When do the NHL Playoffs start?

Your Washington Capitals take on the New York Rangers Sunday at 3 p.m. on Sunday for Game 1 from Madison Square Garden on ESPN and Monumental Sports Network. For the rest of the league around the NHL the postseason actually begins this Saturday on April 20.

The following is the NHL game slate tonight where you can catch the games on ESPN and ESPN plus with all times eastern: Kraken vs. Wild at 7, Canucks vs. Jets at 8, Sharks vs. Flames at 9, Oilers vs. Avalanche at 9:30, Ducks vs. Golden Knights at 10 and Blackhawks vs. Kings at 10:30.

After that every team is 0-0. At the conclusion we should know the full Capitals first round scheudle with playoff tickets on sale today at 5 p.m. on Ticketmaster.

Saturday April 20 features the Islanders and Hurricanes at 5 p.m. and the Maple Leafs and Bruins at 8 p.m. You can catch those games on TBS, TRU TV, and MAX. On Sunday before the Caps game ESPN will show the Lightning and Panthers in the battle of the sunshine state.

Today was an optional skate for the Capitals at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. Per Bailey Johnson of The Washington Post on X, Nick Jensen and Rasmus Sandin each skated before the optional. Caps Coach Spencer Carbery said that it's possible that each could be available on Sunday depending on how the week goes.

Dylan Strome joked with reporters about the goal differential. Alex Ovechkin and Charlie LIndgren talked about the importance of the task at hand. All the pressers are certainly worth the watch. In other Caps news on the AHL side of things, goaltender Hunter Shepard was named as a First Team All Star.

With the best team in the AHL, Shepard posted a 1.75 goals against average and a .929 save percentage while posting an .894 save percentage in four NHL games with the big club.