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2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: NHL Streaming Guide

ByBen Bowman

Who will hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup? This year, oddsmakers favor the Avalanche to skate to a title with the Lightning, Hurricanes, Knights, and Oilers as the next best bets. We’ll see for ourselves when the first round begins with a tripleheader on Saturday, April 18.

To watch all the action, you’ll need TNT, TBS, ESPN, and ESPN2. If you want one solution, your options are Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, and YouTube TV. Some games will appear on ABC later in the playoffs.

Our NHL Playoff Recommendation

Sling TV‘s Orange package is your best bet: $45.99/month. If you don’t want a full month, you can choose to stream that for 1 day, 3 days, or 7 days with a short-term pass.

Streaming Smarter’s Channel Finder

If you’d prefer not to get a full TV package, you can watch all the games with a combination of ESPN Unlimited and HBO Max (just be sure to get the ad-free tier if you want the TNT and TBS games).

HBO Max

$18.49/mo

Ad-free plan

Includes TBS/TNT Sports

Sign Up

ESPN Unlimited

$29.99/mo

Includes all sports from ESPN, ABC, SECN, ACCN, and more

Or choose ESPN Select for $12.99

Sign Up

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1 Schedule

The action starts Saturday, April 18 with a tripleheader on ESPN

Matchup

Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Game 4

vs.

Sun. April 19
3 p.m. ET

TNT/truTV or HBO Max

Tues. April 21
10 p.m. ET


ESPN

Thurs. April 23
10 p.m.

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

Sun. April 26
4:30 p.m.

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

vs.

Sat. April 18
5:30 p.m. ET


ESPN

Mon. April 20
9:30 p.m. ET


ESPN

Wed. April 22
9:30 p.m. ET

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

Sat. April. 25
5:30 p.m.

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

vs.

Sun. April 19
10 p.m. ET


ESPN

Tues. April 21
9:30 p.m. ET


ESPN2

Fri. April 24
9:30 p.m. ET

TBS or
HBO Max

Mon. April 27
TBD


ESPN

vs.

Mon. April 20
10 p.m. ET


ESPN

Wed. April 22
10 p.m. ET


ESPN2

Fri. April 24
10 p.m.

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

Sun. April 26
9:30 p.m.


ESPN

vs.

Sun. April 19
7:30 p.m. ET


ESPN

Tues. April 21
7:30 p.m. ET


ESPN

Thurs. April 23
7 p.m. ET

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

Sun. April 26
2 p.m.

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

vs.

Sun. April 19
5:45 p.m. ET

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

Tues. April 21
7 p.m. ET


ESPN2

Fri. April 24
7 p.m. ET

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

Sun. April 26
7 p.m. ET


ESPN

vs.

Sat. April 18
3 p.m. ET


ESPN

Mon. April 20
7:30 p.m. ET


ESPN2

Thurs. April 23
7:30 p.m.

TBS or
HBO Max

Sat. April 25
3 p.m.

TBS/truTV or
HBO Max

vs.

Sat. April 18
8 p.m. ET


ESPN

Mon. April 20
7 p.m. ET


ESPN

Wed. April 22
7 p.m.

TNT/truTV or
HBO Max

Sat. April 25
8 p.m.

TBS/truTV or
HBO Max

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Ben Bowman

Ben Bowman is the founder of Streaming Smarter. He's been covering streaming services professionally since 2020 after winning two Emmys as a TV news producer. His favorite streaming services are Plex, Kanopy, and any TV package with NFL RedZone.

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