The puck is about to drop on the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. If you’ve cut the cord, you might be thinking there’s no way to catch the action without a cable subscription. Luckily, there are plenty of cable-free ways to catch every slapshot and overtime thriller. Whether you’re following your team through a Cinderella run or tuning in for the marquee matchups, here’s how to stream the 2025 NHL Playoffs.
How to Watch the 2025 NHL Playoffs Without Cable
The NHL Playoffs will be broadcast across ESPN, ESPN+, ABC, TNT, TBS, TruTV, and NHL Network. As the Playoffs progress, more games will be hosted on ABC and TNT, like the conference finals on ABC and the Stanley Cup Final on TNT.
If you want to catch the most playoff games for your money, the best option is skinny bundle streaming services. These streaming platforms offer live TV sports channels without the commitment or cost of a traditional cable subscription. Services like Hulu + Live TV and FuboTV carry channels like ESPN, ABC, and TNT, giving you access to nearly every playoff matchup.
Some viewers may just want to catch the final rounds with no subscriptions or investments. If so, they’ll be happy to know that games broadcast on ABC, including the conference finals, can be found for free over the air using an HD TV antenna.
Your list of streaming options includes:
- DIRECTV (ESPN, ABC, TNT, TBS)
- FuboTV (ESPN, ABC)
- Sling TV (ESPN, TNT, TBS)
- Hulu + Live TV (ESPN, ABC, TNT, TBS)
- ESPN+
- YouTube TV
- Free Over-the-Air TV
2025 NHL Playoffs Schedule
The 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs will start on Saturday, April 19, at 12:30 p.m. EDT and will run through June. Sixteen teams — eight from each conference — will compete in a best-of-seven series format across four rounds: First Round, Second Round, Conference Finals, and the Stanley Cup Final.
| Round | Date/ Time (EDT) | Matchup | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 – Showdown Saturday | April 19 at 12:30 p.m. | New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers | ESPN+ |
| April 19 at 12:30 p.m. | Washington Capitals vs. Columbus Blue Jackets | ABC, ESPN+ | |
| April 19 at 3 p.m. | New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes | ABC, ESPN+ | |
| April 19 at 4 p.m. | Colorado Avalanche vs. Los Angeles Kings | ESPN+ | |
| April 19 at 6 p.m. | Buffalo Sabres vs. Florida Panthers | ESPN+ | |
| April 19 at 7 p.m. | Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs | ESPN+ | |
| April 19 at 7 p.m. | Winnipeg Jets vs. Chicago Blackhawks | NHL Network | |
| April 19 at 8 p.m. | Utah Hockey Club vs. Dallas Stars | ESPN+ | |
| April 19 at 10 p.m. | Minnesota Wild vs. Vancouver Canucks | ESPN+ | |
| April 19 at 10 p.m. | Nashville Predators vs. Vegas Golden Knights | ESPN+ | |
| April 19 at 10 p.m. | St. Louis Blues vs. Seattle Kraken | ESPN+ | |
| Round 2 | Monday, May 5 | TBD* | ESPN, TBS, TNT, truTV |
| Conference Finals | Wednesday, May 21 | TBD* | ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, TNT |
| Stanley Cup | Saturday, June 7 | TBD* | TNT |
Can I Watch the 2025 NHL Playoffs on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Chromecast?
These matchups are too exciting to be tied down to one screen. The good news? Most major streaming platforms let you watch on virtually any device. When you sign into your streaming service of choice on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or Chromecast, you can take the action with you on any TV, tablet, computer or smartphone.
More to Watch for NHL Fans
Besides the NHL Playoffs, the NBA Playoffs will also be in full swing. If you’re into a wide variety of sports, ESPN has you covered. It’s the go-to network for everything from college basketball to tennis, UFC, Formula 1, and even lacrosse.
FS1, the second-largest sports network on TV, features top-tier action from sports like the NHL, college hoops, and world-class boxing events.
Thanks for this! Exactly what I wished somebody had written!
Thank you, Chris! Glad you liked the piece.
Is there a reason that YouTube TV was not included in your list to watch the NHL playoffs? Their bundle includes all of the channels that you mentioned.
We have only recently started to include YouTube TV in our pieces. We didn’t before, because of its limited availability.
I hope you start including YouTube TV – the best!
I’ve been watching the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs on CBC from Canada. They stream all their programming, but if you live in the USA, you get a pop-up box that says you must watch from Canada. So, I use Tunnelbear to tunnel into Canada, and voila, I can watch my hockey games.