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It's the most wonderful (and stressful) time of year for hockey fans: the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The first round of the 2026 NHL playoffs kicks off this weekend after one of the wildest endings to the regular season. I'm still flabbergasted that the Buffalo Sabres are at the top of the Atlantic division and that the Philadelphia Flyers managed to clinch a playoff berth with only 26 regulation wins.

It's been a pretty exciting year for hockey in general. Team USA bringing home the gold at the Olympics brought the NHL many new spectators. Beyond that, the smash hit Heated Rivalry also put a surprising spotlight on the league. New fans are in for a treat this postseason, as playoff hockey takes the action and the energy to new heights.

Veteran hockey fans know that anything can happen in the battle for the Stanley Cup. If you want to witness the excitement (and extreme frustration) of playoff hockey live, here's everything you need to know.

When do the Stanley Cup playoffs start?

The first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs kicks off on Saturday, April 18, at 2 p.m. ET. Teams generally play every other day, with games scheduled through May 3 if necessary. The dates for the second round, third round (conference finals), and Stanley Cup final will depend on how the first series pans out. The final will take place no later than June 21. You can check out the full schedule on the official NHL website.

What channels are the NHL playoffs on?

If you have cable or access to a cable login, live games will air on the ESPN/ESPN2/ABC and TNT/truTV/TBS family of networks throughout the postseason. Each series is not strictly designated to one broadcaster — for example, games in a series could air on TNT, ABC, and ESPN within the same week.

Check out the official hockey playoffs schedule on NHL.com to find out which channel to tune into for specific games.

How can I watch the Stanley Cup playoffs without cable?

As always, here's where things get complicated. If you don't have cable access or a cable login, you'll need at least one streaming service to catch all the hockey playoff games live in 2026.

To watch games that air on the TNT family of networks, you can either tune in through the HBO Max app ($18.49 per month for the Standard plan) or via a live TV streaming provider like Sling TV, YouTube TV, or Hulu + Live TV. To catch all of the games that air live on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, you can subscribe to ESPN Unlimited ($29.99 per month) or a live TV streaming provider.

Subscribing to a live TV streaming service will definitely get you the most bang for your buck, despite the cost being a bit higher (most are between $65 and $85 per month). But you can also choose to subscribe to both HBO Max and ESPN Unlimited for a combined $48.48 per month for access to every game. It's all up to preference.

Different from cable, live TV streamers rely on the internet and offer you a live channel lineup without a monthly contract. You can cancel any time it no longer suits you — no strings attached. These services aren't cheap, but many offer introductory rates and are still generally more affordable than a monthly cable bill. Plus, you get your money's worth with access to live and local channels spanning news, sports, and entertainment. It'll serve you long after a team is awarded the coveted Stanley Cup, should you choose to keep your subscription.

Here's a breakdown of your streaming service options to watch the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs live, as well as the best deals available for each.

For TNT, TBS, and truTV games: HBO Max

An HBO Max Standard subscription (not Basic) includes the B/R Sports add-on, which includes access to the NHL on TNT games (and simulcast TBS and truTV games). Of course, this only covers about half of the postseason, so you'll still need another way to tune into ESPN and ABC broadcasts. HBO Max Standard will cost you $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year (16% savings).

HBO Max deals:

• HBO Max Standard annual subscription — $184.99/year $221.88/year (save $36.89/year)

• Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle — $32.99/month $56.47/month (save $23.48/month)

For ESPN and ABC games: ESPN Unlimited

ESPN finally launched a direct-to-consumer streaming service last year, so sports fans can enjoy the full suite of ESPN networks under one subscription: ESPN Unlimited. For $29.99 per month, you'll be able to watch every NHL playoffs broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC live. Of course, you'll need to pair it with HBO Max for the whole roster of postseason games, which would cost you $48.48 per month total.

ESPN Unlimited deals:

• ESPN Unlimited annual subscription — $299.99/year $359.88/year (save $59.89/year)

• Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited bundle — $35.99/month $53.97/month (save $17.98/month)

• ESPN Unlimited and Fox One bundle — $39.99/month $49.98/month (save $9.99/month)

The most games for the lowest price: Sling TV Orange plan

Sling TV's Orange plan is your best bet to watch the most postseason NHL games for the lowest price. The Orange plan includes access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, and TBS, plus 30 other channels. While that doesn't include ABC, most ABC NHL games are also available through ESPN3, so you'll be all set. Sling subscriptions are a la carte, so you can add to and take away from your plan with no worries and cancel or pause your subscription at any time. The Orange plan costs $46 per month, but you can also prepay for three months and save.

Sling deals:

• Sling TV Orange 3-month prepay plan — $115 $137.97 (save $22.97)

• Sling TV Orange 7-day pass — $14.99 $34.93 (save $19.94 compared to single-day pass)

Best way to watch for free: YouTube TV Sports Plan 10-day trial

We're big fans of YouTube TV's massive 100+ channel lineup, which includes all of the networks you'll need to tune into the Stanley Cup playoffs live. On the other hand, we're not the biggest fans of the $82.99 per month cost. Fortunately, not only did the streamer launch a more affordable sports-based plan recently, but it also comes with a 10-day free trial and a discounted first year.

YouTube TV deals:

• YouTube TV Sports — free 10-day trial, $54.99/month for your first year $64.99/month (save $120)

• YouTube TV Base — free 10-day trial, $67.99/month for your first 3 months $82.99/month (save $45)

Honorable mentions:

• Hulu + Live TV (includes all networks) — 3-day trial, then $82.99 per month

• DirecTV My Sports (includes all networks) — 5-day trial, then $44.99/month for two months $64.99/month (save $40)

Frequently Asked Questions