If you’re a Canadian expat currently outside Canada, you can’t stream Hockey Night without a good VPN. A VPN encrypts internet traffic and routes it through a virtual server in Canada so that CBC will think you’re there. I’ve shortlisted the top VPNs that can unblock CBC for streaming Hockey Night from anywhere. After rigorous tests, my #1 pick is ExpressVPN because of its superior unblocking capabilities and blazing-fast speeds. You can try ExpressVPN with Hockey Night risk-free as it’s backed with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Stream Hockey Night with ExpressVPN
Quick Guide: Stream Hockey Night in Canada in 3 Easy Steps
Stream Hockey Night with ExpressVPN
How a VPN Helps You Stream Hockey Night in Canada From Anywhere
If you try and access CBC to stream Hockey Night from outside Canada, you’ll be instantly blocked. This is because the streaming platform checks your IP address — a string of characters unique to your computer that identifies your location. Due to broadcasting restrictions, Hockey Night is only available to viewers in Canada and some parts of the US. A VPN can bypass CBC’s geo-restrictions by hiding your IP address behind a virtual one in Canada. This way, CBC thinks you’re in Canada and grants you access. However, only a good VPN with a superior server network can do that, and it’s not easy finding a reliable VPN when every contender claims to be the best. I tested several top-rated VPNs and picked out the ones with exceptional unblocking capabilities and lightning-fast speeds to watch CBC. ExpressVPN made it to the top of my list because of its unparalleled speeds (even on distant locations), and reliable US servers. Test ExpressVPN out completely risk-free as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee — if you don’t like it, you can easily get a full refund.
The Best VPNs to Stream Hockey Night in Canada in January 2023
1. ExpressVPN — Blazing-Fast Speeds to Stream Hockey Night Without Interruptions
Key Features: ExpressVPN has lightning-fast speeds to watch Hockey Night on CBC with zero lag. It gave me minimal speed drops on nearby servers and just 10% drops on distant servers including Australia. Overall, test speeds averaged around 100 Mbps, which is more than enough speed to watch Hockey Night in HD without buffering. This VPN has 4 reliable servers in Canada, allowing you to access your CBC account when you travel. My team and I tested ExpressVPN from multiple locations and found its connections to be steady and reliable. There were no signs of overcrowding or congestion, and it was easy to switch between servers — you’ll only have to wait a couple of seconds to get access to the location you need. You can watch CBC with ExpressVPN on up to 5 devices at a time. It has dedicated apps on major platforms like Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and some smart TVs and routers. The MediaStreamer feature even lets you connect ExpressVPN to incompatible devices like PS4 and Xbox, so you can enjoy Hockey Night on all your favorite platforms. The one drawback of ExpressVPN is its affordability — being the top VPN in the industry, its prices may be a bit high for budget-conscious users. However, you can get a great discount of 49% off ExpressVPN’s 1-year + 3 months plan. Try out ExpressVPN without risk as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you aren’t satisfied, you can claim a full refund. I tested its refund policy using live chat and the rep was friendly and accommodating. My money was back in my account in just 4 days. Stream Hockey Night with ExpressVPN
2. CyberGhost — Streaming-Optimized Servers in Canada for Quality Streaming on CBC
Key Features: CyberGhost has streaming-optimized servers specialized for specific platforms, including CBC. It has 456 servers in Canada so you can easily access CBC to watch Hockey Night from anywhere. My team and I tested its streaming-optimized servers in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, and all of them gave seamless access to CBC with steady connections for hours of uninterrupted viewing. Extensive testing proved that CyberGhost provides excellent speeds for streaming Hockey Night. While distant servers were a little inconsistent, local servers gave me around 80 Mbps. Since you only need 5 Mbps to stream without issues, this is more than enough to enjoy every moment of hockey season without missing any of the action. This is a great VPN for beginners and advanced users alike as the interface is extremely intuitive and clear, so you can access CBC in no time. It’s also possible to set it up on a compatible smart TV if you want to watch Hockey Night with your family. While it doesn’t have a DNS spoofing feature like ExpressVPN, setting up CyberGhost on a compatible router would let you use it even on incompatible devices like PS4. The only con of CyberGhost is that its costly monthly plan only has a 14-day money-back guarantee. I recommend going for its 3-year plan plan, which you can get for as low as $2.29 per month with a much better refund policy. Signing up for CyberGhost’s long-term plans is easy and affordable. Try CyberGhost without risk with its 45-day money-back guarantee and get a full refund if you’re not satisfied. I claimed my refund via its 24/7 live chat and the rep didn’t try and convince me to stay. The request was approved within a couple of minutes and I got my money back in 5 days. Stream Hockey Night with CyberGhost
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Extensive Server Network to Unblock CBC From Anywhere
Key Features: Private Internet Access (PIA) is home to one of the most extensive server networks I’ve seen in a VPN. It has multiple servers in 4 locations in Canada — Vancouver, Montreal, Ontario, and Toronto, and can easily unblock CBC as well as other streaming platforms geo-restricted to Canada. Because the network is so vast, you can enjoy Hockey Night without congestion issues ruining your game. I was impressed by PIA’s speeds on nearby and mid-range servers. On distant servers, I got performance drops of up to 25% from my baseline internet speed, but that shouldn’t be a problem if you have a high-speed internet connection. Throughout my tests, PIA gave me good enough speeds to stream Hockey Night within Canada without buffering.
