Getty Zach Parise is one of a couple highly-experience veterans joining the New York Islanders in a chase for the Stanley Cup.
The road warrior New York Islanders embark on a new season with another big playoff run in sight.
In 2021-22, most Islanders games will be televised in local markets on MSG or MSG+, while some games will be nationally televised on NHL Network (usually out of market only, but those will also be on MSG or MSG+), 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 Islanders market or somewhere else in the United States, here’s a full rundown of the different ways you can watch every Islanders game live online without cable in 2021-22:
Note: Heavy may earn an affiliate commission if you sign up via a link on this page
If You’re in the Islanders Market
Note: A couple Islanders 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 MSG (local markets), MSG+ (local markets), ESPN, NHL Network and 100-plus other live TV channels (TNT not included) on FuboTV. MSG, MSG+ 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 Islanders 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, MSG (local markets) and MSG+ (local markets) are in “Choice” and up, and NHL Network is in “Ultimate” and up.
This is the only streaming service with all of MSG, MSG+, ESPN, TNT and NHL Network:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Islanders 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 Islanders 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 Islanders 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.
Islanders 2021-22 Season Preview
The Islanders must learn to get comfortable playing on the road again as they’ll play their first 13 games on the road — an NHL record.
New York’s UBS Arena still have some work left before the Islanders play their first game there. The Islanders play in their new home for the first time on Nov. 20 against the Calgary Flames.
“We have a lot of trust in our group and we understand the situation,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said according to the New York Daily News’ Vin A. Cherwoo. “This group has been really great at that. They’re not complainers, they understand it. Life’s not always easy, and you know going on the road is actually I think it’d be a good thing for us we’ve been at home for quite a while (for training camp). And I think an early road trip is always good and this will be good for this group.”
The Islanders have their sights set on the Stanley Cup this season after reaching the semifinals back-to-back seasons. The Tampa Bay Lightning knocked them out both times, including a seven-game series this past summer.
New York kept most of its roster intact following a 32-17-7 season. The Islanders notably traded away Nick Leddy to the Detroit Red Wings for Richard Panik, who ultimately got waived.
Veterans Zach Parise and Zdeno Chara joined the Islanders in their respective quests for a Cup. Parise, 37, had a plus-minus of seven last season but didn’t show the firepower he once had with 18 points for the Minnesota Wild. Chara, 44, likewise doesn’t have the offensive punch he once had but is available to play each night. He played 55 games for the Washington Capitals last season, tallying 10 points and 5 plus-minus score.
“It’s a boost in a couple different ways,” Islanders right wing Cal Clutterbuck told The Athletic’s Arthur Staple. “It’s nice that they recognize the potential of the group that we have here already. It’s nice that they feel like they have something to add to that group and are willing to come here and give it a shot with us. I think, secondly, it’s good for the guys here to get rewarded for playing well and putting together a couple runs and getting rewarded with good players and good people wanting to come here and wanting to battle alongside you.”
The Islanders will also get a boost from left wing Anders Lee, who got injured late in the season. He had 19 points in 27 games before the injury.
Leading scorer Mathew Barzal returns. The center had 45 points with 17 goals and 28 assists, and he had a plus-minus of 15.
Islanders goalies Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin will largely make or break the season. Varlamov posted seven shutouts last season, and Sorokin had three shutouts.