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{{WIP}}
{{Redirect|LAHX}}
{{short description|Asturllionese professional ice hockey league}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title = Asturllionese Ice Hockey League <br /><small>{{nobold|''Lliga AsturllinesaAsturllionesa de Hoquei Xelu'' (Asturllionese)}}</small>
| upcoming_season = 2020–21 NHLLAHX season
| champion = [[]]<br />(2nd title)
| most_champs = [[La Rana Salmantina]]<br />
| logo = 05 NHL Shield.svg
| pixels = 190px
| sport = Ice hockey
| founded =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1917|11|26|p=yes}},<br />[[Montreal|Montreal, Quebec]], Canada
| inaugural = [[1968–69 LAHX season|1968–69]]
| commissioner = [[]]
Line 15 ⟶ 16:
| teams = 12
| countries = Asturies-Llión
| continent = Europe}}
}}
 
 
The '''Asturllionese Ice Hockey League''' ('''LAHX'''; Lliga Asturllionesa de Hoquei Xelu) is a professional [[ice hockey]] [[sports league|league]] in Europe, currently comprising 12 teams. The LAHX is considered one of the major professional sports leagues in Asturies-Llión.
The '''National Hockey League''' ('''NHL'''; {{lang-fr|Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH}}) is a professional [[ice hockey]] [[sports league|league]] in North America, currently comprising 31 teams: 24 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world,<ref name="premier">{{cite encyclopedia|title=National Hockey League |first=James |last=Marsh|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/national-hockey-league/ <!--Bot repaired link--> |encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopedia |year=2006 |accessdate=June 11, 2006}}</ref> and one of the [[major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada]]. The [[Stanley Cup]], the oldest professional sports trophy in North America,<ref>{{cite news|last=Roarke|first=Shawn P.|title=Stanley Cup has incredible history|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/stanley-cup-has-incredible-125-years-of-history/c-287633638|publisher=NHL Enterprises|website=NHL.com|date=March 12, 2017|access-date=June 12, 2020}}</ref> is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season.
 
The National Hockey League was organized on November 26, 1917, at the [[Windsor Hotel (Montreal)|Windsor Hotel]] in [[Montreal]] after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization, the [[National Hockey Association]] (NHA), which had been founded in 1909 in [[Renfrew, Ontario]].<ref>''The National Hockey League Official Record Book & Guide 2009'' 77th Edition, p. 9. New York: National Hockey League (2008)</ref> The NHL immediately took the NHA's place as one of the leagues that contested for the Stanley Cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and foldings left the NHL as the only league left competing for the Stanley Cup in 1926.
 
At its inception, the NHL had four teams—all in Canada, thus the adjective "National" in the league's name. The league expanded to the United States in 1924, when the [[Boston Bruins]] joined, and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams. From 1942 to 1967, the league had only six teams, collectively (if not contemporaneously) nicknamed the "[[Original Six]]". The NHL added six new teams to double its size at the [[1967 NHL expansion]]. The league then increased to 18 teams by 1974 and 21 teams in 1979. Between 1991 and 2000, the NHL further expanded to 30 teams. It added its 31st team in 2017 and has approved the addition of a 32nd team in 2021.
 
The league's headquarters have been in [[New York City]] since 1989 when the head office moved from Montreal.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Todd|first1=Jack|title=Americans and Bettman have stolen Canada's game|url=https://calgaryherald.com/sports/opinion+americans+bettman+have+stolen+canada+game/7251426/story.html|accessdate=January 31, 2018|work=[[Calgary Herald]]|date=September 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127034723/http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/opinion+americans+bettman+have+stolen+canada+game/7251426/story.html|archive-date=January 27, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> There have been four league-wide work stoppages in NHL history, all occurring after 1992.<ref name=JohnCollins>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aGY7pu.INAhA| publisher=Bloomberg L.P.| title=NHL Borrows From NFL as It Pursues Bigger TV Contract| first=Curtis| last=Eichelberger| date=May 29, 2009| accessdate=June 29, 2009}}{{dead link|date=September 2020}}</ref> The [[International Ice Hockey Federation]] (IIHF) considers the Stanley Cup to be one of the "most important championships available to the sport".<ref>{{cite web|title=Triple Gold Goalies... not|url=http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=850|website=International Ice Hockey Federation|author=Podnieks, Andrew|date=March 25, 2008|accessdate=June 17, 2017}}</ref> The NHL draws many highly skilled players from all over the world and currently has players from approximately 20 countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=QuantHockey.com |url=http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/nationality-totals/active-nhl-players-2011-12-stats.html|accessdate=November 19, 2012}}</ref> Canadians have historically constituted the majority of the players in the league, with an increasing percentage of American and European players in recent seasons.
 
