The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are now in full swing, having officially started on Saturday, April 18. While fans enjoyed games on CBC Gem during the regular season, the streaming landscape has tightened for the post-season. If you want to stream the games on your phone, tablet, or smart TV, Rogers Sportsnet+ is now the only official destination.
Although CBC Television continues to broadcast playoff games on traditional airwaves, the CBC Gem app does not have the rights to stream them this year. Similarly, while Amazon Prime Video hosted national games on Mondays during the regular season, their exclusive coverage ended when the playoffs began. To watch on CBC, you must use cable, satellite, or a digital antenna for over-the-air reception.
For those without a traditional cable subscription, Sportsnet+ is the primary streaming home for the playoffs. It offers every game of the first round and beyond, including all match-ups featuring Canadian teams.
Alright so what’s the cost of Sportsnet+? It starts from $29.99 per month for the Standard plan, which gets you every single NHL playoff game. But right now there’s a 4-month Stanley Cup Playoffs pass for $89.99 (normally $119.99). Are you going to open your wallet to Rogers?
For French-language coverage, TVA Sports remains the exclusive broadcaster, with streaming available through the TVA Sports app.
The three Canadian teams in the hunt this year are the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Edmonton Oilers. The Canadiens already secured a 4-3 overtime win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, while the Senators are looking to bounce back from a 2-0 loss to the Hurricanes.
The Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid (he recently won his sixth Art Ross Trophy, as the league’s leading scorer) officially begin their series at home against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday night. With the Florida Panthers not even in the playoffs, is this year McDavid’s time to shine?
During the regular season, fans often dealt with regional blackouts on channels like TSN or Sportsnet West. For the playoffs, all games featuring Canadian teams are considered national broadcasts. This means a Sportsnet+ subscription allows you to watch the Canadiens, Senators, or Oilers from anywhere in Canada without local blackout restrictions.
Who are you rooting for to win the Stanley Cup this year?
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