slate, and a fitting out-of-market headliner to send the free preview off. If you catch one Center Ice game, make it this one.

5 honorable-mention NHL Center Ice games

Solid out-of-market backups across the window if the headliners do not fit your night. All times Eastern.

• Seattle Kraken at Calgary Flames — Thursday, October 1, 9PM ET: A Pacific matchup to kick off the post-opener slate, and a clean out-of-market watch on Center Ice.

• Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins — Saturday, October 3, 7PM ET: Sidney Crosby's Penguins host Cole Caufield and a rising Canadiens core — star power plus Original Six flavor.

• Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal Canadiens — Tuesday, October 6, 7PM ET: The defending champs on the road in Montreal — a great early test for a young Habs group.

• Toronto Maple Leafs at Vegas Golden Knights — Thursday, October 8, 10PM ET: A late-window heavyweight: Auston Matthews' Leafs against a Cup-contender Vegas side.

• Anaheim Ducks at Winnipeg Jets — Friday, October 9, 8PM ET: Want a second game on the richest night? Hellebuyck and the Jets are a reliable watch against a young, improving Anaheim club.

   

Best DISH features for hockey fans

A free preview is more fun when you can bend it around your schedule.

Record it all with Hopper 3

The Hopper 3 DVR records up to 16 channels at once with 500 hours of HD storage — so a packed out-of-market night waits for you, no matter when you get to the couch.

Take the games with you

The DISH Anywhere app carries your subscription to your phone, tablet, or laptop, so you can watch live wherever the preview finds you.

Find games by voice

The DISH Voice Remote wjumps you straight to Channel 475 — no scrolling the guide during a puck drop.

What happens when the free preview ends?

The preview closes October 9. If you have caught the out-of-market bug by then — and following your team from across the country has a way of doing that — you can keep every out-of-market game for the rest of the season by adding NHL Center Ice for $80, all at once or in two installments of $40, good through the April 10 end of the regular season. And when your team turns up on a national ESPN or TNT window, you can watch with DISH on America's Top 120 or higher, no add-on required.

NHL Center Ice on DISH: frequently asked questions

When is the NHL Center Ice free preview on DISH?

The free preview runs September 30 through October 9 on Channel 475, available to all DISH subscribers.

How much is NHL Center Ice after the preview?

You can add NHL Center Ice for $80 for the season — pay all at once or split it into two installments of $40 — good from the September 30 opener through the April 10 end of the regular season.

What DISH package do I need for NHL Center Ice?

NHL Center Ice is an add-on you can attach to any DISH package — there is no special tier requirement. Pick the DISH package that has the rest of the channels you want, then add the season pass on top.

Can I watch out-of-market games on the go?

Yes. The DISH Anywhere app lets you stream live games on your mobile devices wherever you are.

Can I record NHL Center Ice games?

Yes. The Hopper 3 DVR records up to 16 channels at once with 500 hours of HD storage, so you can catch up on your schedule.