The NHL is the fifth-wealthiest [[professional sport]] league in the world by [[List of professional sports leagues by revenue|revenue]], after the [[National Football League]] (NFL), [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA), and the [[Premier League]].<ref name="urlMajor sports leagues all make a lot of money, heres how they do it:, Major sports leagues all make a lot of money, heres how they do it:">{{cite web |url=https://globalsportmatters.com/business/2019/03/07/tv-is-biggest-driver-in-global-sport-league-revenue/ |title=Major sports leagues all make a lot of money, here's how they do it:, Major sports leagues all make a lot of money, here's how they do it |format= |accessdate=}}</ref>
 
==History==
{{NHLHistory}}
{{Main|History of the National Hockey League}}
 
===Early years===
The National Hockey League was established in 1917 as the successor to the [[National Hockey Association]] (NHA). Founded in 1909, the NHA [[1910 NHA season|began play one year later]] with seven teams in [[Ontario]] and [[Quebec]], and was one of the first major leagues in professional ice hockey. But by [[1916–17 NHA season|the NHA's eighth season]], a series of disputes with [[Toronto Blueshirts]] owner [[Eddie Livingstone]] led team owners of the [[Montreal Canadiens]], [[Montreal Wanderers]], [[Ottawa Senators (original)|Ottawa Senators]], and [[Quebec Bulldogs]] to hold a meeting to discuss the league's future.<ref name="mcfarlane_15_16">{{harvnb|McFarlane|1997|pp=15–16}}</ref> Realizing the NHA constitution left them unable to force Livingstone out, the four teams voted instead to suspend the NHA, and on November 26, 1917, formed the National Hockey League. [[Frank Calder]] was chosen as its first president, serving until his death in 1943.<ref>{{Harvnb|Holzman|Nieforth|2002|p=159}}</ref>
 
The Bulldogs were unable to play, and the remaining owners created a new team in Toronto, the [[Toronto Arenas|Arenas]], to compete with the Canadiens, Wanderers and Senators.<ref>{{harvnb|McKinley|2006|p=77}}</ref> The first games were played on December 19, 1917.<ref name="Jenish 2">{{cite book|last1=Jenish|first1=D'Arcy|title=The NHL : 100 years of on-ice action and boardroom battles|date=2013|publisher=Doubleday Canada|isbn=978-0385671460|page=16}}</ref> The [[Montreal Arena]] burned down in January 1918, causing the Wanderers to cease operations,<ref>{{cite web|title=Early Leagues and the Birth of the NHL |url=http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app?service=page&page=NHLPage&bcid=his_EarlyLeagues |last=McFarlane |first=Brian |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=January 17, 2010 |ref=harv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091130110236/http://capitals.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page |archivedate=November 30, 2009 }}</ref> and the NHL continued on as a three-team league until the Bulldogs returned in 1919.<ref name="pincus24">{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=24}}</ref>
 
The NHL replaced the NHA as one of the leagues that competed for the Stanley Cup, which was an interleague competition back then. Toronto won the first NHL title, and then defeated the [[Vancouver Millionaires]] of the [[Pacific Coast Hockey Association]] (PCHA) for the [[1918 Stanley Cup Finals|1918 Stanley Cup]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Holzman|Nieforth|2002|p=197}}</ref> The Canadiens won the league title in 1919; however their Stanley Cup Final against the PCHA's [[Seattle Metropolitans]] was abandoned as a result of the [[1918 flu pandemic|Spanish Flu]] epidemic.<ref name="pincus23">{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=23}}</ref> Montreal in 1924 won their first Stanley Cup as a member of the NHL.<ref>{{Harvnb|Sandor|2005|p=33}}</ref> The [[Hamilton Tigers (ice hockey)|Hamilton Tigers]], won the regular season title in [[1924–25 NHL season|1924–25]] but refused to play in the championship series unless they were given a [[Canadian dollar|C$]]200 bonus.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=35}}</ref> The league refused and declared the Canadiens the league champion after they defeated the [[Toronto Maple Leafs|Toronto St. Patricks]] (formerly the Arenas) in the semi-final. Montreal was then defeated by the [[Victoria Cougars]] of the [[Western Canada Hockey League]] (WCHL) for the [[1925 Stanley Cup Finals|1925 Stanley Cup]]. It was the last time a non-NHL team won the trophy,<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=STC&year=1924-25 |title=Victoria Cougars—1924–25 Stanley Cup |accessdate=January 17, 2010 |journal=Legends of Hockey |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |ref=harv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930080728/http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=STC&year=1924-25 |archivedate=September 30, 2007 |df= }}</ref> as the Stanley Cup became the ''de facto'' NHL championship in 1926 after the WCHL ceased operation.<ref>{{Harvnb|Sandor|2005|p=35}}</ref>
 
