After a sprint of 56 games and some delays related to COVID-19, the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs are officially here.
The most heartbreaking, thrilling, and – if you’re a fan of a team in the chase – nerve-wracking playoffs begin on Saturday when the capitals host the Bruins.
This year it looks a little different – if you haven’t already noticed that the capitals and the Bruins go together in the first round. Due to the COVID-19 protocols restricting travel early in the season and the closure of the Canada-US border, teams were divided into one of four divisions. There won’t be a Western Conference or Eastern Conference champion, and the playoffs are structured differently, which we’ll get to in a moment.
MORE: Watch NHL playoff games live and on request with fuboTV (7-day trial)
The only thing known this year is that the road to picking up Lord Stanley’s Cup will be long and winding, but the ending will taste so sweet. Who will drink from the sport’s greatest trophy? Only time can tell.
Until then, below is everything you need to know about watching the 2021 NHL Playoffs, including TV shows and live streaming information.
2021 NHL playoffs bracket
NHL Playoffs 2021: TV channels, live stream
- TV (USA): NBC, NBCSN, USA, CNBC, NHLN
- Television (Canada): Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, CBC, FX, FXX and OMNI
- Stream (USA): NBC Sports.com | fuboTV (free trial version)
- Stream (Canada): SN Now, SN NOW +, NHL Live
- Playoff results: SN scoreboard
The 2021 postseason marks the final year that the NBC network family will broadcast the NHL’s path to the Stanley Cup. Round one games will be shown on the NHL Network and NBC channels in the US, while in Canada games will be shown on FX, FXX, Sportsnets 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 accompanied 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 NHL Playoffs for 2021
How will the NHL playoffs work in 2021?
Here’s a quick rundown of how the 2021 postseason will work, with each streak being the best of seven:
- Four teams from each division reached the Stanley Cup playoffs. The matchups of the first round are No. 1 against No. 4 and No. 2 against No. 3 in each division.
- The first round winners in each division will then compete against each other to determine the division champion.
- Once the four division winners are crowned, they will meet in the Stanley Cup semi-finals. The sowing for this round is based on the regular season scores.
- The semi-final winners will meet in the Stanley Cup final.
NHL Playoffs Schedule, Results by Series
(All times east)
First round
East Division: (1) Pittsburgh Penguins versus (4) New York Islanders
| date | Match | Time (TV channel) / results |
| Sun 16 May | in Pittsburgh | NYI, 4-3 (OT) (NYI leads 1-0) |
| Tuesday, May 18 | in Pittsburgh | 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Autumn, May 20th | in New York | 7 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | in New York | 3 p.m. (NBC, SN, TVA Sports) |
| * Monday, May 24th | in Pittsburgh | TBD |
| * Wed., May 26th | in New York | TBD |
| * Fri., May 28th | in Pittsburgh | TBD |
(* If necessary)
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East Division: (2) Washington Capitals versus (3) Boston Bruins
| date | Match | Time (TV channel) / results |
| Sat., May 15th | in Washington | WSH, 3-2 (OT) (WSH leads 1-0) |
| Monday 17th May | in Washington | BOS, 4-3 (OT) (series bound 1-1) |
| Wednesday 19th May | in Boston | 6:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SNE, SNO, SNP, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | in Boston | 6:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SNE, SNO, SNP, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sun 23 May | in Washington | 7 p.m. (USA, SN1, TVA Sports) |
| * Tue., May 25th | in Boston | TBD |
| * Thu., May 27th | in Washington | TBD |
(* If necessary)
EAST DIVISION: Predictions, Odds, Breakdowns, Stanley Cup Predictions
North Division: (1) Toronto Maple Leafs versus (4) Montreal Canadiens
| date | Match | Time (TV channel) / results |
| Autumn, May 20th | in Toronto | 7:30 p.m. (NHL Network, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | in Toronto | 7 p.m. (CNBC, SN, CBC, TVA Sports, OMNI) |
| Monday May 24th | in Montreal | 7 p.m. (SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Tuesday, May 25th | in Montreal | TBD |
| * Thu., May 27th | in Toronto | TBD |
| * Sat., May 29th | in Montreal | TBD |
| * Monday May 31st | in Toronto | TBD |
(* If necessary)
North Division: (2) Edmonton Oilers versus (3) Winnipeg Jets
| date | Match | Time (TV channel) / results |
| Wednesday 19th May | in Edmonton | 9 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | in Edmonton | 9 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Sun 23 May | in Winnipeg | 7:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| Monday May 24th | in Winnipeg | 9.45 p.m. (SN, CBC, TVA Sports) |
| * Wed., May 26th | in Edmonton | TBD |
| * Fri., May 28th | in Winnipeg | TBD |
| * Sun., May 30th | in Edmonton | TBD |
(* If necessary)
Central Department: (1) Carolina Hurricanes versus (4) Nashville Predators
| date | Match | Time (TV channel) / results |
| Monday 17th May | in Carolina | CAR, 5-2 (CAR leads 1-0) |
| Wednesday 19th May | in Carolina | 8 p.m. (CNBC, FX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | in Nashville | 7 p.m. (USA, FXX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Sun 23 May | in Nashville | 2:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports) |
| * Tue., May 25th | in Carolina | TBD |
| * Thu., May 27th | in Nashville | TBD |
| * Sat., May 29th | in Carolina | TBD |
(* If necessary)
MORE: Tripp Tracy on Sticks | Chris Mason on Preds
Central Division: (2) Florida Panthers versus (3) Tampa Bay Lightning
| date | Match | Time (TV channel) / results |
| Sun 16 May | in Florida | TBL, 5-4 (TBL leads 1-0) |
| Tuesday, May 18 | in Florida | 8 p.m. (CNBC, SNE, TVA Sports) |
| Autumn, May 20th | in Tampa Bay | 6:30 p.m. (USA, FX-CA, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | in Tampa Bay | 12:30 p.m. (CNBC, SN, TVA Sports) |
| * Monday, May 24th | in Florida | TBD |
| * Wed., May 26th | in Tampa Bay | TBD |
| * Fri., May 28th | in Florida | TBD |
(* If necessary)
CENTRAL DEPARTMENT: Predictions, odds, breakdowns, predictions for the Stanley Cup
West Division: (1) Colorado Avalanche versus (4) St. Louis Blues
| date | Match | Time (TV channel) / results |
| Monday 17th May | in Colorado | COL, 4-1 (COL leads 1-0) |
| Wednesday 19th May | in Colorado | 10:30 p.m. (CNBC, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Fri., May 21 | in St. Louis | 9:30 p.m. (USA, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sun 23 May | in St. Louis | 5 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| * Tue., May 25th | in Colorado | TBD |
| * Thu., May 27th | in St. Louis | TBD |
| * Sat., May 29th | in Colorado | TBD |
(* If necessary)
WEST DIVISION: Predictions, odds, breakdowns, Stanley Cup predictions
West Division: (2) Vegas Golden Knights versus (3) Minnesota Wild
| date | Match | Time (TV channel) / results |
| Sun 16 May | in Vegas | MIN, 1-0 (OT) (MIN leads 1-0) |
| Tuesday, May 18 | in Vegas | 10 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Autumn, May 20th | in Minnesota | 9:30 p.m. (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| Sat., May 22 | in Minnesota | 8 p.m. (NBC, SN360, TVA Sports) |
| * Monday, May 24th | in Vegas | TBD |
| * Wed., May 26th | in Minnesota | TBD |
| * Fri., May 28th | in Vegas | TBD |
(* If necessary)
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