The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs begin on April 19. The Winnipeg Jets are the NHL's top overall seed, having finished the regular season with the most points in the standings, and the Washington Capitals earned the No. 1 seed in the East.

But this time there's a twist. In 2021 and 2022, the Lightning were the defending Stanley Cup champion; this time the Panthers are. Each time the two teams have faced each other, the winner of the series has gone on to reach the Stanley Cup Final.

The Stanley Cup playoffs will air across ESPN, ESPN2, TNT and truTV. You can stream the TNT/truTV games on Max (with a premium subscription) and watch all the games with the help of a live TV streaming service like DirecTV, Fubo or Sling.