The National Hockey League embarked on rapid expansion in the 1920s, adding the [[Montreal Maroons]] and [[Boston Bruins]] in 1924. The Bruins were the first American team in the league.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://bruins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=5489 |title=The History of the Hub of Hockey |accessdate=May 16, 2008 |publisher=Boston Bruins Hockey Club |ref=harv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501130542/http://bruins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=5489 |archivedate=May 1, 2008 |df= }}</ref> The [[New York Americans]] began play in 1925 after purchasing the assets of the Hamilton Tigers, and were joined by the [[Pittsburgh Pirates (NHL)|Pittsburgh Pirates]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Holzman|Nieforth|2002|p=262}}</ref> The [[New York Rangers]] were added in 1926.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=33}}</ref> The [[Chicago Blackhawks|Chicago Black Hawks]] and [[Detroit Red Wings|Detroit Cougars]] (later Red Wings) were also added after the league purchased the assets of the defunct WCHL.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=29}}</ref> A group purchased the Toronto St. Patricks in 1927 and immediately renamed them the Maple Leafs.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=39}}</ref>
 
===The Original Six===
{{main|Original Six}}
The first [[NHL All-Star Game]] was held in 1934 to benefit [[Ace Bailey]], whose career ended on a vicious hit by [[Eddie Shore]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=47}}</ref> The second was held in 1937 in support of [[Howie Morenz]]'s family when he died of a coronary embolism after breaking his leg during a game.<ref>{{Harvnb|McKinley|2006|p=120}}</ref>
 
The [[Great Depression]] and the onset of World War II took a toll on the league. The Pirates became the [[Philadelphia Quakers (NHL)|Philadelphia Quakers]] in 1930, then folded one year later. The Senators likewise became the [[St. Louis Eagles]] in 1934, also lasting only one year.<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=33}}</ref> The Maroons did not survive, as they suspended operations in 1938.<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=37}}</ref> The Americans were suspended in 1942 due to a lack of available players, and were never reactivated.<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=43}}</ref>
 
The league was reduced to six teams for the [[1942–43 NHL season]]: the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. These six teams remained constant for 25 years, a period known as the Original Six. The league reached an agreement with the Stanley Cup trustees in 1947 to take full control of the trophy, allowing the NHL to reject challenges from other leagues that wished to play for the Cup.<ref>{{cite book |last=Diamond |first=Dan |author2=Zweig, Eric |author3=Duplacey, James |title=The Ultimate Prize: The Stanley Cup |year=2003 |publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing |isbn=0-7407-3830-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/ultimateprizesta0000diam/page/40 40] |url=https://archive.org/details/ultimateprizesta0000diam/page/40 }}</ref>
 
[[File:Montreal Canadiens hockey team, October 1942.jpg|thumb|Montreal Canadiens in 1942]]
In 1945, [[Maurice Richard|Maurice "Rocket" Richard]] became the first player to score [[List of NHL players with 50 goal seasons|50 goals]], doing so in a [[50 goals in 50 games|50-game season]].<ref>{{Cite journal |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196108&type=Player&page=bio&list=ByName#photo |title=The Legends—Rocket Richard |accessdate=January 18, 2010 |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |ref=harv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307224757/http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p196108&type=Player&page=bio&list=ByName#photo |archivedate=March 7, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Richard later led the Canadiens to five consecutive titles between 1956 and 1960, a record no team has matched.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=100}}</ref>
 
On March 13, 1948, [[Larry Kwong]] became the first non-white player in the NHL and broke the league's [[Racial segregation|colour barrier]], playing for the New York Rangers.<ref name="ward">{{cite web |last1=Ward |first1=Rachel |title=1st NHL player of colour, Larry Kwong, dies at 94 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/larry-kwong-calgary-nhl-1.4582793 |work=[[CBC News]] |accessdate=June 5, 2020 |date=March 19, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=David |title=A Hockey Pioneer's Moment |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/sports/hockey/larry-kwongs-shift-for-rangers-in-1947-48-broke-a-barrier.html |website=The New York Times |accessdate=June 5, 2020 |date=February 19, 2013}}</ref> Ten years later, [[Willie O'Ree]] became the first black player in league history on January 18, 1958, when he made his debut with the Boston Bruins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Willie Eldon O'Ree |website=legendsofhockey.net |accessdate=June 5, 2020 |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13894 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118092936/http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13894 |url-status=dead |archivedate=January 18, 2008}}</ref>
 
===Post-Original Six expansion===
By the mid-1960s, the desire for a network television contract in the U.S., and concerns that the [[Western Hockey League (minor pro)|Western Hockey League]] was planning to declare itself a major league and challenge for the Stanley Cup, spurred the league to undertake its first [[1967 NHL Expansion|expansion]] since the 1920s. The league doubled in size to 12 teams for the [[1967–68 NHL season|1967–68 season]], adding the [[Los Angeles Kings]], [[Minnesota North Stars]], [[Philadelphia Flyers]], [[Pittsburgh Penguins]], [[California Seals]] and [[St. Louis Blues]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Diamond|1991|p=175}}</ref> Canadian fans were outraged that all six teams were placed in the United States,<ref>{{Harvnb|McKinley|2006|pp=194–195}}</ref> and the league responded by adding the [[Vancouver Canucks]] in [[1970–71 NHL season|1970]] along with the [[Buffalo Sabres]], who are both located on the [[Canada–United States border|Canada–US border]].<ref>{{Harvnb |McFarlane |1990 |pp=106–107}}</ref> Two years later, the emergence of the newly founded [[World Hockey Association]] (WHA) led the league to add the [[New York Islanders]] and [[Atlanta Flames]] to keep the rival league out of those markets.<ref>{{Harvnb|Boer|2006|p=13}}</ref> In 1974, the [[Washington Capitals]] and [[Kansas City Scouts]] were added, bringing the league up to 18 teams.<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=115}}</ref>
 
