How to Watch the 2025 NHL Playoffs Online for Free

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The brackets are set and the 2025 NHL playoffs are here, with 16 teams still in contention to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Key first-round matchups include Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals facing off against the Montreal Canadiens. The Caps are the number one seed in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division and will be looking to ride the high of Ovechkin’s recent record-breaking goal all the way to the finals.

Other highlights include the so-called “Battle of Ontario,” between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators. And the “Battle of Florida” pits the defending Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning. Over in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Kings face the Edmonton Oilers in another marquee series.

Want to watch the 2025 NHL playoffs? Here’s what you need to know.

How to Watch 2025 NHL Playoff Games on TV

This year’s NHL playoff games will air across ESPN, TNT and ABC. You can watch the NHL playoffs on TV with any cable package that includes those channels. A digital antenna (like this one from Amazon) will get you a free live signal of your local ABC affiliate, so you can watch the playoffs on ABC without cable.

How to Watch 2025 NHL Playoff Games Online

There are also a few ways to watch the 2025 NHL playoffs online without cable, including ways to stream the hockey games online for free.

You’ll want to use a live TV streaming service that includes a livestream of ESPN, TNT and ABC. We like DirecTV, whose streaming packages start at just $84.99/month for 90+ channels — including ESPN, TNT and a local ABC feed. DirecTV lets you watch a live feed of the playoffs on your phone, tablet, computer or smart TV. Test out the service with a five-day free trial here and livestream the NHL playoffs free.

Hulu also offers live television streaming as part of its Hulu + Live TV package. Plans start at just $82.99/month for more than 95 live TV channels, including ESPN, TNT and ABC. Your subscription also includes access to Hulu’s on-demand library of TV shows and movies, plus a free subscription to ESPN+ and Disney+.

Test drive Hulu + Live TV with a three-day free trial here. Use the trial to livestream the 2025 NHL playoffs online free without cable.

The best streaming value right now is Sling, which offers a live stream of ESPN and TNT as part of its Sling Orange package. The package comes with 35+ channels and free DVR so you can record the hockey games to watch back a replay on-demand.

Regularly $45.99/month, Sling is offering a promo deal that gets you 50% off your first month of service. That brings the price of a Sling Orange subscription down to just $23. Sling doesn’t have a free trial like DirecTV or Hulu, but with the current promotion, you can lock in the discounted price for 30 days. See full details here.

There will be 16 teams in the NHL playoffs with each series featuring a best-of-seven format. The Florida Panthers are the defending Stanley Cup champions, having defeating the Edmonton Oilers in last year’s finals.