NEW YORK—Australia’s Nine Network and the NHL today announced a media partnership that will bring the world’s premier professional ice hockey league to Australian audiences free-to-air.
Starting Saturday, Oct. 18, multicast network 9GO! will broadcast a live NHL game every Saturday morning throughout the 2025-26 regular season. The partnership will deliver 21 games over Nine’s seven stations.
The first game begins at 10 a.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on 9GO! and streaming service 9Now with a Tampa Bay Lightning-Detroit Red Wings matchup. The broadcast schedule is available here.
In a unique collaboration, Nine and the NHL have developed a customized broadcast feed specifically for the Australian market. Produced by NHL Productions in its New York studio, the feed will provide viewers with a tailored experience, featuring dedicated commentators providing play-by-play commentary and analysis tailored for the Australian audience, as well as customized intermission coverage with in-depth analysis, player profiles and explainers on the rules of the game to engage both new and existing fans.
The 2025-26 NHL season is particularly significant as the league will pause from Feb. 6-24 as to allow its top players to compete in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Nine's commentary team will highlight this storyline, connecting fans with the players who will represent their countries on the world stage and building anticipation for Nine’s exclusive coverage of the Winter Games.
Brent Williams, Nine’s director of sport, said the partnership “isn’t just a broadcast—it’s a tailored viewing experience.”
“We are incredibly excited to partner with the NHL to bring the fastest game on ice to Australian homes, free-to-air,“ he said. “By creating a dedicated feed with local commentary and specialized content, we are committed to growing the sport in Australia and giving fans the best possible coverage. The link to the Winter Olympics provides a fantastic narrative that will build excitement for what is a huge event on the Nine calendar.”
In 2023, the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes faced off in the NHL Global Series-Melbourne, a pair of sold-out preseason contests that were first-ever NHL games played in the Southern Hemisphere. The week-long celebration also included three days of the NHL Global Fan Tour, the league’s traveling fan festival, and coaching, officiating and youth hockey clinics.
“We are thrilled Nine shares our commitment to delivering live games to more fans across Australia,” said Daniel Kim, NHL executive vice president, media and international strategy. “The overwhelming success of the NHL Global Series Melbourne, coupled with the growing enthusiasm for our grassroots, learn-to-play hockey initiatives and increasing social media engagement across our dedicated channels, underscores the impact of our investment in Australia.”
Viewers will likely be most interested in St. Louis Blues games as forward Nathan Walker is the league’s first Australian player. He is currently in his eighth NHL season.
According to the most recent report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), approximately 48% of TV households in Australia view over-the-air TV, down from 61% in 2020.