The National Hockey League fought the WHA for players, losing 67 to the new league in its first season of [[1972–73 WHA season|1972–73]],<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=113}}</ref> including [[Bobby Hull]], who signed a ten-year, $2.5&nbsp;million contract with the [[Winnipeg Jets (1972–96)|Winnipeg Jets]], the largest in hockey history at the time.<ref>{{Harvnb|Willes|2004|p=33}}</ref> The league attempted to block the defections in court, but a counter-suit by the WHA led to a Philadelphia judge ruling the NHL's [[reserve clause]] to be illegal, thus eliminating the elder league's monopoly over the players.<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=133}}</ref> Seven years of battling for players and markets financially damaged both leagues, leading to a 1979 [[NHL–WHA merger|merger agreement]] that saw the WHA cease operations while the NHL absorbed the Winnipeg Jets, [[Edmonton Oilers]], [[Hartford Whalers]] and [[Quebec Nordiques]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Willes|2004|p=214}}</ref> The owners initially rejected this merger agreement by one vote, but a massive boycott of [[Molson Brewery]] products by fans in Canada caused the Montreal Canadiens, which was owned by Molson, to reverse its position, along with the Vancouver Canucks. In a second vote the plan was approved.<ref>{{Harvnb|Willes|2004|p=251}}</ref>
 
[[Wayne Gretzky]] played one season in the WHA for the [[Indianapolis Racers]] (eight games) and the [[Edmonton Oilers]] (72 games) before the Oilers joined the National Hockey League for the [[1979–80 NHL season|1979–80 season]].<ref name="LOHGretzky">{{Cite journal |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p199901&page=bio&list=#photo |title=The Legends—Wayne Gretzky |accessdate=January 18, 2010 |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame |ref=harv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123203450/http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p199901&page=bio&list=#photo |archivedate=November 23, 2005 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Gretzky went on to lead the Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships in 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988, and set single season records for goals (92 in [[1981–82 NHL season|1981–82]]), assists (163 in [[1985–86 NHL season|1985–86]]) and points (215 in 1985–86), as well as career records for goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857).<ref name="LOHGretzky" /> He was traded to the Kings in 1988, a deal that dramatically improved the league's popularity in the United States. By the turn of the century nine more teams were added to the NHL: the [[San Jose Sharks]], [[Tampa Bay Lightning]], [[Ottawa Senators]], [[Mighty Ducks of Anaheim]], [[Florida Panthers]], [[Nashville Predators]], [[Atlanta Thrashers]] (now [[Winnipeg Jets]]), and in 2000 the [[Minnesota Wild]] and [[Columbus Blue Jackets]].<ref name="EOHGretzky">{{Cite journal|url=http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/dynasty_highlights_gretzkytrade.html |title=Edmonton's Saddest Hockey Day—The Gretzky Trade |accessdate=January 18, 2010 |publisher=Edmonton Oilers Heritage Foundation |ref=harv |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201052918/https://www.oilersheritage.com/history/dynasty_highlights_gretzkytrade.html |archivedate=February 1, 2010 |df= }}</ref> On July 21, 2015, the NHL confirmed that it had received applications from prospective ownership groups in [[Quebec City]] and [[Las Vegas]] for possible expansion teams,<ref name="NHL update">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=775295|title=Update on NHL expansion application process|website=National Hockey League|date=July 21, 2015|accessdate=July 21, 2015}}</ref> and on June 22, 2016, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the addition of a 31st franchise, based in Las Vegas and later named the [[Vegas Golden Knights]], into the NHL for the 2017–18 season.<ref name="Vegas expansion">{{cite news|last=Rosen|first=Dan|title=Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-expands-to-las-vegas/c-281010682?tid=281011650|publisher=NHL Enterprises, L.P.|website=NHL.com|date=June 22, 2016|accessdate=December 5, 2018}}</ref> On December 4, 2018, the league announced a 32nd franchise in Seattle, later named the [[Seattle Kraken]], to begin play in the 2021–22 season.<ref name="Seattle expansion">{{cite news|last=Rosen|first=Dan|title=Seattle NHL expansion approved by Board of Governors|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-nhl-expansion-approved-to-be-32nd-team-play-in-2021-22/c-302581450|publisher=NHL Enterprises, L.P.|website=NHL.com|date=December 4, 2018|accessdate=December 5, 2018}}</ref>
 
