'NHL Puck Rush' NHL/Nex Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment On the eve of a new season, the NHL has a new way for fans to play hockey - in their living rooms, no ice or stick required. The league and Nex, the technology and entertainment company, on Thursday unveiled "NHL Puck Rush" for Nex Playground, a controller-free, cube-shaped "active-play system" designed for families with young kids. Here, the gameplay is powered by motion, meaning body movements are used instead of controllers, so couch potatoes need not apply. Launched in December 2023, Nex Playground involves no Internet connectivity, so there are no online interactions, ads or opportunities to make in-game purchases, making it a "standout family gaming option," execs from San Francisco-based Nex say. Related Stories Movies The Zamboni Goalie Is a Disney Story Waiting to Happen. But He'd Rather Disney Not Tell It TV NHL Stanley Cup Final 2025: How to Watch Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers Online Without Cable for Free Nex Playground already has gameplay from Sesame Workshop ("Move and Groove With Grover"), Mattel ("Barbie Dance Party"), NBCUniversal ("How to Train Your Dragon: Riders of the Sky"), Hasbro ("Peppa Pig: Jump and Giggle"), DreamWorks ("Kung Fu Panda: Train Like a Master") and other entertainment companies. For ages 6 and up, "NHL Puck Rush" is the first sports league title available for Nex Playground. Players try to score as many goals as possible in a limited time frame, and they can unlock their favorite team's jerseys, sticks, pucks, mascots and more as they progress and earn points based on performance. "In a time where playing sports can come with significant time commitments and pressure, we're excited to release a style of fun, casual play where hockey families - alongside those who have yet to experience the thrill of the NHL - can blast slapshots without needing a hockey stick," David Lehanski, NHL's executive vp business development and innovation, said in a statement. With the deal, the Nex Playground console will soon be available for the first time at retail in Canada. In other NHL news, the one-hour 2025 Stanley Cup Championship Film, which celebrates the Florida Panthers' second straight NHL title, debuts Thursday on ESPN+ from NHL Productions. And Friday, FACEOFF: Inside the NHL returns to Prime Video for a second season. The six-episode docuseries goes behind the scenes to deliver "an unfiltered look at the players' lives, training regimens and the high-stakes world of professional hockey" during this past season. Players in the spotlight include Quinton Byfield and Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings, Matthew Tkachuk of the Panthers, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Marc-André Fleury of the Minnesota Wild. The 2025-26 NHL season begins Tuesday with a triple header on ESPN: the Chicago Blackhawks at the Panthers, the Penguins at the New York Rangers and the Colorado Avalanche at the Kings. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Live Feed ID's 'The Secrets We Bury' Doc Teaser Tackles Missing Dad Mystery (Exclusive) international Soulless AI, 'CODA,' Tom Hanks, 'E.T.' and Oscars: Mexico's Eugenio Derbez on Acting and Producing Live Feed 'Platonic' Duo Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne Revel in Their "De-Evolution" and the Finale Setting Up More Chaos for a Season 3 Live Feed 'Gen V' Star Asa Germann on Sam's V Revelations, Homecoming and Real Super Power Rosario Dawson 'Charlotte's Web' Review: Amy Adams and Elijah Wood Lead HBO Max's Middling Adaptation of a Timeless Kid-Lit Classic The Tonight Show Jimmy Fallon Wants to Keep Avoiding Politics on 'The Tonight Show': "I Just Keep My Head Down" Live Feed ID's 'The Secrets We Bury' Doc Teaser Tackles Missing Dad Mystery (Exclusive) international Soulless AI, 'CODA,' Tom Hanks, 'E.T.' and Oscars: Mexico's Eugenio Derbez on Acting and Producing Live Feed 'Platonic' Duo Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne Revel in Their "De-Evolution" and the Finale Setting Up More Chaos for a Season 3 Live Feed 'Gen V' Star Asa Germann on Sam's V Revelations, Homecoming and Real Super Power Rosario Dawson 'Charlotte's Web' Review: Amy Adams and Elijah Wood Lead HBO Max's Middling Adaptation of a Timeless Kid-Lit Classic The Tonight Show Jimmy Fallon Wants to Keep Avoiding Politics on 'The Tonight Show': "I Just Keep My Head Down"