2024 NHL playoff schedule: first round dates, times, TV channels

2024 NHL playoffs start? schedule, Dates, times, TV channels for first round games & betting odds.

The NHL Stanley Cup playoffs bracket is known in the Eastern Conference, but the Western Conference series are only half known.

The NHL and its two main U.S. networks did, however, announce on Wednesday when the postseason will open.

The first set of Eastern Conference Game 1s will be played on Saturday, April 20, and the second set will begin Sunday, April 21.

The New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes series will be up first on Saturday, followed by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Boston Bruins.

The Battle of Florida — Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers — will be up first on Sunday, followed by the Washington Capitals at New York Rangers.

The NHL has released the some games schedule for the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.




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NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2024: Latest Odds.



Now it’s time for the playoffs to begin. Here's Sportshistori.com brings the everything you need to know about the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs:

When do the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs start?

Saturday, April 20 marks the official day that the first round begins. The postseason was supposed to get underway on Monday, April 22, but the league moved up the start date two days earlier.

While the Western Conference matchups have yet to be established, all four of the Eastern Conference first round head-to-head battles have officially been announced with dates and start times for each Game 1 this weekend and are as followed:

How can I watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs on TV?

 the NHL playoffs will be split airing on both ESPN or TNT in the United States.

ESPN and TNT will split the first three rounds with the exception being that games on Saturday night will air on ABC.

Sunday's games will be shown on ESPN.

The big difference this year is that while TNT had the Stanley Cup Final in 2023, this year's final will be on ESPN.

Stanley Cup Playoff coverage will be available for Canadian viewers via Sportsnet.

NHL playoff bracket 2024

Eastern Conference

*(1M) New York Rangers vs. (WC2) Washington Capitals

*(1A) Florida Panthers vs. (WC1) Tampa Bay Lightning

*(2A) Boston Bruins vs. (3A) Toronto Maple Leafs

*(2M) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3M) New York Islanders

Western Conference

Central 1 Dallas Stars vs. Wild Card 2 Vegas Golden Knights

Central 2 Winnipeg Jets vs. Central 3 Colorado Avalanche

Pacific 1 Vancouver Canucks vs. Wild Card 1 Nashville Predators

Pacific 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. Pacific 3 Los Angeles Kings

2024 Stanley Cup Playoff Bracket: first round series schedule, start times, scores.

Here is the full schedule for the first round of the NHL playoffs (all series best of seven,

NHL Eastern Conference playoff schedule

All times p.m. ET.   x-if necessary

Florida Panthers (Atlantic 1) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (wild card 1)

Game 1: April 21, Lightning at Panthers, 12:30, ESPN

Game 2: April 23, Lightning at Panthers, 7:30, ESPN2

Game 3: April 25, Panthers at Lightning, 7 TBS

Game 4: April 27, Panthers at Lightning, 5, TBS

x-Game 5: April 29, Lightning at Panthers, TBD

x-Game 6: May 1, Panthers at Lightning, TBD

x-Game 7: May 4, Lightning at Panthers, TBD

Boston Bruins (Atlantic 2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Atlantic 3)

Game 1: April 20, Maple Leafs at Bruins, 8, TBS, truTV

Game 2: April 22, Maple Leafs at Bruins, 7, ESPN

Game 3: April 24, Bruins at Maple Leafs, 7, ESPN

Game 4: April 27: Bruins at Maple Leafs, 8, TBS, truTV

x-Game 5: April 30, Maple Leafs at Bruins, TBD

x-Game 6: May 2, Bruins at Maple Leafs, TBD

x-Game 7: May 4, Maple Leafs at Bruins, TBD

New York Rangers (Metropolitan 1) vs. Washington Capitals (wild card 2)

Game 1: April 21, Capitals at Rangers, 3 ESPN

Game 2: April 23, Capitals at Rangers, 7, ESPN

Game 3: April 26, Rangers at Capitals, 7, TNT, truTV

Game 4: April 28, Rangers at Capitals, 8, TBS, truTV

x-Game 5: May 1, Capitals at Rangers, TBD

x-Game 6: May 3, Rangers at Capitals, TBD

x-Game 7: May 5, Capitals at Rangers, TBD

Carolina Hurricanes (Metropolitan 2) vs. New York Islanders (Metropolitan 3)

