How to Watch the Stanley Cup Finals for Free

Editor's Note: This story comes from CableTV.com.

The Stanley Cup Finals is the pinnacle of professional ice hockey. Featuring the season’s top two NHL teams, the best-of-seven series determines the ultimate champion.

This year’s Cup Finals begins on Saturday, June 8, and features the Florida Panthers against the Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers have yet to win the Stanley Cup trophy, while the Oilers are five-time champions. But it’s been 34 years since Edmonton celebrated an NHL title, so much anticipation rides on both franchises.

ABC/ESPN+ will broadcast the 2024 Finals, alternating with TNT over the next several years. Because there are multiple ways to tune in, in the following we highlight the best ways to watch the championship series, paid and free.

What channel shows the Stanley Cup Finals?

Every 2024 Stanley Cup Finals game will air on ABC and ESPN+. Spanish-language coverage will also be available on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes for the entire best-of-seven series.

In Canada, English-language coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals will air on CBC and Sportsnet, with Canadian French–language commentary on TVA Sports.

2024 Stanley Cup Finals TV schedule

The grand finale of the 2023–2024 NHL season begins on Saturday, June 8. If all seven games are necessary, the championship series will wrap up in Sunrise, Florida, on Monday, June 24.

Here’s a list of games with respective dates, times, and channels.

• Game 1: Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers — Saturday, June 8, 8:00 p.m. — ABC, ESPN+
• Game 2: Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers — Monday, June 10 8:00 p.m. — ABC, ESPN+
• Game 3: Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers — Thursday, June 13 8:00 p.m. — ABC, ESPN+
• Game 4: Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers — Saturday, June 15 8:00 p.m. — ABC, ESPN+
• Game 5: Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers* — Tuesday, June 18 8:00 p.m. — ABC, ESPN+
• Game 6: Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers* — Friday, June 21 8:00 p.m. — ABC, ESPN+
• Game 7: Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers* — Monday, June 24 8:00 p.m. — ABC, ESPN+

*If necessary.

Best Stanley Cup Finals TV plans

The best TV plan for watching the Stanley Cup Finals depends on your viewing setup.

This season, we recommend ESPN+ because it’s the cheapest way to watch every game. It costs $10.99 a month, and you can cancel anytime.

But you may want to stay subscribed longer than the Cup Finals because ESPN+ also shows the NHL Draft at the end of June and out-of-market NHL games during the regular season.

Another inexpensive way to watch the Stanley Cup Finals is to ditch a TV plan and connect a digital antenna to your TV.

It may sound like an old-fashioned method, but an antenna can get you the entire championship series if you live near an ABC affiliate station.

Which TV providers carry the Stanley Cup Finals?

Perhaps you want to browse TV providers yourself. The following services carry ABC for complete Stanley Cup Finals coverage.

• Cox: Cable, $61.00–$152.00/mo.
• DIRECTV: Satellite, $69.99–$159.99/mo.
• DIRECTV STREAM: Streaming, $69.99–$159.99/mo.
• DISH: Satellite, $84.99–$114.99/mo.
• Fubo: Streaming, $32.99–$99.99/mo.
• Hulu + Live TV: Streaming, $76.99–$89.99/mo.
• Optimum: Cable, $35.00–$125.00/mo.
• Sling TV: Streaming, $40.00–$55.00/mo.†
• Spectrum: Cable, $69.99–$74.99/mo.
• Verizon Fios: Cable, $85.00–$129.00/mo.
• Xfinity: Cable, $20.00–$80.00/mo.
• YouTube TV: Streaming, $72.99/mo.

Data effective as of post date.

† Available only in select markets with Sling Blue. Without ABC, Sling Orange subscribers can stream the Stanley Cup Finals on ESPN3.

How can I watch the Stanley Cup Finals for free?

The only free way to watch the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals is by trying a live TV streaming trial or using an over-the-air (OTA) antenna.

Fubo and DIRECTV STREAM are live TV streaming services that carry ABC and offer free trials. But trial lengths vary between providers, so you may need both to watch the complete NHL championship series.

We like the antenna route better because it’ll get you every game as long as you’re within range of an ABC station. You can check that by entering your zip code into the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Reception Map Tool.

Then, head to our Best OTA Antennas page for a list of recommended antennas.

2024 Stanley Cup Finals overview: Previous encounters

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers have never met in an NHL playoff series until now. But the two sides have faced off 42 times in the regular season since Florida joined the league in 1993.

Historical odds favor the Oilers, who hold a 23–16–3 all-time series record against the Panthers. However, Florida won both meetings this past season, topping Edmonton 5–3 in November and 5–1 in December.

What to expect

The 2024 Stanley Cup Finals marks the Florida Panthers’ second consecutive championship appearance. Last season, they were annihilated by the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. But it wasn’t as bad as when the Colorado Avalanche shut out Florida in the 1996 Finals.

On the other side of the ice, the Edmonton Oilers haven’t been to the Cup Finals since 2006 and haven’t won it since 1990. This year’s appearance is quite a Cinderella story for the Alberta-based team. The Oilers had several rough spells this season, but they’ve managed some impressive playoff wins so far.

The Panthers may be the favorites in this series. After all, they passed through the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers to get here.

But we shouldn’t rule out Edmonton with star players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Some may even say it’s about time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup again.

Next are a few FAQ on how to watch the Stanley Cup Finals.

What date will the Stanley Cup Finals be played?

The 2024 Stanley Cup Finals will begin on Saturday, June 8, almost three months after the NHL regular season ended on Thursday, April 18.

Can I watch the Stanley Cup Finals without cable?

Yes, you can watch the Stanley Cup Finals without cable by streaming every game on ESPN+. You can also sign up for any live TV streaming service that carries ABC.

Will ESPN+ have the Stanley Cup Finals?

Yes, the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals will stream live on ESPN+. The streaming service carries the championship series every even year through 2028.