It's just about time to drop the puck for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, which will culminate with one team lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup above their heads in victory. For the next two months, the Stanley Cup Playoffs brings almost nightly hockey action.
Often regarded as one of the most exciting sporting events of the year, we've got everything you need to know to make sure you don't miss a minute of the on-ice action. Let's not waste any time and get right into things.
How to watch 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs in US
As they have for the entire regular season, ESPN and TNT are handling the broadcasting of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for US audiences. To make sure all the games are available for national audiences, ABC, ESPN 2 and TBS are also going to be involved in broadcasting games throughout the playoffs.
This year, the NHL on TNT is handling the broadcast of the Stanley Cup Finals, but of course games throughout the playoffs are going to air on the cable network, as well as TBS. These two stations are widely available through traditional pay-TV subscription as well as live TV streaming services, including DirecTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV (both Blue and Orang plans) and YouTube TV.
ESPN and ESPN 2 are also cable channels available through traditional pay-TV or live TV streaming options. In terms of the latter, ESPN and ESPN 2 can be accessed to those signed up for DirecTV, FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV (Orange) and YouTube TV.
ABC, meanwhile, is a traditional broadcast network and is always included in traditional pay-TV subscriptions and even available for those with TV antennas. To access the channel through live TV streaming service, you need to be signed up for DirecTV, FuboTV, Hulu with Live TV or YouTube TV.
According to NHL.com, ESPN Plus is also going to be offering live streams of Stanley Cup Playoff games, but at this time there is no schedule for how many or which games are going to also stream on ESPN Plus.
How to watch 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs in Canada
With the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers all taking part in the playoffs, Canadian hockey fans wanting to watch those teams or the playoffs in general can do so on CBC and Sportsnet Networks, including streaming on those two networks respective services, CBC Gem and SN NOW.
How to watch 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the UK
The NHL playoffs are not easily available to watch in the UK, but there are a couple of options, including NHL.TV, Premier Sports and Viaplay.
Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule
Here is the schedule for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs that the NHL has released so far:
Monday, April 17
- New York Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes, Game 1, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, ESPN2
- Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins, Game 1, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT, ESPN
- Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars, Game 1, 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT, ESPN2
- Los Angeles Kings vs Edmonton Oilers, Game 1, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT, ESPN
Tuesday, April 18
- New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils, Game 1, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, TBS
- Tampa Bay Lighting vs Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 1, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT, ESPN
- Winnipeg Jets vs Vegas Golden Knights, Game 1, 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT, ESPN2
- Seattle Kraken vs Colorado Avalanche, Game 1, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT, ESPN
Wednesday, April 19
- New York Islanders vs Carolina Hurricanes, Game 2, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, ESPN2
- Florida Panthers vs Boston Bruins, Game 2, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT, ESPN
- Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars, Game 2, 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT, ESPN2
- Los Angeles Kings vs Edmonton Oilers, Game 2, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT, ESPN
Thursday, April 20
- Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs, Game 2, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, ESPN
- New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils, Game 2, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT, TBS
- Seattle Kraken vs Colorado Avalanche, Game 2, 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT, ESPN
- Winnipeg Jets vs Vegas Golden Knights, Game 2, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT, TBS
Friday, April 21
- Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders, Game 3, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, TBS
- Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers, Game 3, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT, TNT
- Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild, Game 3, 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT, TBS
- Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings, Game 3, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT, TNT
Saturday, April 22
- Vegas Golden Knights vs Winnipeg Jets, Game 3, 4 pm ET/1 pm PT, TBS
- Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning, Game 3, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, TBS
- New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers, Game 3, 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, ABC/ESPN Plus
- Colorado Avalanche vs Seattle Kraken, Game 3, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT, TBS
Sunday, April 23
- Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders, Game 4, 1 pm ET/10 am PT, TNT
- Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers, Game 4, 3:30 pm ET/12:30 pm PT, TNT
- Dallas Stars vs Minnesota Wild, Game 4, 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT, TBS
- Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings, Game 4, 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, TBS
Monday, April 24
- New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers, Game 4, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT, ESPN
- Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning, Game 4, 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT, TBS
- Vegas Golden Knights vs Winnipeg Jets, Game 4, 9:30 pm ET/6:30 pm PT, ESPN
- Colorado Avalanche vs Seattle Kraken, Game 4, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT, TBS
Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket
Here is the official Stanley Cup Playoffs bracket as the playoffs get ready to start with the first round:
Stanley Cup Playoffs FAQs
What teams are in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs?
Sixteen teams, eight from the Eastern Conference and eight from the Western Conference, are set to compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here are all 16 teams:
Eastern Conference:
Boston Bruins
Carolina Hurricanes
Florida Panthers
New Jersey Devils
New York Islanders
New York Ranger
Tampa Bay Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs
Western Conference:
Colorado Avalanche
Dallas Stars
Edmonton Oilers
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
Seattle Kraken
Vegas Golden Knights
Winnipeg Jets
What is the Stanley Cup Playoff format?
The field of 16 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is set with the top three teams in each of the four divisions automatically qualifying. Then there are two wild card teams in each conference, determined by which teams are the next two highest finishers in their conference.
In the first round, the division winner with the best record in the conference plays the team with the lesser record between the two wild card teams; the other division winner plays the wild card team with the better record. The teams that finish second and third in their divisions play each other.
Each round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is a best-of-seven series, so the first team to win four games will advance to the next round.
There is no reseeding. Once the bracket is set, it follows that format all the way through to the Stanley Cup Finals.