Game 1: April 20, Islanders at Hurricanes, 5, TBS, truTV

Game 2: April 22, Islanders at Hurricanes, 7:30, ESPN2

Game 3: April 25, Hurricanes at Islanders, 7:30, ESPN2

Game 4: April 27, Hurricanes at Islanders, 2, TBS, truTV

x-Game 5: April 30, Islanders at Hurricanes, TBD

x-Game 6: May 2, Hurricanes at Islanders, TBD

x-Game 7: May 4, Islanders at Hurricanes, TBD

NHL Western Conference playoff schedule

Dallas Stars (Central 1) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (wild card 2)

Game 1: April 22, Golden Knights at Stars, 9:30, ESPN

Game 2: April 24, Golden Knights at Stars, 9:30, ESPN

Game 3: April 27, Stars at Golden Knights, 10:30, TBS, truTV

Game 4: April 29, Stars at Golden Knights, TBD

x-Game 5: May 1, Golden Knights at Stars, TBD

x-Game 6: May 3, Stars at Golden Knights, TBD

x-Game 7: May 5, Golden Knights at Stars, TBD

Winnipeg Jets (Central 2) vs. Colorado Avalanche (Central 3)

Game 1: April 21, Avalanche at Jets, 7, ESPN2

Game 2: April 23, Avalanche at Jets, 9:30, ESPN

Game 3: April 26, Jets at Avalanche, April 26, TNT

Game 4: April 28, Jets at Avalanche, 2:30, TNT, truTV

x-Game 5: April 30, Avalanche at Jets, TBD

x-Game 6: May 2, Jets at Avalanche, TBD

x-Game 7: May 4, Avalanche at Jets, TBD

Vancouver Canucks (Pacific 1) vs. Nashville Predators (wild card 1)

Game 1: April 21, Predators at Canucks, 10, ESPN

Game 2: April 23, Predators at Canucks, 10, ESPN2

Game 3: April 26, Canucks at Predators, 7:30, TBS

Game 4: April 28, Canucks at Predators, 5, TBS, truTV

x-Game 5: April 30, Predators at Canucks, TBD

x-Game 6: May 3, Canucks at Predators, TBD

x-Game 7: May 5, Predators at Canucks, TBD

Edmonton Oilers (Pacific 2) vs. Los Angeles Kings (Pacific 3)

Game 1: April 22, Kings at Oilers, 10, ESPN2

Game 2: April 24, Kings at Oilers, 10, TBS

Game 3: April 26, Oilers at Kings, 10:30, TBS

Game 4: April 28, Oilers at Kings, 10:30, TBS, truTV

Game 5: May 1, Kings at Oilers, TBD

Game 6: May 3, Oilers at Kings, TBD

Game 7: May 5, Kings at Oilers, TBD

How to stream the 2024 NHL playoffs

• Live stream (U.S.): ESPN+, SlingTV, Fubo
• Live stream (Canada): SN NOW, CBC Gem

Fans in the United States looking to stream the NHL playoffs have options. Games on ESPN's platforms can be streamed through ESPN+ or through Fubo, while those on TNT can be streamed through the TNT app and SlingTV. 

For the Canadian audience, games on Sportsnet are available to stream on SN NOW. Any contests on CBC can be streamed through CBC Gem. 

When is the 2024 Stanley Cup Final?

The Stanley Cup Final has a tentatively scheduled start date of June 3. This could change based on how long the Eastern and Western Conference finals take as well.

Who are the favorites to win the 2024 Stanley Cup Final?

Carolina Hurricanes: +700 

Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars: +850 

New York Rangers and Colorado Avalanche: +900 

Boston Bruins: +1150 

Vegas Golden Knights: +1200 

Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs: +1600 

Winnipeg Jets: +2100 

Tampa Bay Lightning: +2500 

Los Angeles Kings: +3000 

Nashville Predators: +4000 

New York Islanders: +6000 

Washington Capitals: +18000

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NHL.com