===Labour<!--This article uses Canadian English spelling--> issues===
There have been four league-wide work stoppages in NHL history, all occurring after [[1991–92 NHL season|1992]].
The first was a [[1992 NHL strike|strike]] by the [[National Hockey League Players' Association]] in April 1992 which lasted for ten days, but the strike was settled quickly and all affected games were rescheduled.<ref name="labour_history">{{Cite news|title=We've been here before |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/flashback.html |author=CBC Sports |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=January 29, 2004 |accessdate=June 9, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050409050550/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/flashback.html |archivedate=April 9, 2005 }}</ref>
 
A [[1994–95 NHL lockout|lockout]] at the start of the [[1994–95 NHL season|1994–95 season]] forced the league to reduce the schedule from 84 games to just 48, with the teams playing only intra-conference games during the reduced season.<ref name="labour_history" /> The resulting [[NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement|collective bargaining agreement]] (CBA) was set for renegotiation in 1998 and extended to September 15, 2004.<ref name="2004_lockout">{{Cite journal|title=The hockey lockout of 2004–05 |last=audohar |first=Paul D. |journal=Monthly Labor Review |url=http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2005/12/art3full.pdf |date=December 2005|ref=harv}}</ref>
 
With no new agreement in hand when the contract expired on September 15, 2004, league commissioner [[Gary Bettman]] announced a [[2004–05 NHL lockout|lockout]] of the players union and closed the league's head office.<ref name="2004_lockout" /> The league vowed to install what it dubbed "cost certainty" for its teams, but the Players' Association countered that the move was little more than a euphemism for a [[salary cap]], which the union initially said it would not accept. The lockout shut down the league for 310 days, the longest in sports history, as the NHL became the first professional sports league to lose an entire season.<ref name="2004_lockout" /> A new collective bargaining agreement was eventually ratified in July 2005, including a salary cap. The agreement had a term of six years with an option of extending the collective bargaining agreement for an additional year at the end of the term, allowing the league to resume as of the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]].<ref name="2004_lockout" />
 
On October 5, 2005, the first post-lockout season took to the ice with all 30 teams. The NHL received record attendance in the 2005–06 season: an average of 16,955 per game.<ref name="season_review">{{Cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/hockey_features/season_review.html |title=A season to remember |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |first=John |last=Molinaro |date=April 20, 2006 |accessdate=June 9, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618174146/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/hockey_features/season_review.html |archivedate=June 18, 2006 }}</ref> The League's TV audience was slower to rebound because of American cable broadcaster [[ESPN]]'s decision to drop the sport.<ref name="ibisworld">{{cite web|url=http://www1.ibisworld.com/pressrelease/pressrelease.aspx?prid=107 |title=Super Bowl XLII versus the Economy |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603025811/http://www.ibisworld.com/pressrelease/pressrelease.aspx?prid=107 |archivedate=June 3, 2008 |df= }}</ref> The league's post-lockout agreement with [[NHL on NBC|NBC]] gave the league a share of revenue from each game's advertising sales, rather than the usual lump sum paid up front for game rights. The league's annual revenues were estimated at approximately $2.27&nbsp;billion.<ref name="ibisworld"/>
 
At midnight September 16, 2012, the labour pact expired, and the league again locked out the players.<ref>{{cite news|title=On ice: NHL locks out its players|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57513713/on-ice-nhl-locks-out-its-players/|publisher=CBS News|accessdate=September 16, 2012}}</ref> The owners proposed reducing the players' share of hockey-related revenues from 57 percent to 47 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8382911/nhl-officially-locks-players-cba-expires |title=NHL imposes league-wide lockout |first= Katie |last=Strang | publisher=ESPNNewYork.com |date=September 16, 2012 |accessdate=September 16, 2012}}</ref> All games were cancelled up to January 14, 2013, as well as the [[2013 NHL Winter Classic]] and the [[2015 National Hockey League All-Star Game|2013 NHL All-Star Weekend]].<ref>{{cite web|title=NHL announces cancellation of 2012–13 regular-season schedule through January 14|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=648084|website=National Hockey League|accessdate=December 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221210553/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=648084|archive-date=December 21, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="2013WinterClassic-cancelled">{{cite web|title=NHL cancels 2013 Winter Classic|url=http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2012/11/02/nhl-cancels-2013-winter-classic/related/|publisher=NBC News|accessdate=November 2, 2012|date=November 2, 2012}}</ref><ref name="2013AllStar-cancelled">{{cite news|title=NHL cancels games through Dec. 14, All-Star game|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-57553761/nhl-cancels-games-through-dec-14-all-star-game/|publisher=CBS News|accessdate=November 23, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Dec30-cancelled">{{cite web|agency=The Canadian Press |title=NHL Announces Game Cancellations Through Dec. 30 |publisher=The Sports Network |date=December 10, 2012 |url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=411343 |accessdate=December 10, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211112604/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=411343 |archivedate=December 11, 2012 }}
</ref> A tentative agreement was reached on January 6, 2013, on a ten-year deal.<ref>{{cite news |title=NHL OWNERS TO VOTE ON CONTRACT WEDNESDAY |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nhl-owners-vote-contract-wednesday |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=January 8, 2013}}</ref> On January 12, the league and the Players' Association signed a memorandum of understanding on the new deal, allowing teams to begin their training camps on January 13, with a shortened 48-game season schedule that began on January 19.<ref>{{cite web|title=NHL, players finalize agreement, camps can open Sunday|url=http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/1828151?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CDetroit%20Red%20Wings%7Cp|work=Detroit Free Press|accessdate=January 13, 2013}}</ref>
 
