Ranking the 10 Most Watchable NHL TV Teams
The 2024/25 NHL season is over a month old, and with a handful of teams struggling (Boston, Pittsburgh) and others exceeding expectations (Winnipeg, Washington) there's plenty to captivate diehard or even casual hockey fans on a nightly basis.
Whether you're in the United States, Canada, or watching worldwide, NHL.TV remains one of the best ways to get your dose of hockey with all 32 teams live-streamed. But with so much happening at once, deciding which teams to watch can sometimes prove a difficult task.
That's where we come in. If you're short on time, or unsure which players, teams, and storylines are worth tuning into, here's a look at the Top 10 Most Watchable NHL.TV Teams through the first half of the season.
1. Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg’s historic start to the season extended on Tuesday when they battled for three solid periods to knock off the Rangers at the Garden.
Improving to 15-1, Connor Hellebuyck remains the most underappreciated goalie in the league, but that isn’t the case when the Jets play at home. Their crowd has been raucous all season, hammering opposing players like Jake Oettinger with cruel, but very amusing chants.
If you like scoring (the Jets lead the league in goals) and great goaltending (Hellebuyck’s 1.83 GAA is the best among goalies with at least 10 starts) then this team will keep you invested on a nightly basis.
2. New Jersey Devils
Sheldon Keefe has the Devils absolutely humming right now, which is more than we can say for his former team, the Leafs.
A commanding 4-1 win over the defending champs on Tuesday cemented New Jersey’s status as a genuine Cup contender, led by two of the league’s most exciting young forwards – Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes.
Hischier is among the top goal-scorers in the league right now, and the Devils have seen great returns from offseason pick up, Jacob Markstrom (2.67 GAA).
With another game against the Panthers ahead on Thursday, before a tough week that features the Lightning, Hurricanes, and Caps, the Devils remain must-watch viewing.
3. Washington Capitals
Spencer Carbery might have the Jack Adams Award in the bag if he keeps this up.
Washington’s second-year man has been instrumental in turning this team around through the first five weeks of the season, leading them to a 10-4-0 record with wins over Vegas, the Stars, the Devils, and the Rangers highlighting the schedule.
Alex Ovechkin’s historic Gretzky chase aside, the Caps are a scoring machine, currently ranked fifth in expected goals, according to MoneyPuck.
The power play is lagging, but with John Carlson and Martin Ferhervary locking down on the penalty kill, the Caps look poised for a very deep playoff run – especially after reuniting with former Cup winner, Lars Eller.
4. Ottawa Senators
Tuesday’s shutout win over the Leafs showcased what this team is all about.
Offseason signing Linas Ullmark was at his very best stopping all 41 shots in his first shutout of the year, while Tim Stutzle gave Toronto fits all night in their defensive zone, scoring the all-important second goal.
The Sens are far from where they’d like to be, but they are getting great production out of captain Brady Tkachuk (eight goals) and most importantly, responding to the pressure thrown at them from a hungry fan base.
If they can start winning on the road, the Sens will be a fun team to watch – especially if they continue to pile pressure on opponents by ranking Top 10 in first-period goals.
5. Minnesota Wild
Kirill Kaprizov leads the chase for the Hart Trophy and fourth-year winger Matt Boldy is on track to post something close to 35 goals. What’s not to like?
On the other side of the puck, the Wild have been a defensive powerhouse, allowing five goals or more only three times this season. They’ve also held the Panthers and the Leafs to just one in their respective wins.
Two weeks ago, Minnesota appeared to be a Cup dark horse, but those days are officially over. There’s a long way to go, and the Avs and Oilers are heating up in the West. But with some of the best goal-against numbers in the league and two genuine superstars on the first line, this team looks every bit a contender.
6. Edmonton Oilers
This time last year, the Oilers fired Jay Woodcroft and appointed Kris Knoblauch as their head coach. And as we now know, the rest is history.
It’s been a slow start for the Cup runner-ups with Connor McDavid only returning to the ice last week and Jeff Skinner scoring just three goals to start the season, but their overtime win over the Isles on Tuesday was closer to what we’ve come to expect from this team.
Stuart Skinner’s start in net (3.25 GAA) hasn’t helped, but for all of Edmonton’s woes, this is still a team that shares joint favoritism with the Panthers in Stanley Cup betting.
To their credit, the Oilers have done well to hover around .500 and rank Top 10 in shots. With their stars back on the ice now and some big road games coming up in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa, Edmonton is still worth your time.
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
It might be strange to consider a 6-9-2 team as one of the most watchable but stop and reflect on what we’re actually witnessing here.
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are on the back nine of their respective careers, and with wins proving scarce, it’s worth soaking up the remaining time we have with one of the most dominant cores the last two decades of hockey has ever seen.
Realistically, the Pens have been tough to watch as they continue to blow leads and struggle on the power play. But if you’re sentimental, or you just like watching Pittsburgh finally struggle, it’s worth savoring the last few moments of what we have left.
8. Anaheim Ducks
Lukas Dostal is the main reason you should be watching the Ducks right now.
In his 11 starts in place of John Gibson, the former third-round draft pick has compiled a 4-5-2 record to match a tidy 2.83 GAA – the third-lowest among goalies with at least 10 starts.
The Ducks aren’t winning games, so don’t tune in if you want to watch flawless hockey. But for a team that has had very little to celebrate for several years now, it’s nice to be writing something positive about a young Ducks player.
9. Philadelphia Flyers
Like the Ducks, you won't enjoy tuning into the Flyers if you're a hockey purist. But if you like watching some of the league’s brightest young stars, you’ll want to tune in and catch a glimpse of Matvei Michkov.
Philly’s 2023 first-round pick was benched by John Tortorella early last week, but quickly reminded everyone of his talent when he got behind the play, stayed onside, and buried one past Sharks goalie Vitek Vanacek on Monday.
His push and shove with fellow star rookie Macklin Celebrini was excellent viewing, so if you want to jump on board the Michkov train and watch a future gun develop in front of your eyes, now is the time.
10. Boston Bruins
I’ve thrown the B’s on this list for all the wrong reasons.
It’s like watching a car wreck. The Bruins have been successful for such a long time that this sudden 8-7-2 start almost makes you want to watch more.
It’s early, so Boston could claw their way back in the East and make up ground once David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand start firing.
A 3-2 win over the Blues on Tuesday has them back above .500, but until Jeremy Swayman figures things out, the pressure and the spotlight remain squarely on coach Jim Montgomery with the hot seat burning.