If you do have a slower baseline connection to start with, PIA’s “small packets” feature gives an additional speed boost to ensure you can stream Hockey Night without interruptions. It divides your internet traffic into small packets so that the data transfer happens faster and more seamlessly. This means you can enjoy CBC streaming without any delays. The only thing about PIA that initially concerned me was that its headquarters are based in the US — the center of the 5 Eyes Alliance. Upon research, I confirmed that PIA doesn’t store any logs and wouldn’t have any information to hand over even if requested. Overall, PIA is a great choice for budget-conscious users with its 3-year plan plan that offers a current discount of 83% off. You can test PIA out yourself risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. I tested its refund policy and engaged in a quick conversation with a rep over live chat — I had my money back in 5 business days. Stream Hockey Night with PIA
4. PrivateVPN — HQN Servers That Provide Buffer-Free Hockey Night Streaming
Key Features: PrivateVPN has a small but tightly-knit server network, with 3 servers in Canada to stream the best Hockey Night games in seconds. After connecting to its recommended local server I easily accessed my CBC account in Canada and streamed Hockey Night in HD without any stuttering or delays. Having servers sorted by latency made it easier for me to connect to the best servers for CBC based on ping rate. The lower the ping, the better quality your stream will be. Having the best-performing servers at any time marked in green is a neat at-a-glance feature. You can even add servers to your favorites list so that you don’t have to scroll through the list to find them in the future. What I liked the most about PrivateVPN is that it purchases and manages its servers directly instead of relying on an intermediary. This means PrivateVPN has complete control over maximizing the quality and performance of its servers. Like ExpressVPN, other security features include:
AES 256-bit encryption so your data remains unreadable An instant kill switch, which cuts your internet connection in the event the VPN fails DNS and IP address leak protection, so your real identity remains hidden.
I would’ve liked to see PrivateVPN offer more servers in its network. While it has at least 1 server in the most popular locations, having minimal server options may cause issues if that server is down for maintenance. However, I never had any trouble with the Canadian servers used during my tests. Like all other VPNs on my list, PrivateVPN’s long-term plans offer greater discounts and are more budget-friendly. It provides the highest discount of 85% off its 3-year plan — the longer your subscription plan, the better the discount you’ll get. Prices start at $2.00/month. The best way to find out if it suits your needs is to try PrivateVPN out risk-free as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you aren’t satisfied, you can always claim a full refund. I asked to cancel the subscription via email and got my money back 5 business days later. Stream Hockey Night with PrivateVPN
5. IPVanish — Unlimited Device Connections to Stream Hockey Night on All Your Favorite Devices
Key Features: IPVanish supports unlimited simultaneous device connections to enjoy Hockey Night on all your favorite devices. It makes traveling easy for me as I can add the app to my smartphone, laptop, and tablet while I’m on the go, and relax with CBC on my smart TV or games console when I’m back home. Throughout my streaming tests, IPVanish gave me excellent speeds on nearby servers. I received speeds of 58 Mbps down from my 65 Mbps baseline. Since it’s possible to enjoy even Ultra HD viewing with 25 Mbps, this is more than enough to stream Hockey Night without lag or buffering. It has 3 servers in Canada, so if one server isn’t performing well when you’re trying to watch Hockey Night, you can just switch to one of the other ones. During my tests, I found its connections were made quickly and stayed stable for hours. You won’t have to miss out on a crucial goal with this VPN.
