Outside of Vancouver, who will play a pointless makeup series against Calgary the way actors play out historical war reenactments, the abbreviated 2021 NHL regular season is in the books. Last night, the Colorado Avalanche scored five goals in the second period of their last game of the season to secure the President’s Trophy for the NHL’s best record, earning home ice throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.
It was a significant win because Colorado could play the team they passed—the Vegas Golden Knights—as soon as the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin Saturday night on NBC. Because of border restrictions due to COVID-19, the NHL split up the league into four new divisions before the season began: East, Central, and West Divisions in the States, and the North Division with all Canadian teams. The top four teams in each division earned playoff berths, and they’ll continue intra-division play in the first two rounds. The four “winners” of each division will advance to the semifinals and be reseeded based on regular season point totals, with the final two teams advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals.
The new format should facilitate some excellent hockey, as the first two rounds will be between rivals who have become intimately familiar with each other over the course of a division-only 56-game schedule. In the East, top-seeded Pittsburgh will take on the (4) New York Islanders, and the (2) Washington Capitals will face the (3) Boston Bruins. It’s a southern affair in the Central Division, where the (1) Carolina Hurricanes play the (4) Nashville Predators and defending champs (3) Tampa Bay faces their in-state rival (and 2021 surprise) (2) Florida Panthers. No. 1-overall seed Colorado faces (4) St. Louis in their playoff-opening series, while (2) Vegas takes on a 35-win Minnesota team in their opening round.
Because of the aforementioned Canucks-Flames series, the North Division won’t begin their playoff series until next Wednesday, May 19, when (2) Edmonton skates against (3) Winnipeg. And after winning their first division title in 21 years, the (1) Toronto Maple Leafs will try to bring more happiness to one of the saddest fanbases in sports as they take on their hated rivals in (4) Montreal.
From a purely competitive standpoint, this could be the most exciting Stanley Cup Playoffs in a long time, as a season-plus divisional gauntlet gives way to the first inter-division games of the season in the semifinals. Plus, a Canadian team has a 50/50 shot at making the Finals, which is a win for the country, unlike the Vancouver-Calgary series (ok, I swear I’m done).
Check out the weekly NHL Playoff Schedule below, followed a closer look at each series. To watch the most hockey on Sling, sign up for Sling Blue with Sports Extras using the link at the bottom of this page.
2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs
First Round May 15-22
| Time (ET) | Matchup | Channel | Package |
| Sat. May 15 | |||
| 7:15 PM | Boston at Washington | NBC | Select Markets/ Locals* |
| Sun. May 16 | |||
| 12:00 PM | New York at Pittsburgh | NBC | Select Markets/ Locals* |
| 3:00 PM | Minnesota at Vegas | NBC | Select Markets/ Locals* |
| 7:30 PM | Tampa Bay at Florida | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| Mon. May 17 | |||
| 7:30 PM | Boston at Washington | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| 8:00 PM | Nashville at Carolina | CNBC | Blue w/ News Extras |
| 10:00 PM | St. Louis at Colorado | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| Tue. May 18 | |||
| 7:30 PM | New York at Pittsburgh | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| 8:00 PM | Tampa Bay at Florida | CNBC | Blue w/ News Extras |
| 10:00 PM | Minnesota at Vegas | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| Wed. May 19 | |||
| 6:30 PM | Washington at Boston | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| 8:00 PM | Nashville at Carolina | CNBC | Blue w/ News Extras |
| 9:00 PM | Winnipeg at Edmonton | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| 10:30 PM | St. Louis at Colorado | CNBC | Sling Blue |
| Thur. May 20 | |||
| 6:30 PM | Florida at Tampa Bay | USA | Sling Blue |
| 7:00 PM | Pittsburgh at New York | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| 7:30 PM | Montreal at Toronto | NHL Network | Sling Blue w/ Sports |
| 9:30 PM | Vegas at Minnesota | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| Fri. May 21 | |||
