Season structure of the NHL
Encyclopedia
The structure of the National Hockey League
(NHL) season is divided into the regular season and the Stanley Cup
playoffs. In the regular season, teams play 82 games which determine their standings. The eight top-seeded teams in each conference enter the playoff elimination tournament to determine the Stanley Cup champion.
In the 2008–09 season
, the NHL regular season reverted to the format used before the 2004–05 Lockout, where each team plays six games (three at home, three away) against the other teams in its division (a total of 24 games). Teams play all ten non-divisional teams in their own conference four times (twice at home, twice away, 40 total games). The remaining 18 games of the season are inter-conference play, allowing every team in the league to play every other team at least once. Each team plays 12 teams from the other conference once and plays the other three non-conference teams both home and away. If a non-conference team is played only once, next year's schedule will include at least one game between the same two teams at the opposite venue. The schedule is structured so that every NHL team plays in every arena at least once every two years.
For the six Canadian teams in the league prior to 2011-2012, the extra three inter-conference games were always against the three Canadian teams in the other conference. This ensured that all Canadian teams played home and away against their Canadian non-conference opponents each season, and each of the non-conference U.S. teams once per year. For the American teams, the extra three games are rotated each season between the twelve non-conference U.S. opponents in a way designed to ensure each U.S. team will play five regular season games against each U.S. team in the other conference over a four season cycle (two games in one of the seasons and one game in each of the other three seasons). Following the 2011 relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers
to Winnipeg
, the league decided not to alter the season structure for the following season, meaning that the new Winnipeg Jets
are still being treated as a U.S. Eastern Conference team for the purposes of the 2011-12 schedule. The league is expected to significantly alter the divisional alignment for the 2012-13 season.
The season is typically divided approximately in half by the NHL All-Star Game
and its accompanying festivities, during which no regular season games take place.
Two points are awarded for a win (including in overtime or shootout), one point for a loss (with one situational exception) in overtime or shootout, and no points for a loss in regulation time. If, however, a team pulls their goaltender for an extra attacker
during overtime and gives up an empty net goal, the point normally awarded for losing in overtime is forfeited.Pulling a goaltender in overtime was occasionally attempted in certain situations prior to the 2004-05 NHL lockout
near the end of a season where earning a single point in overtime would have been worthless for playoff qualification purposes, but with the introduction of the shootout it has not been attempted since.
playoffs, an elimination tournament consisting of three rounds of best-of-seven series to determine which team from each conference will advance to the final round, dubbed the Stanley Cup Final.
The teams are seeded one through eight in each conference. The teams that finish with the most points in each division are crowned the division champions, and are seeded one through three based on their point records. The next five teams with the best records in the conference are seeded four through eight. In the event of a tie in points standings, the highest ranking team is determined using the following tiebreaking procedures
:
The first round of the playoffs, or Conference Quarterfinals, consists of four match-ups in each conference, based on the seedings (# 1 vs. # 8, # 2 vs. # 7, # 3 vs. # 6, and # 4 vs. # 5). In the second round, or Conference Semifinals, the top remaining conference seed plays against the lowest remaining seed, and the other two remaining conference teams pair off (unlike the NBA, for example, where the 1–8 winner always plays the 4–5 winner, regardless of who wins). In the third round, the Conference Finals, the two remaining teams in each conference play each other, with the conference champions proceeding to the Stanley Cup Final.
For the first three rounds, the higher-seeded team has home-ice advantage (regardless of point record). In the Stanley Cup Final, it goes to the team with the better regular season record. The team with home-ice advantage hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, while the opponent hosts Games 3, 4 and 6 (Games 5–7 are played "if necessary").
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) season is divided into the regular season and the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
playoffs. In the regular season, teams play 82 games which determine their standings. The eight top-seeded teams in each conference enter the playoff elimination tournament to determine the Stanley Cup champion.
Regular season
Each team in the NHL plays 82 regular season games, 41 games at home and 41 on the road. In all, 1230 games are played.In the 2008–09 season
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
, the NHL regular season reverted to the format used before the 2004–05 Lockout, where each team plays six games (three at home, three away) against the other teams in its division (a total of 24 games). Teams play all ten non-divisional teams in their own conference four times (twice at home, twice away, 40 total games). The remaining 18 games of the season are inter-conference play, allowing every team in the league to play every other team at least once. Each team plays 12 teams from the other conference once and plays the other three non-conference teams both home and away. If a non-conference team is played only once, next year's schedule will include at least one game between the same two teams at the opposite venue. The schedule is structured so that every NHL team plays in every arena at least once every two years.
