The most heart-stopping, enthralling and — if you’re a fan of a team in the chase — nerve-wracking playoffs will begin Saturday when the Capitals host the Bruins.

Things are a little different this year — if you didn’t already notice from the Capitals and the Bruins matching up in the first round. Because of COVID-19 protocols limiting travel at the beginning of the season and the closure of the Canada-U.S. border, teams were slotted into one of four divisions. There will not be a Western Conference or Eastern Conference champion and the playoffs are structured differently, which we’ll delve into in a bit.

MORE: Watch NHL playoff games live & on demand with fuboTV (7-day trial)

The one familiar thing this year is that the road to lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup will be a long and winding one but the end will taste oh, so sweet. Who will be the ones to drink from sports’ greatest trophy? Only time will tell. 

Until then, below you’ll find everything to know about watching the 2021 NHL playoffs, including series-by-series TV schedules and live streaming information.

2021 NHL playoffs bracket

NHL playoffs 2021: TV channels, live stream

TV (U. S. ): NBC, NBCSN, USA, CNBC, NHLN TV (Canada):  Sportsnet, Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, CBC, FX, FXX and OMNI Stream (U. S. ):   NBC Sports. com  | fuboTV (free trial)  | Peacock Stream (Canada): SN Now , SN NOW+ , NHL Live Playoff results: SN Scoreboard

The 2021 postseason marks the final year NBC’s family of networks will broadcast the NHL’s road to the Stanley Cup. First-round games will be shown on NHL Network and across NBC channels in the United States, while in Canada games will be shown on FX, FXX, Sportsnet’s channels and CBC.

In Canada, Chris Cuthbert and Craig Simpson will describe the Maple Leafs-Canadiens series while Harnarayan Singh and Louie DeBrusk will bring fans Oilers-Jets. David Amber and Ron McLean will be the studio anchors and will be joined by a rotating crew of analysts and insiders.

NBC will also employ a rotating crew that will include play-by-play announcers Kenny Albert, John Forslund and Brendan Burke and analysts Eddie Olczyk, AJ Mleczko and Dominic Moore.

STANLEY CUP PREDICTIONS: Sporting News’ 2021 NHL playoff picks

How will the NHL playoffs work in 2021?

Here’s a quick overview of how the 2021 postseason will work, with every series being a best of seven:

Four teams from each division advanced to the Stanley Cup playoffs. First-round matchups will be No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in each division. The first-round winners in each division will then face off to determine the division champion. Once the four division winners are crowned, they’ll meet in the Stanley Cup semifinals. Seeding for this round will be based on regular-season point totals. The semifinal winners will meet in the Stanley Cup Final.  

NHL playoffs schedule, results by series

(All times Eastern)

Final

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens

(* If necessary)

Semifinals

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Islanders

(* If necessary)

Semifinals breakdowns, predictions, odds: TBL vs. NYI | VGK vs. MTL

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Montreal Canadiens

(* If necessary)

Second round

East Division: (3) Boston Bruins vs. (4) New York Islanders

(* If necessary)

ROUND 2: Predictions, picks, odds & breakdowns for every series

North Division: (3) Winnipeg Jets vs. (4) Montreal Canadiens

(* If necessary)

Central Division: (1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3) Tampa Bay Lightning

(* If necessary)

West Division: (1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (2) Vegas Golden Knights

(* If necessary)

First round

East Division: (1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (4) New York Islanders

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East Division: (2) Washington Capitals vs. (3) Boston Bruins

EAST DIVISION:  Predictions, odds, breakdowns, Stanley Cup predictions

North Division: (1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (4) Montreal Canadiens

(* If necessary)

North Division: (2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3) Winnipeg Jets

North Division: Series predictions, odds, breakdowns, Stanley Cup predictions

Central Division: (1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (4) Nashville Predators

MORE: Tripp Tracy on Canes  | Chris Mason on Preds

Central Division: (2) Florida Panthers vs. (3) Tampa Bay Lightning

CENTRAL DIVISION: Predictions, odds, breakdowns, Stanley Cup predictions

West Division: (1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (4) St. Louis Blues

WEST DIVISION: Predictions, odds, breakdowns, Stanley Cup predictions 

West Division: (2) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3) Minnesota Wild

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