What channel are the NHL playoffs on? Live streaming options, how and where to watch games live on TV

As the NHL playoffs approach, hockey fans across North America are gearing up to watch their favorite teams battle it out for the Stanley Cup. With the playoffs set to begin on April 17th with 16 teams playing against each other in the best-of-seven series.

Each team will be making a run for the Stanley Cup Finals, which is scheduled to start on June 3rd. It's important for fans to know where and how they can watch the games live on TV.

More on the NHL teams and the Wild Card Standings.

The competition for the Wild Card spot is intensifying. Every team in the league has only 5-7 games left on their schedule. It's unclear which two teams will secure the Wild Card spots in the Eastern and Western Conferences.

These are the current standings for the Eastern Conference: The New York Islanders (87 points), the Florida Panthers (85 points), the Pittsburgh Penguins (84 points). the Buffalo Sabres (81 points), and the Ottawa Senators (79 points).

These are the current standings for the Western Conference: The Seattle Kraken (90 points), The Winnipeg Jets (87 points), the Calgary Flames (85 points), and finally, the Nashville Predators (84 points).

More on NHL playoff schedule and broadcast details

The NHL playoffs will begin with the First Round on Monday, April 17th, and will be broadcast on various channels including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, TBS, and TNT. The second round of the playoffs will be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, and TNT, while the Conference Finals will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and TNT. The Stanley Cup Finals will begin on Saturday, June 3rd, and will be broadcast exclusively on TNT.

Streaming options for NHL playoffs

In the United States, the NHL playoffs will be broadcast on several different networks. Some of the most popular TV providers to watch the playoffs include Cox, DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM, DISH, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Optimum, Philo, Sling TV, Spectrum, Vidgo, Xfinity, and YouTube TV. (All these streaming options come with premium services, so you might have to pay for it)

Of these providers, Hulu + Live TV is one of the best options for watching the playoffs.

For Canadian viewers, the playoffs will be broadcast on CBC and Sportsnet networks. These channels are available through most Canadian TV providers, including Bell, Rogers, Shaw, and Telus. Additionally, fans in Canada can stream games live through the CBC Gem app or the Sportsnet Now app.