The only problem I faced was that it doesn’t unblock all of the streaming platforms I usually like to see in a premium VPN. However, IPVanish works fine with CBC. It also unblocks Netflix US, but it failed to unblock some popular platforms. You can subscribe to IPVanish’s monthly, quarterly, or annual plan. While it’s one of the more budget-friendly VPNs on the list, I recommend its 1 year plan because it offers the highest discount of 66% off, so you can subscribe for just $3.99/month. Test IPVanish entirely risk-free using its 30-day money-back guarantee. I was pleased by the easy refund process — all you need to do is press the cancellation button on your dashboard and your request will be submitted. I got my money back in 7 business days. Stream Hockey Night with IPVanish IPVanish also unblocks: ESPN, Netflix, Showtime, Discovery+, Paramount+, ITV Hub, Vudu, and more.
How to Stream Hockey Night in Canada on Different Devices
Stream Hockey Night with ExpressVPN
Can I watch Hockey Night from the US?
Yes, it’s possible to watch Hockey Night from the US. While Hockey Night is geo-restricted to users in Canada, a good VPN allows you to watch from anywhere in the world while you travel in a few quick steps. A VPN lets you connect to a Canada server that hides your real IP address so that CBC thinks you’re accessing your CBC account from inside Canada. It’s also occasionally possible to access the CBC website from certain US border states, so always check availability from your location. Just keep in mind that accessing CBC from a region outside of Canada may violate its terms of service. My team and I do not condone breaking any platform’s terms of service. No, Hockey Night is only available on CBC so far. If you’re traveling outside Canada and want to access your CBC account, you’ll need a VPN to do so. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a virtual server in Canada, making CBC think you’re in the country.
Can I watch Hockey Night on Android TV, Fire TV, and other smart TVs?
Yes, you can watch Hockey Night on any device compatible with your VPN. The VPNs on this list are compatible with some smart TVs, including Android TV and Fire TV, apart from mainstream operating systems like Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. However, bear in mind that they may not be compatible with all smart TVs. To use the VPN on non-compatible devices, I suggest setting it up on a router.
Do I have to pay to watch Hockey Night?
No, Hockey Night is available on CBC for free. Just go to the CBC website and sign in to start streaming games. If you’re outside of Canada, you’ll need a quality VPN to get access to your CBC account.
What else can a VPN do besides helping me access Hockey Night?
A good VPN can is essential for keeping you protected every time you go online. It protects you from prying eyes by encrypting your internet traffic so that no one can spy on you. This is a must-have security feature if you use public WiFi frequently. A VPN can also let you bypass ISP-imposed speed throttles due to bandwidth or data limitations. In such cases, it can dramatically increase your connection speeds, so you can enjoy surfing the internet and streaming your favorite content without having to worry about data caps. The best VPNs have server locations around the world, so you can regain access to your usual streaming platforms while you travel.
Can I watch Hockey Night with a free VPN?
Technically yes, but I don’t recommend it. Unless you use a quality VPN you’re putting yourself at risk when you go online. Free VPNs don’t invest in security and privacy technology, leaving you exposed to hackers and other threats. Most free VPNs have a very limited server network, so you may not find one with servers in Canada. If you do, those servers can get overcrowded as they’re being used by too many users at once, ruining your show with lag and buffering. Worse, they can store your data and sell it to third parties without your consent. However, there are a number of free and reliable VPNs you can use to stream Hockey Night. Stream Hockey Night with ExpressVPN
Start Watching Hockey Night from Anywhere Today!
If you live in Canada but are currently traveling abroad for work or leisure, you won’t be able to access your CBC account and stream Hockey Night. However, that doesn’t mean you should miss out on your weekly live broadcasts — all you need is a quality VPN to stay up to speed with the latest Hockey Night games. ExpressVPN outperformed every other contender on my list because it has reliable Canada servers and blazing-fast speeds. Try ExpressVPN without any risk. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. In the unlikely event that you aren’t satisfied with its performance, you can easily claim a full refund.
