Fans of the National Hockey League can apply for the NHL® Discover it® Card, a cash-back credit card that offers no annual fee, a rewarding rewards program, and enticing perks. It’s the same as a standard Discover it card, except that the front is branded with the insignia of your favorite NHL club and you get a discount on NHL.com gear. It’s part of the Discover it family of cash-back programs, together with Discover it Chrome and Discover it Miles.
There are no limits or quotas on the amount of cash back you can earn with your NHL Discover card. Additional cashback of up to 5% is available on quarterly rotating categories including petrol stations and restaurants up to a quarterly maximum of $1,500.
The National Hockey League Discover Card faces stiff competition from other popular sports credit cards like the MLB BankAmericard Cash Rewards. It’s in the same vein as other all-purpose cash-back cards like the Chase Freedom, Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, and the Citi Double Cash Card.
To show your support for your favorite NHL club, you can personalize your NHL Discover it card by adding the team’s colors and emblem. However, it does not offer a welcome bonus like some other cash-back cards. Instead, your first year as a cardholder will see your cash back rewards quadrupled.
Important Characteristics
First-Year Cash Back is Doubled
On the first cardmember anniversary, NHL Discover will double the amount of cash back received by each new cardmember, no matter how much or how little was earned that year.
For instance, a cash back income of $150 in the first year would increase to $300 if the bonus is included in. In comparison to a standard, fixed-amount welcome bonus, this might be more advantageous if you make significant purchases in your first year on the job.
Cash Back Bonuses
All purchases made with an NHL Discover it card, up to $1,500 each quarter, in specially designated areas, will receive a flat 5% cash back. Shops that fall within these categories range from grocery stores to restaurants to specialized internet merchants like Amazon to petrol stations.
After you’ve spent $1,500 throughout the quarter, you’ll get 1% cash back on any future purchases made within the quarterly rotating categories. In addition, you’ll get 1% back forever on everything else you buy (even if it’s not in the bonus categories).
Using NHL Discover it, you must actively engage your 5% cash back categories every three months. When you turn on retroactive earnings, your pay will go back to the first of the quarter.
Redemption of Cash Back
You may cash in your cash back rewards for a statement credit or a direct payment into your bank account at any time and in any amount. When you redeem, you may choose between physical and digital gift cards, with the minimum required to redeem set at $20.
NHL Merchandise Discount
Every item on Shop.NHL.com, the league’s official store, is 10% off with your NHL Discover card.
Freeze It
With Discover’s Freeze It function, which is included with NHL Discover, you may lock your account with a simple click from any device or terminal with internet access. Freeze Your card will no longer be used by anyone else, but interest will continue to accrue and payments already due will be processed as usual (such as recurring bills).
Useful in the event of card loss or if you have reason to believe your account has been breached. You may simply click a button to unfreeze your account after the danger has passed.
Introductory APR
The NHL Discover card offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for the first 14 months. Transfers of qualifying balances must be done by the 10th day of the third month after account establishment. If you start your account in February, for instance, you’ll have until May 10 to transfer a sum without being charged interest.
Free FICO Score
When you sign up with NHL Discover, you’ll receive a free FICO credit score with your monthly print or electronic statement. Your FICO score is also readily available on the online account dashboard.
Important Fees
There are no hidden charges, such as an annual fee or a fee for making international transactions. The fee for a balance transfer is a flat 3% of the amount being moved. Cash advances will incur a fee of $10 plus 5% of the advance amount, with a $35 fee for late or returned payments.
Credit Required
This card, like the standard Discover it card, is only available to those with outstanding or excellent-plus credit.
Benefits
- There is no Monthly, Annual, or International Fee. There are no yearly or international transaction fees with an NHL Discover card. Those who don’t often make purchases that would warrant a tax or who frequently travel internationally may benefit greatly from this. Many cash-back credit cards, like the discontinued Barclaycard CashForwardTM World Mastercard® and the currently available Citi Double Cash, impose fees on all purchases made outside of the cardholder’s home country.
- It Can Be a Lot of Money to Get Twice as Much Back in Your First Year. The limitless first-year cash back double bonus on the NHL Discover it card might be a major incentive if you make a lot of purchases in your first year as a cardmember. This perk effectively doubles your standard cash back rate from 1% to 2%, making your card more competitive with options like the Barclaycard CashForward and the Capital One Quicksilver. In comparison to other cash back cards, this one’s first-year incentive effectively doubles your cash-back earnings from 5% to 10%.
- Face of Card Personalization. NHL Discover it has you covered if you’re seeking to liven up your wallet. You may show your support for one of 30 different NHL teams by customizing the front of your card with their emblem and a backdrop of your choice.
There is no minimum amount required to redeem cash. Cash back incentives can be redeemed for a statement credit or direct transfer into a bank account at any time. - Enjoyable 0% Intro APR Offer. The NHL Discover it Card features a 14-month introductory period with no interest charged on any balance transfers or transactions. This is excellent news for first-time cardholders who will be making significant first purchases or who wish to transfer existing high-interest balances from other accounts.
- The first missed payment will not result in a penalty APR or late fee. An interest penalty is not applied to NHL Discover accounts. The first late payment penalty you incur as a cardholder will be removed. Both are great benefits for folks who periodically fall behind on payments. The BankAmericard Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Freedom, two other cash back cards, do not provide the same perks.
- Discounts on all NHL Gear Always Available. The 10% off coupon code for Shop.NHL.com is a great perk for any NHL fan who was planning on buying authentic goods regardless. Unlike other cash-back credit cards, this one provides continuing savings on select categories of items.
- Acceptable Criteria for Insurance Coverage. There is no indication on Discover’s site that the NHL Discover card is intended for persons with poor credit or for those seeking to establish or improve their credit. Its competitors, such as the American Express Blue Cash Preferred and the American Express EveryDay Preferred, have stricter underwriting rules for their cash-back credit cards. These cards are not a good fit for first-time cash back card applicants since they have strict credit requirements.
Drawbacks
- Comparatively less money back in the beginning than with some competing cards. All purchases made with an NHL Discover it card receive 1% cash back, no minimum and no annual fee. That’s lower than the 1.5% cash-back rate offered by cards like the Capital One Quicksilver and the Barclaycard CashForward. You won’t be able to make up the difference if you don’t spend the entire $1,500 per quarter ($6,000 total) in the 5% categories.
- There isn’t any sort of welcome bonus as you’d expect. The NHL Discover card is unique among cash-back cards in that it does not offer a welcome bonus. There are signup incentives for several alternative credit cards, like the Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited. There is simple money to be made if you can get them to spend above their minimal spending boundaries.
- Cash Back Must Be Activated By Hand. Each quarter, NHL Discover cardholders must go online or give the company a call to activate their 5% cash back categories.
- This is a minor annoyance, but it does take some time. To make matters worse, this increases the likelihood that busy cardholders may simply forget to activate their card for one or more quarters, so forgoing any possible cash back profits. Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express is only one example of a category-based cash-back card that doesn’t need activation every three months.
Bottom Line
Except for a 10% product discount and a branded card face, the NHL® Discover it® Card is the same as any other Discover it Card. It’s a no-brainer to get this card if you already use Discover and would like to show support for your favorite NHL club while saving 10% on team gear.
There isn’t much need to switch to the NHL edition of the Discover it Card if you don’t already like the standard card. Still, showing your support for your team through your pocketbook is a fun way to show your allegiance and a great icebreaker when you’re with other fans. The gesture will be much appreciated by your team.