===Player safety issues===
Player safety has become a major issue, with concussions &ndash; a result from a hard hit to the head &ndash; being the primary concern. Recent studies have shown how the consequences of concussions can last beyond player retirement.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} This has significant effects on the league as elite players have suffered from the aftereffects of concussions, such as [[Sidney Crosby]] being sidelined for approximately 10 and a half months, which adversely affects the league's marketability.<ref>{{cite news|author=Josh Hargreaves |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/crosby-discusses-lengthy-recovery-road-from-concussions-safety-of-the-game/article14118504/ |title=Crosby discusses lengthy recovery road from concussions, safety of the game |work=The Globe and Mail |date=September 5, 2013 |accessdate=March 14, 2014 |location=Toronto}}</ref> In December 2009, [[Brendan Shanahan]] was hired to replace Colin Campbell and given the role of senior vice-president of player safety. Shanahan began to hand out suspensions on high-profile perpetrators responsible for dangerous hits, such as [[Raffi Torres]] receiving 25 games for his hit on [[Marián Hossa|Marian Hossa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/04/21/video-brendan-shanahan-explains-raffi-torres-25-game-suspension/ |title=Video: Brendan Shanahan Explains Raffi Torres' 25 Game Suspension « CBS Chicago |publisher=Chicago.cbslocal.com |date=April 21, 2012 |accessdate=March 14, 2014}}</ref>
 
To aid with removing high speed collisions on icing, which had led to several potential career-ending injuries such as Hurricanes' defenceman [[Joni Pitkänen|Joni Pitkanen]], the league mandated hybrid no-touch icing for the 2013–14 NHL season.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wyshynski |first=Greg |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/nhl-players-approve-hybrid-icing-safety-trumps-subjectivity-231456246--nhl.html |title=NHL players approve hybrid icing, as safety trumps subjectivity &#124; Puck Daddy|work=Yahoo! Sports |date=September 30, 2013 |accessdate=March 14, 2014}}</ref>
 
On November 25, 2013, ten former players (Gary Leeman, Rick Vaive, Brad Aitken, Darren Banks, Curt Bennett, Richie Dunn, Warren Holmes, Bob Manno, Blair Stewart and Morris Titanic) sued the league for negligence on protecting players from concussions. The suit came three months after the [[National Football League]] agreed to pay former players US$765&nbsp;million due to a player safety lawsuit.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=437509 |title=Former NHL players sue league over concussions |publisher=The Sports Network |date=November 25, 2013 |accessdate=March 14, 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140131131031/http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=437509 |archivedate=January 31, 2014 }}</ref>
 
===Women in the NHL===
From 1952 to 1955, [[Marguerite Norris]] served as president of the Detroit Red Wings, the first woman NHL executive and the first woman to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup. In 1992, [[Manon Rhéaume|Manon Rheaume]] became the first woman to play a game in any of the major professional North American sports leagues, as a goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning in an NHL pre-season game against the [[St. Louis Blues]], stopping seven of nine shots.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Basu |first1=Arpon |title=Part 1: Manon Rhéaume shatters the gender barrier |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=642005 |website=NHL.com |accessdate=April 15, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925233533/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=642005 |archivedate=September 25, 2012 |date=September 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Manon Rheaume, Team Canada |url=http://www.whockey.com/profile/canada/rheaume.html |website=whockey.com |accessdate=April 15, 2020}}</ref> In 2016, Dawn Braid was hired as the [[Arizona Coyotes]]' skating coach, making her the first female full-time coach in the NHL.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bieler |first1=Des |title=NHL's first female full-time coach hired by Arizona Coyotes |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/08/24/nhls-first-female-full-time-coach-hired-by-arizona-coyotes/ |website=Washington Post |accessdate=April 15, 2020 |date=August 24, 2016}}</ref> The first female referees in the NHL were hired in a test-run during the league's preseason prospect tournaments in September 2019.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Roarke |first1=Shawn P. |title=Women officials thrilled by NHL experience |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/women-referees-at-nhl-prospect-tournament/c-309020390 |website=NHL.com |accessdate=February 6, 2020 |date=September 10, 2019}}</ref>
 