| 6:30 PM | Washington at Boston | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| 7:00 PM | Carolina at Nashville | USA | Sling Blue |
| 9:00 PM | Winnipeg at Edmonton | NBCSN | Sling Blue |
| 9:30 PM | Colorado at St. Louis | USA | Sling Blue |
| Sat. May 22 | |||
| 12:30 PM | Florida at Tampa Bay | CNBC | Blue w/ News Extras |
| 3:00 PM | Pittsburgh at New York | NBC | Select Markets/ Locals* |
| 7:00 PM | Montreal at Toronto | CNBC | Blue w/ News Extras |
| 8:00 PM | Vegas at Minnesota | NBC | Select Markets/ Locals* |
*Click here for more information on how to watch locals on Sling
All games subject to local blackout restrictions
East Division
(1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (4) New York Islanders
Sunday, May 16: Islanders at Penguins, 12 p.m. ET (NBC)
Tuesday, May 18: Islanders at Penguins, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Thursday, May 20: Penguins at Islanders, 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Saturday, May 22: Penguins at Islanders, 3 p.m. ET (NBC)
*Monday, May 24: Islanders at Penguins TBD
*Wednesday, May 26: Penguins at Islanders TBD
*Friday, May 28: Islanders at Penguins TBD
(2) Washginton Captials vs. (3) Boston Bruins
Saturday, May 15: Bruins at Capitals, 7:15 p.m. ET (NBC)
Monday, May 17: Bruins at Capitals, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Wednesday, May 19: Capitals at Bruins, 6:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Friday, May 21: Capitals at Bruins, 6:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
*Sunday, May 23: Bruins at Capitals TBD
*Tuesday, May 25: Capitals at Bruins TBD
*Thursday, May 27: Bruins at Capitals TBD
Central Division
(1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (4) Nashville Predators
Monday, May 17: Predators at Hurricanes, 8 p.m. ET (CNBC)
Wednesday, May 19: Predators at Hurricanes, 8 p.m. ET (CNBC)
Friday, May 21: Hurricanes at Predators, 7 p.m. ET (USA Network)
Sunday, May 23: Hurricanes at Predators TBD
*Tuesday, May 25: Predators at Hurricanes TBD
*Thursday, May 27: Hurricanes at Predators TBD
*Saturday, May 29: Predators at Hurricanes TBD
(2) Florida Panthers vs. (3) Tampa Bay Lightning
Sunday, May 16: Lightning at Panthers, 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Tuesday, May 18: Lightning at Panthers, 8 p.m. ET (CNBC)
Thursday, May 20: Panthers at Lightning, 6:30 p.m. ET (USA Network)
Saturday, May 22: Panthers at Lightning, 12:30 p.m. ET (CNBC)
*Monday, May 24: Lightning at Panthers TBD
*Wednesday, May 26: Panthers at Lightning TBD
*Friday, May 28: Lightning at Panthers TBD
West Division
(1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (4) St. Louis Blues
Monday, May 17: Blues at Avalanche, 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Wednesday, May 19: Blues at Avalanche, 10:30 p.m. ET (CNBC)
Friday, May 21: Avalanche at Blues, 9:30 p.m. ET (USA Network)
Sunday, May 23: Avalanche at Blues TBD
*Tuesday, May 25: Blues at Avalanche TBD
*Thursday, May 27: Avalanche at Blues TBD
*Saturday, May 29: Blues at Avalanche TBD
(2) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3) Minnesota Wild
Sunday, May 16: Wild at Golden Knights, 3 p.m. ET (NBC)
Tuesday, May 18: Wild at Golden Knights, 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Thursday, May 20: Golden Knights at Wild, 9:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Saturday, May 22: Golden Knights at Wild, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
*Monday, May 24: Wild at Golden Knights TBD
*Wednesday, May 26: Golden Knights at Wild TBD
*Friday, May 28: Golden Knights TBD
North Division
(1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (4) Montreal Canadiens
Thursday, May 20: Canadiens at Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m. ET (NHL Network)
Saturday, May 22: Canadiens at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET (CNBC)
Monday, May 24: Maple Leafs at Canadiens TBD
Tuesday, May 25: Maple Leafs at Canadiens TBD
*Thursday, May 27: Canadiens at Maple Leafs TBD
*Saturday, May 29: Maple Leafs at Canadiens TBD
*Monday, May 31: Canadiens at Maple Leafs TBD
(2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (3) Winnipeg Jets
Wednesday, May 19: Jets at Oilers, 9 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Friday, May 21: Jets at Oilers, 9 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
Sunday, May 23: Oilers at Jets TBD
Monday, May 24: Oilers at Jets TBD
*Wednesday, May 26: Jets at Oilers TBD
*Friday, May 28: Oilers at Jets TBD
*Sunday, May 30: Jets at Oilers TBD
