Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. Guides

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

2023 NHL Playoffs live stream: how to watch the games for free

Dan Girolamo
By

The quest for the Stanley Cup begins tonight with the start of the 2023 NHL Playoffs, also known as the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In the Eastern Conference, the top-seeded Boston Bruins are the favorites to hoist the cup after notching an NHL-record 65 wins in the regular season. In the Western Conference, the Colorado Avalanche are in a great position to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions as the No. 1 seed.

All 16 teams will play their opening round game on April 17 or April 18. The 2023 NHL Playoffs will be broadcast on various networks because of the NHL’s media rights deal with Disney and WarnerMedia. Find out how to watch all the action below.

Recommended Videos

2023 NHL Playoffs bracket

A picture of the bracket for the NHL Playoffs.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The opening round of the 2023 NHL Playoffs begins with four games each on April 17 and April 18. Each round will be a best-of-7 series.

Related

April 17

  • No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 4 New York Islanders, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

  • No. 1 Boston Bruins vs. No. 4 Florida Panthers, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

  • No. 2 Dallas Stars vs. No. 3 Minnesota Wild, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

  • No. 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Kings, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN

April 18

  • No. 2 New Jersey Devils vs. No. 3 New York Rangers, 7 p.m. ET, TBS

  • No. 2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

  • No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 4 Winnipeg Jets, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2

  • No. 1 Colorado Avalanche vs. No. 4 Seattle Kraken, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN

Watch the 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on ESPN and ESPN2

First-round games will be available on ESPN and ESPN2, with 13 games being aired on these two networks over the first four days of the playoffs starting April 17. ESPN’s NHL studio show, The Point, will air regularly before the games and feature host Steve Levy and Arda Öcal, along with with ESPN’s hockey analysts Mark Messier, Chris Chelios, and P.K. Subban. The postgame show at the end of the night will air on ESPN+. Log in with your cable provider for access.

Watch 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on ESPN

Watch the 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on TNT and TBS

The NHL Playoffs will air live on TNT and TBS. If you are watching on mobile devices, tablets, or connected TVs, the games are available through the TNT app, TBS App, TNT’s website, and TBS’s website. Before, during, and after each game, Turner’s studio show will include host Liam McHugh alongside a group of analysts, including Wayne Gretzky, Henrik Lundqvist, Anson Carter, Paul Bissonnette, and Keith Yandle. Log in with your cable provider to watch the games.

Watch 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on TNT

Watch the 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on Hulu with Live TV

Hulu on Apple TV.
Phil Nickinson/Digital Trends

If you do not have cable, ESPN and TNT can be accessed through Hulu with Live TV. There are two price plans for Hulu with Live TV, and both packages include Disney+ and ESPN+. The cheaper package costs $70 per month and features Hulu (with ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (with ads), and ESPN+ (with ads). The more expensive package costs $83 per month and includes Hulu (no ads) + Live TV, Disney+ (no ads), and ESPN+ (with ads). The bundle provides users with hockey coverage, Marvel movies like Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Hulu programs, like The Dropout and Dopesick.

Watch the 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on Sling TV

Sling TV app icon on Apple TV.
Digital Trends

If you subscribe to Sling TV, you’re in luck because the hockey playoffs will be available to stream on the service. There are different packages to choose from (Orange and Blue) that range in monthly pricing from $40 to $60. For NHL Fans, ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT can all be accessed on Sling TV. You can also watch other entertainment and news channels on Sling TV, including CNN, Fox, MTV, Food Network, Disney Channel, and Discovery.

Watch the 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on YouTube TV

The updated YouTube TV live guide.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

YouTube TV is on the rise because it broadcasts over 100 channels of live TV, such as ESPN, TNT, MSNBC, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. For football fans, NFL Sunday Ticket, a must-have for fans who want to watch every single game, will be available for purchase this fall. New subscribers will only pay $63 for the first three months of YouTube TV before it increases to its normal rate of $73 per month.

If you want to experience YouTube TV, sign up for a FREE trial and see what the service is all about.

Watch 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on YouTube TV

Watch the 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream on Fubo TV

FuboTV icon on Apple TV.
FuboTV

With Fubo TV, subscribers will have access to over 100 live channels with no hidden fees or contracts at sign-up. Users can subscribe to four packages: Pro, $75 per month; Elite, $85 per month; Premiere, $95 per month; and a special Latino package for $33 per month. Fubo TV feels like cable because of its channel package. Users can watch hockey on ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and TBS, as well as enjoy other sports, news, and entertainment channels, including Freeform, USA, TLC, HGTV, CNBC, and FS1.

Subscribers can sign up for a FREE trial and cancel anytime without penalty.

Watch the 2023 NHL Playoffs live stream from abroad with a VPN

NordVPN running on a MacBook Pro.
NordVPN

If you like hockey, but you’re currently outside of the U.S., make sure to use a VPN, or virtual private network, to stream the NHL Playoffs. A service like NordVPN will make streaming the NHL playoffs a lot easier. Nord VPN offers a 30-day money guarantee for new users, so there’s no penalty to try it.

Editors' Recommendations

Dan Girolamo
Dan Girolamo
Entertainment Writer
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
Washington Huskies vs. Oregon State Beavers live stream: watch college football for free
Aerial view of the crowd and field at Reser Stadium.

The Pac-12 is arguably the best conference in college football in 2023. The Pac-12 has another top-15 matchup on Saturday night as the No. 5 Washington Huskies (10-0) play the No. 11 Oregon State Beavers (8-2). The opening kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT on November 18. ESPN’s lead commentary team of Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, and Holly Rowe will call the game on ABC from Reser Stadium in Corvallis, Oregon.

The Huskies are the only undefeated Pac-12 team remaining. If Washington wins on Saturday night, they clinch a spot in the Pac-12 Championship in Las Vegas. However, the Huskies have bigger aspirations than just a Pac-12 Championship. Because Ohio State and Michigan play each other in two weeks, Washington's path to the playoff is mapped out. Win the next two games and the Pac-12 Championship, and the Huskies will earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Read more
2023 Feast Week live stream: watch Thanksgiving college basketball for free
Aerial shot of the Dean Smith Center in North Carolina.

Thanksgiving is not only reserved for football. Men's college basketball games will be airing throughout Thanksgiving week. From November 16 to November 26, over 50 college basketball teams will play in early season tournaments.

There are over 10 premier events set to air over the next 10 days, including the Maui Invitational, Empire Invitational, Battle 4 Atlantis, NIT Season Tip-Off, and Vegas Showdown. Kansas, Baylor, Villanova, North Carolina, Purdue, Gonzaga, and defending champion UConn are some of the notable teams that will play during Feast Week.
2023 Feast Week schedule
https://twitter.com/ESPNPR/status/1725244857529024896

Read more
2023 Champions Classic live stream: watch college basketball for free
Aerial view of the crowd inside The United Center.

Four of the most accomplished teams in college basketball will convene for the State Farm 2023 Champions Classic. Debuting in 2011, the Champions Classic features Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and Michigan State. No. 9 Duke (1-1) versus No. 18. Michigan State (1-1) will play in the first game, followed by No. 17 Kentucky (2-0) vs. No. 1 Kansas (2-0). Both games will be played at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The Champions Classic is a chance for college basketball fans to watch four of the premier programs in the sport. The event serves as an early-season litmus test for each team. In last year's event, Kansas defeated Duke while Michigan State beat Kentucky, with the latter game going to double overtime.
Watch the 2023 Champions Classic live stream on ESPN

Read more