You switch on the television set and you find that you can unable to watch the inauguration ceremony of NHL. This has happened due to blackout. In other words, it is known as non-airing of radio or television program in a specific media market. Nowadays, with the improvements made toward science and technology, it has become easy to unblock the games streaming channels and enjoy the tournament.
Nature of NHL Blackout Policies
Blackout is specifically prevalent in broadcasting of sports events, although other radio or television programs may be blacked out as well. Many blackout policies tend to protect local broadcasters from the cut- throat competition by other networks, which carry different teams, by allowing sports aficionados for watching non- national telecasts of teams within designated markets.
In the USA, National Hockey League games, which are not broadcast by league’s national broadcast partners, are aired in English through regional feeds of either TSN or Sportsnet. They are blacked out for audience, who are located outside the team’s home market.
Four regional feeds of Sportnet correspond with each of its National Hockey League teams’ designated markets – Ontario, eastern region etc.
Pacific feeds are designated to one team each. Sportsnet West and its corresponding market are shared by Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.
West is the main feed for Manitoba. For protecting the Winnipeg Jets, Oilers and Flames games are blacked out in west. In August 2014, TSN has been structured in similar way, with Ottawa senators on TSN5, Jets on TSN3 and Maple Leafs on TSN4.
Until the 2014 to 2015 session, all broadcasts in French language, of Montreal Canadiens were nationally available on RDS, which was also the national French language rights holder of National Hockey League in Canada.
Till 2011, RDS was the only French language cable sports channel in Canada. The team forwent a different regional rights deal allowed every game to be broadcast as part of national package.
During the period between 2014 and 2015, TVA Sports and Quebecor Media have been declared as national French rights holders with the sub licensing agreement through Rogers Communications.
RDS entered into a twelve- year agreement with the team for gaining regional rights for Canadiens. Games are now blacked out for viewers outside of Canada, Quebec, Atlantic and parts of eastern Ontario.
Out of market games can be viewed by subscribing services of Smart DNS operators like
The best way for watching your favorite NHL team this season is to select NHL GameCenter Live. If the area, where you stay is facing NHL blackouts, then subscribing a DNS service will be the best decision.
Avoid NHL GameCenter Live Blackouts Using Smart DNS Proxies
NHL GameCenter Live only telecasts out of market games. This signifies that the games aired by Premier Sports are not displayed on NHL GameCenter.
Smart DNS helps you in tricking NHL GameCenter to think that you are streaming the game from location where it is out of market.
If you already own a NHL GameCenter subscription, there is no need of purchasing new one. When you set your preferred device with Smart DNS service, you can watch all NHL games without facing blackout issues.
Look Into the Benefits of Using Smart DNS Service
- Smart DNS does not deploy data encryption methods. Therefore, you will not face internet speed issues.
- Smart DNS helps in rechanneling geo-location bits of your traffic. This leads to trick online streaming services such as NHL GameCenter Live to think that you are located in an area, which is free of restrictions.
- Smart DNS offers you the capability for watching geo-blocked contents all around the world simultaneously. In other words, you can enjoy NHL GameCenter without facing blackouts, WWE network, BEIN Sports at same time.
- Smart DNS is compatible with all streaming devices. You can enjoy NHL GameCenter on Xbox, iPad, Android, iPhone, Playstation, Roku and Apple TV.
Tips to Unblock NHL Blackouts with Smart DNS
With Smart DNS, you can unlock either a single system or multiple devices connected to a router.
Operating System
You can use any operating system whether it is Windows, Ubuntu or OS X.
Steps to unblock NHL blackouts with Smart DNS in Windows
Step 1 – Open control panel and Windows explorer
Step 2 – Go to internet and network settings and open the settings of “change adapter”.
Step 3 – If you are connected through Wi-Fi, click on “wireless network connection” or “local area connection” depending on the internet connection.
Step 4 – Uncheck the internet protocol version 6 and then open the internet protocol version 4 through double click.
Step 5 – Click on DNS server addresses list of general tab
Step 6 – Depending on the DNS service provider that you have chosen, select servers and put DNS server addresses in spaces provided.
Step 7 – Check the “validate settings upon exit” menu.
Step 8 – After necessary checks, click on “close” and restart the PC.
Steps for unblocking NHL Blackouts with Smart DNS in Ubuntu
Step 1 – Apply right click on “network” menu and then click at “edit connections”.
Step 2 – Choose your preferred connection and click the edit icon.
Step 3 – Select IPv4 settings and change method to automatic addresses only.
Step 4- Choose DNS servers, provide the respective address in the space provided, then save, and reboot the PC.
Unblocking NHL Blackouts with Smart DNS in OS X
Step 1 – Open the “system preferences” window and look for the network under wireless & internet.
Step 2 – Depending on the method you select to connect the internet, choose Ethernet or Wi-Fi accordingly.
Step 3 – Click on the “advanced button”, which is present at the bottom right corner of the window and choose DNS.
Step 4 – Now add the DNS setting provided by your Smart DNS service provider by clicking the small icon of plus, which you will find on left corner below.
Media Players
No matter which media player you are using (Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Boxee, etc), you can add Smart DNS set up to experience uninterrupted NHL actions.
For this, you have to set up the DNS setting that your service provider has given. First, go to the settings, then choose network and configure DNS with the setting. Once it is done restart the device and the router.
Gaming Console
Just like media player, you can enjoy NHL actions without blackout on your gaming console, which could be Xbox1, Xbox360, PS3, PS4 etc.
Firstly, go to settings and then choose a network. Now select internet connection, which could be either LAN or Wi-Fi and choose the DNS settings manually. Set the primary and secondary DNS according to the settings that Smart DNS service provider has provided. Once the process is complete, check the connection and restart the console.
Smart TV
Smart DNS service is compatible with Smart TVs too. You can enjoy unblocked NHL games on Google TV and all other Smart TVs manufactured by the leading brands.
First, you have to go to settings and select the internet connection. Now, set the connection type to static depending on you have wireless or Ethernet settings on your Smart TV. Now, go to DNS and put the settings from your Smart
DNS service. Save and restart your TV.
So, this is how you can unlock the NHL blackouts with Smart DNS service. Once you do this you can enjoy all the actions of your favorite team which could be the either of the following.
- Anaheim Ducks
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Boston Bruins
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Arizona Coyotes
- Colorado Avalanche
- Buffalo Sabres
- Calgary Flames
- Detroit Red Wings
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Florida Panthers
- Dallas Stars
- Minnesota Wilds
- Edmonton Oilers
- Los Angeles Kings
- New York Islanders
- San José Sharks
- New Jersey Devils
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Philadelphia Fliers
- Vancouver Canucks
- Winnipeg Jets
- New York Rangers
- St. Louis Blues
- Ottawa Senators
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Nashville Predators
- Washington Capitals
- Montreal Canadiens
While you are searching for a Smart DNS service, ensure that the one you select should help you to prevent NHL blackouts. Before paying for a plan, just go for free trial in order to know the service. You will not face any problem as you can easily access the setup tutorials for unblocking the streaming services.
