The time has finally come. The 2022 NHL playoffs are ready to get started,
Sixteen teams will compete for the Stanley Cup, eight in the Eastern Conference and eight in the Western Conference. The field slowly will dwindle from 16 to eight to four and then finally two.
The Lightning are the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, having defeated the Stars in 2020 and the Canadiens in 2021. Tampa Bay is one of the 16 teams eyeing that trophy in 2022.
There are some exciting matchups in the first round, including the Bruins and Hurricanes, who will start their series Monday night.
Here is all the TV and schedule info you need for the first round of the 2022 NHL playoffs:
MORE: Explaining hockey’s postseason format
NHL playoffs 2022: TV channels, live stream
- TV (U.S.): ESPN, ESPN 2, ABC, TNT, TBS
- TV (Canada): Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, SNE, CBC, TVA Sports
- Stream (U.S.): ESPN+, fuboTV (free trial), Sling TV
- Stream (Canada): SN Now, SN NOW+
Postseason telecasts will be split between the ESPN family of networks and the Turner networks as a part of media rights deals the two companies signed last summer. Both will air first- and second-round series, and each network will telecast a conference finals series. The Stanley Cup Final will air exclusively ESPN.
Sportsnet will show all the series in Canada. CBC will show some series.
How will the NHL playoffs work in 2022?
Here’s a quick overview of how the 2022 postseason will work:
- Eight teams in each conference make the postseason: the top three teams in each division and two wild-card teams.
- In the first round, the division winners play the wild-card teams while the second- and third-place teams in each division face off.
- The first-round winners in each conference will play each other in the second round. The winner of the series with the No. 2 and No. 3 teams for one division plays the winner of the series with their division winner playing the wild card team. For example, for this postseason, the winner of the Panthers-Capitals plays the winner of the Maple Leafs-Lightning, regardless of whether the lower seed wins or not, keeping the division “together” in the bracket.
- The winners of the second-round series will face off in the conference finals.
- The conference champions will meet in the Stanley Cup Final.
MORE: Which team has won the most Stanley Cups?
NHL playoffs schedule, results by series
(All times Eastern)
(*If necessary.)
First round
Eastern Conference: (A1) Florida Panthers vs. (WC2) Washington Capitals
| Date | Site | Time (ET)/Result | TV |
| Tue., May 3 | at Florida | Capitals 4, Panthers 2 | ESPN2, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Thu., May 5 | at Florida | Panthers 5, Capitals 1 | TBS, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Sat., May 7 | at Washington | 1 p.m. | ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| Mon. May 9 | at Washington | 7 p.m. | TBS, SN1, TVA Sports |
| *Wed., May 11 | at Florida | TBD | TBD |
| *Fri., May 13 | at Washington | TBD | TBD |
| *Sun., May 15 | at Florida | TBD | TBD |
Eastern Conference: (A2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (A3) Tampa Bay Lightning
| Date | Site | Time (ET)/Result | TV |
| Mon., May 2 | at Toronto | Maple Leafs 5, Lightning 0 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Wed., May 4 | at Toronto | Lightning 5, Maple Leafs 3 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Fri., May 6 | at Tampa Bay | 7:30 p.m. | TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Sun., May 8 | at Tampa Bay | 7:30 p.m. | TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| *Tue., May 10 | at Toronto | TBD | TBD |
| *Thu., May 12 | at Tampa Bay | TBD | TBD |
| *Sat., May 14 | at Toronto | TBD | TBD |
Eastern Conference: (M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins
| Date | Site | Time (ET)/Result | TV |
| Mon., May 2 | at Carolina | Hurricanes 5, Bruins 1 | ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Wed., May 4 | at Carolina | Hurricanes 5, Bruins 2 | ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Fri., May 6 | at Boston | 7 p.m. | TNT, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Sun., May 8 | at Boston | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| *Tue., May 10 | at Carolina | TBD | TBD |
| *Thu., May 12 | at Boston | TBD | TBD |
| *Sat., May 14 | at Carolina | TBD | TBD |
Eastern Conference: (M2) New York Rangers vs. (M3) Pittsburgh Penguins
| Date | Site | Time (ET)/Result | TV |
| Tue., May 3 | at New York | Penguins 4, Rangers 3 (3 OTs) | ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Thu., May 5 | at New York | Rangers 5, Penguins 2 | TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Sat., May 7 | at Pittsburgh | 7 p.m. | TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Mon., May 9 | at Pittsburgh | 7 p.m. | ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| *Wed., May 11 | at New York | TBD | TBD |
| *Fri., May 13 | at Pittsburgh | TBD | TBD |
| *Sun., May 15 | at New York | TBD | TBD |
Western Conference: (C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Nashville Predators
| Date | Site | Time (ET)/Result | TV |
| Tue., May 3 | at Colorado | Avalanche 7, Predators 2 | ESPN, SNE, SN360 (JIP), TVA Sports |
| Thu., May 5 | at Colorado | Avalanche 2, Predators 1 (OT) | TNT, SNE, SN360 (JIP), TVA Sports |
| Sat., May 7 | at Nashville | 4 p.m. | TNT, Sportsnet, TVA Sports |
| Mon., May 9 | at Nashville | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN, SN1, TVA Sports |
| *Wed., May 11 | at Colorado | TBD | TBD |
| *Fri., May 13 | at Nashville | TBD | TBD |
| *Sun., May 15 | at Colorado | TBD | TBD |
Western Conference: (C2) Minnesota Wild vs. (C3) St. Louis Blues
| Date | Site | Time (ET)/Result | TV |
| Mon., May 2 | at Minnesota | Blues 4, Wild 0 | ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Wed., May 4 | at Minnesota | Wild 6, Blues 2 | ESPN, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Fri., May 6 | at St. Louis | 9:30 p.m. | TNT, SN360, TVA Sports |
| Sun., May 8 | at St. Louis | 4:30 p.m. | TNT, SN360, TVA Sports |
| *Tue., May 10 | at Minnesota | TBD | TBD |
| *Thu., May 12 | at St. Louis | TBD | TBD |
| *Sat., May 14 | at Minnesota | TBD | TBD |
Western Conference: (P1) Calgary Flames vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars
| Date | Site | Time (ET)/Result | TV |
| Tue., May 3 | at Calgary | Flames 1, Stars 0 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Thu., May 5 | at Calgary | Stars 2, Flames 0 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, TBS |
| Sat., May 7 | at Dallas | 9:30 p.m. | TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Mon., May 9 | at Dallas | 9:30 p.m. | TNT, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| *Wed., May 11 | at Calgary | TBD | TBD |
| *Fri., May 13 | at Dallas | TBD | TBD |
| *Sun., May 15 | at Calgary | TBD | TBD |
Western Conference: (P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Los Angeles Kings
| Date | Site | Time (ET)/Result | TV |
| Mon., May 2 | at Edmonton | Kings 4, Oilers 3 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Wed., May 4 | at Edmonton | Oilers 6, Kings 0 | Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports, ESPN2 |
| Fri., May 6 | at Los Angeles | 10 p.m. | TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| Sun., May 8 | at Los Angeles | 10 p.m. | TBS, Sportsnet, CBC, TVA Sports |
| *Tue., May 10 | at Edmonton | TBD | TBD |
| *Thu., May 12 | at Los Angeles | TBD | TBD |
| *Sat., May 14 | at Edmonton | TBD | TBD |