Getty Nick Foligno looks to help the Bruins
The Boston Bruins no longer look like the team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals two years ago, but the high expectations remain the same.
In 2021-22, most Bruins games will be televised in local markets on NESN, while some games will be nationally televised on NHL Network (usually out of market only, but those will also be on NESN), TNT or ESPN.
Additionally, every out-of-market game (and some nationally broadcast games) will also stream on ESPN+, which replaces NHL.tv this season.
Whether you live in the Bruins market or somewhere else in the United States, here’s a full rundown of the different ways you can watch every Bruins game live online without cable in 2021-22:
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If You’re in the Bruins Market
Note: A couple Bruins games this season will stream exclusively on ESPN+ nationally with no blackout for in-market viewers. The following options are for how to watch all other in-market games:
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of NESN (local markets), ESPN, NHL Network and 100-plus other live TV channels (TNT not included) on FuboTV. NESN and ESPN are included in the “Starter” package, while NHL Network can be added with either the “Extra” or “Sports Plus” add-on.
The base channel package and any add-ons can be included in your free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Bruins games live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV also comes with 250 hours of cloud DVR space, as well as a 72-hour look-back feature, which allows you to watch most games on-demand within three days of their conclusion, even if you don’t record them.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ESPN and TNT are included in all of them, NESN (local markets) is in “Choice” and up, and NHL Network is in “Ultimate” and up.
This is the only streaming service with all of NESN, ESPN, TNT and NHL Network:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Bruins games live on the DirecTV Stream app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the DirecTV Stream website.
If you can’t watch live, DirecTV Stream also comes with 20 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to 500 hours).
If You’re out of the Bruins Market
ESPN+
You can watch every out-of-market, non-nationally televised NHL game (over 1,000 games total) on ESPN+, which replaces NHL.tv this season and is a must-have for any NHL fan in the United States:
ESPN+, which also includes about 75 exclusive national NHL games, plus dozens of other live sports, every 30-for-30 documentary in existence and additional original content (both video and written), costs $6.99 for a month or $69.99 for a year (or about seven cents per NHL game if you want to look at it that way).
If you also want Disney+ and Hulu, you can get all three for $13.99 per month. Separately, the three streaming services would cost a total $20.97 per month, so you’re saving about 33 percent:
Get the ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu Bundle
Once signed up for ESPN+, you can watch every out-of-market Bruins game live on the ESPN app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, Oculus Go, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
Bruins 2021-22 Season Preview
Boston went 33-16-7 last season and reached the second round of the playoffs before the New York Islanders beat them in six games.
Despite the success, the Bruins shook things up in the offseason. The Bruins traded Dan Vladar to Calgary and let a host of players sign elsewhere in free agency. Greg McKegg, Jarred Tinordi, Ondrej Kase, Jarsolav Halak, Nick Ritchie, and Sean Kuraly all signed with other NHL teams.
Bruins left wing Nick Foligno signed with the team after missing most of last season in Toronto due to injury. His last season of 60 or more games led to posting 31 points on 10 goals and 21 assists.
Foligno wanted to join the Bruins so much so that he passed on playing with his brother, Marcus, who plays for the Minnesota Wild.
“I’ve always made it known that I want to play with my brother,” Nick Folgino said according to the Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont. “But, just the fit here, and the timing, more or less, with what their team (Wild) is going through and where this team is trying to get to right now. It just lined up a little bit better for me.”
Boston also added additional firepower offense through free agency. Center Erik Haula, who had had 21 points for the Nashville Predators last season, signed with the Bruins. Right wing Tomas Nosek joined the Bruins after an 18-point season with a deep Vegas Golden Knights team.
“I didn’t know a lot (about Nosek) other than what Pete DeBoer told me in Vegas,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Ty Anderson. “But I can share the fact that he loved him as a player and a person and thought he’d really help any team he was on. That’s great to hear. We use that definition ‘hockey player’ but he seems like that guy. When his name is called, he’s going to go out and play and help the team win. I thought his numbers were very under-the-radar good last year.”
Leading scorer Brad Marchand returns. The Bruins left win led the team with 29 goals and 40 assists for 69 points.
Second-leading scorer and center Patrice Bergeron also returns. He tallied 23 goals and 25 assists for 48 points.
David Pastrnak, the third-leading scorer from last season, is also back. The Bruins right wing amassed 48 points with 20 goals and 28 assists.
Boston lost its fourth-leading scorer, David Krejci, to Czech Extraliga, the top league in the Czech Republic. Krejci leaves behind a void after totaling 44 points last season.
Goaltending faces a void with Tuukka Rask out with injury and remains an unrestricted free agent. The Bruins will look for Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark to get the job done.