In 2016, the NHL hosted the [[2016 Outdoor Women's Classic]], an exhibition game between the [[Boston Pride]] of the [[National Women's Hockey League]] and [[Les Canadiennes]] of the [[Canadian Women's Hockey League]], as part of the [[2016 NHL Winter Classic]] weekend festivities.<ref>{{cite web |title=NHL to host first-ever Outdoor Women's Classic presented by Scotiabank |url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=794629 |website=NHL.com |accessdate=April 15, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229131416/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=794629 |archivedate=December 29, 2015 |date=December 28, 2015}}</ref> In 2019, the NHL invited four women from the US and Canadian Olympic teams to demonstrate the events in [[2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game#Skills Competition|All-Star skills competition]] before the [[2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game|All-Star Game]]. Due to [[Nathan MacKinnon]] choosing not to participate following a bruised ankle, Team USA's [[Kendall Coyne Schofield]] competed in the Fastest Skater competition in his place becoming the first woman to officially compete in the NHL's All-Star festivities.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Benjamin |first1=Amalie |title=Coyne Schofield shines in fastest skater at All-Star Skills |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/kendall-coyne-schofield-shines-in-fastest-skater-at-all-star-skills/c-304238704 |website=NHL.com |accessdate=April 15, 2020 |date=January 25, 2019}}</ref> The attention led the NHL to include a [[2020 National Hockey League All-Star Game#Elite Women's 3-on-3 game|3-on-3 women's game]] before the [[2020 National Hockey League All-Star Game|2020 All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Berkman |first1=Seth |title=Women Get a Spotlight, but No Prize Money, in New N.H.L. All-Star Event |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/24/sports/hockey/nhl-skills-competition-women.html |website=The New York Times |accessdate=April 15, 2020 |date=January 24, 2020}}</ref>
 
==Organizational structure==
===Board of Governors===
<!-- NHL Board of Governors redirects to this section; please fix that incoming redirect if this section header is changed. Thanks! -->
{{see also|List of NHL franchise owners}}
The Board of Governors is the ruling and governing body of the National Hockey League. In this context, each team is a member of the league, and each member appoints a Governor (usually the owner of the club), and two alternates to the Board. The current chairman of the Board is Boston Bruins owner, [[Jeremy Jacobs]]. The Board of Governors exists to establish the policies of the league, and to uphold its constitution. Some of the responsibilities of the Board of Governors include:<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/article/646798 |title=NHL's secret constitution revealed |work=Toronto Star |accessdate=March 12, 2011 |location=Toronto |first=Kevin |last=McGran |date=June 6, 2009}}</ref>
* review and approve any changes to [[National Hockey League rules|the league's rules]].
* hiring and firing of the commissioner.
* review and approve the purchase, sale, or relocation of any member club.
* review and approve the salary caps for member clubs.
* review and approve any changes to the structure of the game schedule.
 
The Board of Governors meets twice per year, in the months of June and December, with the exact date and place to be fixed by the Commissioner.
 
===Executives===
The chief executive of the league is [[NHL Commissioner|Commissioner]] [[Gary Bettman]]. Some of the principal decision makers who serve under the authority of the commissioner include:
* Deputy Commissioner & Chief Legal Officer: [[Bill Daly]]
* Executive VP & CFO: Craig Harnett
* Chief Operating Officer: Steve McArdle
* Executive VP & Director of Hockey Operations: [[Colin Campbell (ice hockey executive)|Colin Campbell]]
* NHL Enterprises: Ed Horne
* Senior Vice-President of Player Safety: [[George Parros]]<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.nhl.com/news/george-parros-to-head-department-of-player-safety-focus-on-slashing/c-290910754 |title = Parros to head Department of Player Safety, focus on slashing}}</ref>
 
==Teams ==
<!--NHL teams redirects to this heading-->
{{See also|National Hockey League all-time results|List of defunct and relocated National Hockey League teams|Potential National Hockey League expansion}}
{{NHL Labelled Map Large|float=right}}
{{anchor|2013 Conference Realignment}}
 
The NHL consists of 31 teams, 24 of which are based in the United States and seven in Canada. The NHL divides the 31 teams into two conferences: the [[Eastern Conference (NHL)|Eastern Conference]] and the [[Western Conference (NHL)|Western Conference]]. Each conference is split into two [[Division (sport)|divisions]]: the Eastern Conference contains 16 teams (eight per division), while the Western Conference has 15 teams (seven in the Central Division and eight in the Pacific Division). The current alignment has existed since the [[2017–18 NHL season|2017–18 season]].
 
