The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs start this week, with games available daily on ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, and truTV. Sling TV subscribers can watch every game, and a Sling Day Pass is available for short-term access.
Key points
2026 NHL playoffs begin this week
Broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, and truTV
Sling TV subscribers can watch every game
Sling Day Pass available for short-term access
Florida Panthers are the reigning champions not in playoffs
Florida Panthers2026 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs
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Nov 11, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Detailed view of a national hockey league puck sits on the ice prior to a game between the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The 2026 NHL playoffs begin this week. (Bob Frid-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
The 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs have arrived! This year, the reigning NHL champions, the Florida Panthers, were shut out of the postseason, making room for a new name on this year's trophy. The first round of games is scheduled to begin this weekend. The playoffs will be broadcast daily across ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, and truTV, and every game will be available with a Sling subscription. And if you don't plan to watch every game, you can also grab a Sling Day Pass for 1, 3, or 7 days to keep from paying for more than you need.
Here's a look at which teams are competing during the Stanley Cup playoffs, the complete schedule of first-round games, and how you can watch them all with Sling.
How to watch the 2026 NHL playoffs with Sling:
Q&A
What channels will broadcast the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs?
The playoffs will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS, and truTV.
How can I watch the NHL playoffs without a long-term Sling TV subscription?
You can purchase a Sling Day Pass for 1, 3, or 7 days to watch the playoffs without a full subscription.
When do the 2026 NHL playoffs start?
The 2026 NHL playoffs begin this weekend.
Which team is the reigning champion not participating in the 2026 playoffs?
The reigning champions, the Florida Panthers, are not participating in the 2026 playoffs.
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Sling offers access to dozens of live TV channels, and Sling Orange is the package you want if you're looking to check out the 2026 NHL playoffs. Sling Orange includes ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and TBS, which means you can catch every game of the postseason in one place.
Sling also recently introduced 1, 3, and 7 Day Pass subscriptions, giving viewers flexibility and short-term access to live TV so you can watch what you want, when you want. These Passes give fans instant access to the games they want to see, without paying for channels they don't need.
A 1 Day Pass, which starts at $4.99, gets you 24 hours of live TV airing on any of the channels that are available through Sling Orange, which includes every channel you need to watch every game of the Stanley Cup playoffs. A 3 Day Pass ($9.99) or a 7 Day Pass ($14.99) extends your service so you can tailor your viewing to how much or little you plan to watch.
With Sling Orange, which includes ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, TNT and over 30 more channels, you can watch every game of the Stanley Cup playoffs and never miss a moment of the action. The monthly plan costs $45.99/month.
If you want to watch a few games but not the whole tournament, Sling TV's Day Pass gives consumers the freedom to watch what they want, when they want, without paying the high price of a monthly streaming subscription. Sign up for a 1 Day Pass ($4.99), a 3 Day Pass ($9.99), or a 7 Day Pass ($14.99) and watch every channel available on Sling Orange.
