Global Courant 2023-05-02 09:40:00
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The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs are here.
Now in the second round, this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs have lived up to their reputation as one of the best tournaments in all of sports. A massive upset came on Sunday when the No. 4-seeded Florida Panthers knocked out the top-seeded Boston Bruins in their seventh game after the Bruins’ record-breaking 65-win, 135-point regular season.
On the same day in the West, a similar upset series came to a close as the Seattle Kraken (4) beat the Colorado Avalanche (1).
And on Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs secured their first post-season series win since 2004 — ending the NHL’s longest-active drought without a playoff series win — by sending the Lightning home to Tampa Bay.
With the Avalanche and the Bruins out, the Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes are the remaining No. 1 seeds in the playoffs.
No matter what storyline you’re following, you’ll need a good way to watch this year’s NHL playoffs. Below are a few of the best ways for cord-cutters to livestream the NHL playoffs online, including an option for streamers looking to watch games for free.
How to Watch NHL Playoffs Online Without Cable
This year, ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT will be broadcasting NHL playoff games (the Stanley Cup Final will air on TNT). But, if you don’t have cable, you can still stream the NHL Playoffs online. Below are a few streaming services that will let you watch the NHL Playoffs live online, whether through your smart TV, phone, laptop, or any other streaming-enabled device.
Sling: Every NHL Playoff Channel
fuboTV: Free Trial
ESPN+: Most Affordable
1. Stream the NHL Playoffs on Sling
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The best way to watch the 2023 NHL playoffs is Sling. The budget-friendly live TV streamer carries ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT in its Orange + Blue plan, which costs just $60 a month. That means you can watch every NHL playoff game live online throughout the tournament.
2. Stream the NHL Playoffs on fuboTV
fuboTV is the best streaming service with a free trial, which is great for anyone looking to watch NHL playoff games online for free this year. The streamer’s most affordable package — the Pro plan — delivers ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT for playoff games (but no TBS). The Pro plan costs $74.99 a month, but you get a seven-day free trial to start — use that to stream the NHL playoffs for free for a few games.
3. Stream the NHL Playoffs on ESPN+
The cheapest way to watch the NHL Playoffs online is ESPN+. For just $9.99 a month, you’ll be able to live stream NHL Playoffs games on smart TVs, laptops, smartphones, and any other smart devices. ESPN+ won’t have every game, but it’s worth checking out for such a low price.
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How to Get Tickets to NHL Playoff Games
The only thing better than live streaming the NHL playoffs online is of course catching a game in person.
Playoff games are happening all over the US and Canada, so you likely have an opportunity to see a game somewhere near your area. Head to VividSeats.com to check locations and prices and secure authentic NHL playoff tickets (even last minute).
When Are the NHL Playoffs? 2023 schedule
This year’s NHL playoffs started on Monday, April 17, and run until June when we’ll have the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
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We’re now in the tournament’s second round, which sees eight teams duking it out for spots in the conference finals. Below is the schedule for all the second-round games with confirmed dates (times in ET)
Eastern Conference
(2) Maple Leafs vs. (4) Florida Panthers
Game 1: Tuesday, May 2, 7 pm at TOR (ESPN)
Game 2: Thursday, May 4 at TOR (time, channel TBD)
Further game dates TBD
(1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (2) New Jersey Devils
Game 1: Wednesday, May 3, 7 pm at CAR (ESPN)
Game 2: Friday, May 5, at CAR (time, channel TBD)
Further game dates TBD
Western Conference
(2) Dallas Stars vs. (4) Seattle Kraken
Game 1: Tuesday, May 2, 9:30 pm at DAL
Game 2: Thursday, May 4 at DAL (time, channel TBD)
Further game dates TBD
(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (2) Edmonton Oilers
Game 1: Wednesday, May 3, 9:30 pm at VGK
Game 2: Friday, May 5, at VGK (time, channel TBD)
Further game dates TBD