For the six Canadian teams in the league prior to 2011-2012, the extra three inter-conference games were always against the three Canadian teams in the other conference. This ensured that all Canadian teams played home and away against their Canadian non-conference opponents each season, and each of the non-conference U.S. teams once per year. For the American teams, the extra three games are rotated each season between the twelve non-conference U.S. opponents in a way designed to ensure each U.S. team will play five regular season games against each U.S. team in the other conference over a four season cycle (two games in one of the seasons and one game in each of the other three seasons). Following the 2011 relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, the league decided not to alter the season structure for the following season, meaning that the new Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
are still being treated as a U.S. Eastern Conference team for the purposes of the 2011-12 schedule. The league is expected to significantly alter the divisional alignment for the 2012-13 season.
The season is typically divided approximately in half by the NHL All-Star Game
National Hockey League All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held at the midway point of the regular season of the National Hockey League , with many of the league's star players playing against each other...
and its accompanying festivities, during which no regular season games take place.
Two points are awarded for a win (including in overtime or shootout), one point for a loss (with one situational exception) in overtime or shootout, and no points for a loss in regulation time. If, however, a team pulls their goaltender for an extra attacker
Extra attacker
An extra attacker in ice hockey is a forward or, less commonly, a defenceman who has been substituted in place of the goaltender. The purpose of this substitution is to gain an offensive advantage to score a goal...
during overtime and gives up an empty net goal, the point normally awarded for losing in overtime is forfeited.Pulling a goaltender in overtime was occasionally attempted in certain situations prior to the 2004-05 NHL lockout
2004-05 NHL lockout
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a lockout that resulted in the cancellation of what would have been the 88th season of play of the National Hockey League . It was the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded since 1919, and the first time a major professional sports league in North America canceled a...
near the end of a season where earning a single point in overtime would have been worthless for playoff qualification purposes, but with the introduction of the shootout it has not been attempted since.
| Division | Schedule | Total Games |
|---|---|---|
| Intra-Division | 6 games × 4 opponents | 24 |
| Non-divisional, in conference | 4 games × 10 opponents | 40 |
| Inter-conference | 1 game × 12 opponents + 2 games × 3 opponents | 18 |
Stanley Cup playoffs
At the end of the regular season, 16 teams, eight from each conference, qualify for the Stanley CupStanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
playoffs, an elimination tournament consisting of three rounds of best-of-seven series to determine which team from each conference will advance to the final round, dubbed the Stanley Cup Final.
The teams are seeded one through eight in each conference. The teams that finish with the most points in each division are crowned the division champions, and are seeded one through three based on their point records. The next five teams with the best records in the conference are seeded four through eight. In the event of a tie in points standings, the highest ranking team is determined using the following tiebreaking procedures
Tiebreaker
In games and sports, a tiebreaker or tiebreak is used to determine a winner from among players or teams that are tied at the end of a contest, or a set of contests.-In matches:In some situations, the tiebreaker may consist of another round of play...
:
- The fewer number of games played (only used during the season, as all teams will have played 82 games once the season is over).
- The greater number of games won. Starting in the 2010-11 NHL season, shootout wins are not included in the tie-breaking procedure.
- The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs.
- The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season.
The first round of the playoffs, or Conference Quarterfinals, consists of four match-ups in each conference, based on the seedings (# 1 vs. # 8, # 2 vs. # 7, # 3 vs. # 6, and # 4 vs. # 5). In the second round, or Conference Semifinals, the top remaining conference seed plays against the lowest remaining seed, and the other two remaining conference teams pair off (unlike the NBA, for example, where the 1–8 winner always plays the 4–5 winner, regardless of who wins). In the third round, the Conference Finals, the two remaining teams in each conference play each other, with the conference champions proceeding to the Stanley Cup Final.
For the first three rounds, the higher-seeded team has home-ice advantage (regardless of point record). In the Stanley Cup Final, it goes to the team with the better regular season record. The team with home-ice advantage hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, while the opponent hosts Games 3, 4 and 6 (Games 5–7 are played "if necessary").
See also
- List of the most frequent NHL playoff series
- National Hockey League rivalriesNational Hockey League rivalriesRivalries in the National Hockey League have occurred between many teams and cities. Rivalries have arisen for many different reasons, the primary ones including geographic proximity, familiarity with opponents, on-ice incidents , and cultural, linguistic, or national pride.The importance of...
- List of NHL franchise post-season appearance streaks
- List of NHL franchise post-season droughts