The NHL returns to the postseason stage after a regular season that began on October 7, 2026 and wrapped on April 16, 2026. Interest in the sport has climbed, fueled by factors like Team USA’s Olympic gold and cultural attention from shows such as Heated Rivalry. For viewers who prefer to skip a traditional cable package, the postseason is broadly available via live streaming: networks carrying games include ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, TNT, TBS and truTV. One budget-friendly route to access many of those networks is Sling TV, which offers flexible plans and short-term passes that fit how much hockey you want to watch.
Although the Florida Panthers entered the season as defending champions, they did not qualify for this year’s bracket, leaving the field open for a new champion. The playoff tournament kicked off on April 18, 2026, and early results already shaped the second round: the Colorado Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings in four games, while the Carolina Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators. The next phases are scheduled to begin on specific dates, so pick a streaming option that matches both your budget and the dates you plan to tune in.
How Sling fits into your playoff viewing plan
Sling TV packages aim to replicate a live channel lineup without a cable contract, letting you stream on phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. For postseason hockey, Sling provides access to most of the essential networks. The core offerings to consider are Sling Orange, which includes a number of sports channels, and Sling Blue, which adds other regional and national channels. There is also a combined Orange & Blue option that merges both lineups if you want the fullest access. Sling supports features like cloud DVR recording, pausing and restarting live broadcast, and a schedule display so you can see upcoming games at a glance. These capabilities make it easy to follow series even with a busy schedule.
Sling plans and pricing explained
Sling’s entry-level plans set the baseline price while letting you choose how broad a channel set you need. At the time of these playoffs, Sling Orange and Sling Blue are each priced at about $45.99/month, while the combined Orange & Blue package is being offered at a discounted rate (recently shown near $60.99/month, down from higher previous pricing). A different bundle, labeled Sling Essentials & Select, has been noted to include ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC in most markets for around $34.99/month. These figures give you options depending on whether you only need specific networks or want the entire suite during the playoffs.
Short-term viewing with day passes and features
Not interested in a monthly commitment? Sling offers Day Pass products that grant temporary access to a channel lineup for a short window. A Day Pass is a short-term token that unlocks live channels for 24 hours, and there are also multi-day passes for longer stretches. Typical pricing has included a 1-day pass starting around $4.99, a 3-day option near $9.99, and a 7-day pass at roughly $14.99. These passes let you stream every game airing on the channels covered by the pass without entering a monthly plan. Sling’s cloud DVR and live scoreboard widgets are also useful: use DVR to record games to watch later and consult live scores from the app while bouncing between multiple matchups.
Playoff schedule, teams and key dates
The 2026 postseason has a clear timeline to guide planning. The first round ran from April 18 through May 3, with the second round slated to begin on May 6. Conference finals were scheduled to start on May 22, and the Stanley Cup Final series was set to begin on June 3 with subsequent potential games through June 19. Broadcast duties are shared across the ESPN family and the Turner family of networks, so pairing Sling access with the correct plan or day pass ensures you can see games regardless of which network airs them.
Which teams are in the mix
The playoff field included Eastern Conference clubs such as the Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators. In the West, contenders included the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, Edmonton oilers, Anaheim Ducks, Utah Mammoth and Los Angeles Kings. With broadcasters rotating games across networks, confirm the channel for each matchup on the NHL schedule and then match that to your Sling plan or pass.
Practical tips for streaming the postseason
Before puck drop, check that your streaming device runs the Sling app and that you have adequate internet bandwidth for live sports. If you only need specific nights, the Day Pass approach can be the cheapest route; if you plan to watch many series, the combined Orange & Blue package avoids frequent repurchases. Use DVR to avoid missing late games and rely on the app’s game schedule and score overlays to jump between concurrent matchups. With the right Sling option, you can follow the entire path to the Stanley Cup without traditional cable.
