How to Watch the Stanley Cup Livestream (2023)

The best hockey livestreams of the year

NBC has the broadcast rights for the Stanley Cup, and games will appear on NBC, NBC Sports, CNBC, USA, and possibly the Golf Channel. The best way to stream is through your cable provider or a streaming service like Hulu or YouTube TV with good coverage for the NBC family of networks. You can also live-stream the Stanley Cup with a subscription to NHL TV.

NHL 2023-2024 Schedule Details

  • Regular season: September 23, 2023 to April 18, 2024
  • Playoffs: TBD

How to Watch the Stanley Cup Livestream

NHL playoff games will air on at least four channels, including three cable ones and one major network. You can't catch all the action if you rely on an antenna to watch TV. Even if you do have cable, check to make sure that your package includes the necessary channels.

If you're a cord-cutter, the best way to catch the entire Stanley Cup playoffs is through a live streaming TV service. If you want to watch every game in the NHL playoffs, these are the channels that will air games:

  • NBC: Stanley Cup games will air on NBC throughout the playoffs, and the finals will split between NBC and NBC Sports. If you want to catch the most important games, you need to have NBC.
  • NBC Sports: Games air on NBC Sports throughout the playoffs, and a couple of games from the Stanley Cup finals also air on this network. That makes this your second highest priority.
  • CNBC: Many games, especially early-round games, air on CNBC, which is also a critical network to target.
  • USA: NBC typically chooses to air a decent number of first-round Stanley Cup games on USA. If you want access to these games, make sure you have some way to watch or stream USA.
  • The Golf Channel, NHL Network: Historically, NBC has chosen to air a handful of Stanley Cup games on these channels. If NBC opts to air a game on one of them, it may pay off to have access.
  • NHL TV: This is the official streaming service of the NHL, which airs every NHL game.

How to Access Stanley Cup Livestreams From NBC, NBC Sports, CNBC, and USA

Since individual games will appear on four networks, the best way to stream the NHL playoffs is to use a streaming service that includes everything. Television streaming services provide live access to the same channels you would typically watch through cable or satellite, but you stream them over the internet instead.

To take advantage of one of these services, you need a subscription to the service, a device that's capable of streaming, and a high-speed internet connection. These services provide access to different combinations of channels, and some have better coverage for networks like NBC. That means some have better coverage for NHL playoff games than others.

Devices that are capable of streaming include your computer (through any modern web browser), your smartphone, a set-top box like a Roku, and game consoles like the Xbox One, Xbox S/X, PlayStation 4, and PS5.

Here are your options, including the relevant channels they offer:

  NBC Sports CNBC USA NBC
YouTube TV Yes Yes Yes Widest coverage
Hulu With Live TV Yes Yes Yes Good coverage
DirecTV Stream Yes Yes Yes Decent coverage
Sling TV No Add-on Blue/Orange & Blue Limited markets
fuboTV Yes Yes Yes Limited markets

For most people, Hulu with Live TV represents the best option for streaming NHL playoffs games. It includes NBC Sports, CNBC, USA, and has NBC in more markets than its competitors.

YouTube TV is also a good option, as it offers all the necessary channels and has NBC in a large number of markets. DirecTV Stream is a viable option as well if it provides NBC where you live.

fuboTV is also a good option, but it only offers NBC in a limited number of markets. The same is true of Sling TV. However, if you choose Sling, you'll need to pay for the News Extra add-on.

Since the availability of NBC differs from one service to the next, check each service to see if NBC is available in your ZIP code.

Livestream the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Your Phone, Tablet, or Streaming Device

If you want to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs on your mobile device, set-top box, or game console, here are the apps you'll need:

  • iOS: Hulu, NBC Sports, CNBC, USA
  • Android: Hulu, NBC Sports, CNBC, USA
  • Amazon devices: Hulu, NBC Sports, CNBC, USA
  • Roku: Hulu, NBC Sports, CNBC, USA
  • PlayStation: Hulu, NBC Sports,
  • Xbox: Hulu, NBC Sports, CNBC

Stream the Stanley Cup Playoffs On NHL TV

The NHL has a streaming service called NHL TV. For $9.99 a month, you can stream live games in a web browser or on your smart TV. Sign up on the official website to start watching in your browser. To watch on your TV, download the NHL TV streaming app on your smart TV and go to Settings > Log In.

The Full Stanley Cup Playoffs Calendar

Visit ESPN for the latest on the Stanley Cup playoff matchups.

FAQ
  • How do I stream regular season NHL games?

    The NHL suggests streaming games through ESPN+ or NHL.TV. Starting at $9.99 a month, ESPN+ gives you access to live hockey games, NHL Power Play, and loads of insider commentaries and player/coach interviews.

  • How can I stream college hockey games live?

    Both men’s and women’s NCAA hockey games are best streamed via an ESPN+ subscription. In addition, Peacock, FloSports and the Big Ten Network broadcast select live matches, as well.

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