NHL’s Stanley Pup returns with 32 adoptable dogs and celebrity guests

The cutest part of Stanley Pup was also its quiet warning label: a dog can look perfect under the lights and still need a home built for exercise, training, and daily enrichment. The NHL announced the third straight Stanley Pup special on May 11, and the 90-minute broadcast will feature 32 adoptable dogs, with every NHL team represented in a miniature-rink setup that is built as much for spectacle as for adoption.

The 2026 special is set to premiere June 8 at 9:30 p.m. ET on truTV and HBO Max in the United States, with Sportsnet carrying it in Canada at 8 p.m. ET that same night. The rollout stretches further after that, with the show on the NHL’s YouTube channel on June 9, on NHL Network on June 10, and on Monumental Sports Network in the Washington, D.C. region. That kind of distribution underlines what Stanley Pup has become: a prime-time rescue showcase with a league-wide audience.

This year’s cast blends hockey and entertainment faces. Kenan Thompson and Doc Emrick are part of the celebrity lineup, along with NHL players Devin Cooley, Seth Jarvis, and Will Smith. Mark Shunock and Chris Rose handled commentary, while Alexa Landestoy reported rink-side. The format is built to make the dogs feel like stars, but the underlying message is harder-edged for anyone who has lived with a high-drive rescue: the most camera-ready pup is not always the easiest household fit.

That is where Elias Weiss Friedman, better known as The Dogist, enters the 2026 edition. He will host adoption follow-up segments featuring three families who adopted dogs from earlier Stanley Pup broadcasts, giving the special a real aftercare thread instead of stopping at the moment of applause. Brandywine Valley SPCA is again the adoption partner, and its scale gives the project some heft beyond the TV package. In 2025, the organization cared for 27,392 animals, placed 24,585 animals, and posted a 94% live-release rate while serving Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.

Stanley Pup has been widening since its debut in 2024, when the first 90-minute special featured 16 dogs representing the 16 playoff teams and aired on NHL Network and ESPN+ in the United States and on Sportsnet in Canada. In 2025, it expanded to all 32 NHL teams. The 2026 edition keeps that larger frame, with Petco Love still positioning the program as a national adoption spotlight and sponsors including BISSELL and Halo Collar in the mix. The dogs will still win the room, but Stanley Pup is at its strongest when the cute factor gives way to the real question behind every adoption: whether the home can match the dog once the cameras stop.