After a 56-game sprint and a few COVID-19-related delays, the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs are officially here.
The most heart-stopping, enthralling and — if you’re a fan of a team in the chase — nerve-wracking playoffs will begin Saturday when the Capitals host the Bruins.
Things are a little different this year — if you didn’t already notice from the Capitals and the Bruins matching up in the first round. Because of COVID-19 protocols limiting travel at the beginning of the season and the closure of the Canada-U.S. border, teams were slotted into one of four divisions. There will not be a Western Conference or Eastern Conference champion and the playoffs are structured differently, which we’ll delve into in a bit.
MORE: Watch NHL playoff games live & on demand with fuboTV (7-day trial)
The one familiar thing this year is that the road to lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup will be a long and winding one but the end will taste oh, so sweet. Who will be the ones to drink from sports’ greatest trophy? Only time will tell.
Until then, below you’ll find everything to know about watching the 2021 NHL playoffs, including series-by-series TV schedules and live streaming information.
2021 NHL playoffs bracket
NHL playoffs 2021: TV channels, live stream
- TV (U.S.): NBC, NBCSN, USA, CNBC, NHLN
- TV (Canada): Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, CBC, FX, FXX and OMNI
- Stream (U.S.): NBC Sports.com | fuboTV (free trial)
- Stream (Canada): SN Now, SN NOW+, NHL Live
- Playoff results: SN Scoreboard
The 2021 postseason marks the final year NBC’s family of networks will broadcast the NHL’s road to the Stanley Cup. First-round games will be shown on NHL Network and across NBC channels in the United States, while in Canada games will be shown on FX, FXX, Sportsnet’s channels and CBC.
In Canada, Chris Cuthbert and Craig Simpson will describe the Maple Leafs-Canadiens series while Harnarayan Singh and Louie DeBrusk will bring fans Oilers-Jets. David Amber and Ron McLean will be the studio anchors and will be joined by a rotating crew of analysts and insiders.
NBC will also employ a rotating crew that will include play-by-play announcers Kenny Albert, John Forslund and Brendan Burke and analysts Eddie Olczyk, AJ Mleczko and Dominic Moore.
STANLEY CUP PREDICTIONS: Sporting News’ 2021 NHL playoff picks
How will the NHL playoffs work in 2021?
Here’s a quick overview of how the 2021 postseason will work, with every series being a best of seven:
- Four teams from each division advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs. First-round matchups will be No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in each division.
- The first-round winners in each division will then face off to determine the division champion.
- Once the four division winners are crowned, they’ll meet in the Stanley Cup semifinals. Seeding for this round will be based on regular-season point totals.
- The semifinal winners will meet in the Stanley Cup Final.
NHL playoffs schedule, results by series
(All times Eastern)
First round
East Division: (1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (4) New York Islanders
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel)/Results |
| Sun., May 16 | at Pittsburgh | NYI, 4-3 (OT) (NYI leads 1-0) |
| Tue., May 18 | at Pittsburgh | 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Thu., May 20 | at New York | 7 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | at New York | 3 p.m. (NBC, SN, TVA Sports) |
| *Mon., May 24 | at Pittsburgh | TBD |
| *Wed., May 26 | at New York | TBD |
| *Fri., May 28 | at Pittsburgh | TBD |
(* If necessary)
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East Division: (2) Washington Capitals vs. (3) Boston Bruins
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel)/Results |
| Sat., May 15 | at Washington | WSH, 3-2 (OT) (WSH leads 1-0) |
| Mon., May 17 | at Washington | 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Wed., May 19 | at Boston | 6:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SNE, SNO, SNP, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | at Boston | 6:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SNE, SNO, SNP, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| *Sun., May 23 | at Washington | TBD |
| *Tue., May 25 | at Boston | TBD |
| *Thu., May 27 | at Washington | TBD |
(* If necessary)
EAST DIVISION: Predictions, odds, breakdowns, Stanley Cup predictions
North Division: (1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (4) Montreal Canadiens
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel)/Results |
| Thu., May 20 | at Toronto | 7:30 p.m. (NHL Network, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | at Toronto | 7 p.m. (CNBC, SN, CBC, TVA Sports, OMNI) |
| Mon., May 24 | at Montreal | TBD |
| Tue., May 25 | at Montreal | TBD |
| *Thu., May 27 | at Toronto | TBD |
| *Sat., May 29 | at Montreal | TBD |
| *Mon., May 31 | at Toronto | TBD |
(* If necessary)
North Division: (2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3) Winnipeg Jets
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel)/Results |
| Wed., May 19 | at Edmonton | 9 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | at Edmonton | 9 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Sun., May 23 | at Winnipeg | TBD |
| Mon., May 24 | at Winnipeg | TBD |
| *Wed., May 26 | at Edmonton | TBD |
| *Fri., May 28 | at Winnipeg | TBD |
| *Sun., May 30 | at Edmonton | TBD |
(* If necessary)
Central Division: (1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (4) Nashville Predators
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel)/Results |
| Mon., May 17 | at Carolina | 8 p.m. (CNBC, SNE, TVA Sports) |
| Wed., May 19 | at Carolina | 8 p.m. (CNBC, FX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | at Nashville | 7 p.m. (USA, FXX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Sun., May 23 | at Nashville | TBD |
| *Tue., May 25 | at Carolina | TBD |
| *Thu., May 27 | at Nashville | TBD |
| *Sat., May 29 | at Carolina | TBD |
(* If necessary)
MORE: Tripp Tracy talks playoffs and why one Canes star ranks with Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews
Central Division: (2) Florida Panthers vs. (3) Tampa Bay Lightning
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel)/Results |
| Sun., May 16 | at Florida | TBL, 5-4 (TBL leads 1-0) |
| Tue., May 18 | at Florida | 8 p.m. (CNBC, SNE, TVA Sports) |
| Thu., May 20 | at Tampa Bay | 6:30 p.m. (USA, FX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | at Tampa Bay | 12:30 p.m. (CNBC, SN, TVA Sports) |
| *Mon., May 24 | at Florida | TBD |
| *Wed., May 26 | at Tampa Bay | TBD |
| *Fri., May 28 | at Florida | TBD |
(* If necessary)
CENTRAL DIVISION: Predictions, odds, breakdowns, Stanley Cup predictions
West Division: (1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (4) St. Louis Blues
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel)/Results |
| Mon., May 17 | at Colorado | 10 p.m. (NBCSN, SN1, TVA Sports) |
| Wed., May 19 | at Colorado | 10:30 p.m. (CNBC, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | at St. Louis | 9:30 p.m. (USA, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sun., May 23 | at St. Louis | TBD |
| *Tue., May 25 | at Colorado | TBD |
| *Thu., May 27 | at St. Louis | TBD |
| *Sat., May 29 | at Colorado | TBD |
(* If necessary)
West Division: (2) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3) Minnesota Wild
| Date | Matchup | Time (TV channel)/Results |
| Sun., May 16 | at Vegas | MIN, 1-0 (OT) (MIN leads 1-0) |
| Tue., May 18 | at Vegas | 10 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Thu., May 20 | at Minnesota | 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | at Minnesota | 8 p.m. (NBC, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| *Mon., May 24 | at Vegas | TBD |
| *Wed., May 26 | at Minnesota | TBD |
| *Fri., May 28 | at Vegas | TBD |
(* If necessary)
WEST DIVISION: Predictions, odds, breakdowns, Stanley Cup predictions