The National Hockey League will return to ESPN beginning next season.

The two sides have reached agreement on a seven-year contract that includes four Stanley Cup Finals, people familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been finalized.

ESPN and the NHL had no comment. The deal was first reported by SportsNet in Canada.

NBC is in the final season of a 10-year contract worth $2 billion that gives it national NHL rights.