The number of NHL teams held constant at 30 teams from the [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–01 season]] when the [[Minnesota Wild]] and the [[Columbus Blue Jackets]] joined the league as expansion teams, until 2017. That expansion capped a period in the 1990s of rapid expansion and relocation when the NHL added nine teams to grow from 21 to 30 teams, and relocated four teams mostly from smaller, northern cities to larger, more southern metropolitan areas ([[Minneapolis]] to [[Dallas]], [[Quebec City]] to [[Denver]], [[Winnipeg]] to [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], and [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] to [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]]). The league has not contracted any teams since the [[Cleveland Barons (NHL)|Cleveland Barons]] folded in 1978. The league expanded for the first time in 17 years<ref>{{cite news |last1=Heitner |first1=Darren |title=The NHL Leads the Way in Bringing Pro Sports to Las Vegas |url=http://www.inc.com/darren-heitner/nhl-leads-the-way-in-bringing-pro-sports-to-las-vegas.html |magazine=[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]] |date=June 22, 2016|access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref> to 31 teams in 2017 with the addition of the [[Vegas Golden Knights]]<ref name="Vegas expansion "/> and then approved a 32nd team, the [[Seattle Kraken]], that will begin playing in the 2021–22 season.<ref name="Seattle expansion" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Baker|first=Geoff|title=After years of trying and a cast of characters in between, the NHL will finally put a team in Seattle|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/after-years-of-trying-and-a-cast-of-characters-in-between-the-nhl-will-finally-put-a-team-in-seattle/|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=December 3, 2018|accessdate=December 5, 2018}}</ref>
 
The LAHX consists of 12 teams.
According to ''[[Forbes]]'', in 2019, all five of the most valuable teams were "[[Original Six]]" teams: the [[New York Rangers]] at approximately $1.65&nbsp;billion, the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] at $1.5&nbsp;billion, the [[Montreal Canadiens]] at $1.34&nbsp;billion, the [[Chicago Blackhawks]] at $1.08&nbsp;billion, and the [[Boston Bruins]] at $1&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ozanian |first1=Mike |title=NHL's Most Valuable Teams 2019: Though Buried In Standings, New York Rangers Remain On Top |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2019/12/11/the-nhls-most-valuable-teams-2019-new-york-rangers-on-top-at-165-billion |website=Forbes |accessdate=January 17, 2020 |date=December 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Forbes Releases 21st Annual NHL Team Valuations |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbespr/2019/12/11/forbes-releases-21st-annual-nhl-team-valuations/#52d78a955d83 |website=Forbes |accessdate=January 17, 2020 |date=December 11, 2019}}</ref> At least seven NHL clubs operate at a loss.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gough |first1=Christina |title=NHL teams operating income 2019 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/193744/operating-income-of-national-hockey-league-teams-in-2010/ |website=Statista |accessdate=January 17, 2020 |date=January 14, 2020}}</ref> NHL teams are susceptible to the Canadian–U.S. exchange rate: revenue from tickets, local and national advertising in Canada, and local and national Canadian media rights are collected in [[Canadian dollars]], but all players' salaries are paid in U.S. dollars regardless of whether a team is located in Canada or the U.S.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cowan |first1=Stu |title=Falling dollar boosts salaries for P.K. Subban and other NHL players on Canadian teams |url=https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/montreal-canadiens/falling-dollar-boosts-salaries-for-p-k-subban-and-other-nhl-players-on-canadian-teams |website=montrealgazette.com |accessdate=May 10, 2019 |date=January 29, 2015}}</ref>
{{clear}}
 
===List of teams===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%; text-align:left"
|-
! style="background:white; align=center"|Division
! style="background:white; align=center"|Team
! style="background:white; align=center"|City
! style="background:white; align=center"|Arena
! style="background:white; align=center"|CapacityNumber of titles
! style="background:white; align=center"|Founded
! style="background:white; align=center"|Joined
! style="background:white; align=center"|[[List of current NHL general managers|General manager]]
! style="background:white; align=center"|[[List of current NHL head coaches|Head coach]]
! style="background:white; align=center"|[[List of current NHL captains and alternate captains|Captain]]
|-
| '''[[Osos Bercianos]]'''
! style="background:#C41230;" colspan="10"|[[Eastern Conference (NHL)|<span style="color:#FFFFFF">Eastern Conference</span>]]
| [[Ponferrada]]
| [[]]
|
|-
| '''[[Lobos Campoo]]'''
! style="background:#ddf;" rowspan="8"|[[Atlantic Division (NHL)|Atlantic]]
| '''[[Boston BruinsReinosa]]'''
| [[]]
| [[Boston|Boston, Massachusetts]]
|
| [[TD Garden]]
| align=center | 17,850
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1924
| [[Don Sweeney]]
| [[Bruce Cassidy]]
| [[Zdeno Chára|Zdeno Chara]]
|-
| '''[[BuffaloLliones Sabresde Legio]]'''
| [[Buffalo, New YorkLlión]]
| [[KeyBank Center]]
|
| align=center | 19,070
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1970
| [[Kevyn Adams]]
| [[Ralph Krueger]]
| [[Jack Eichel]]
|-
| '''[[DetroitCalamares Red WingsXixón]]'''
| [[Xixón]]
| [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]]
| [[Little Caesars Arena]]
|
| align=center | 19,515
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1926
| [[Steve Yzerman]]
| [[Jeff Blashill]]
| ''Vacant''
|-
| '''[[FloridaUniversitariu PanthersComillas]]'''
| [[Sunrise, FloridaComillas]]
| [[]]
| [[BB&T Center (Sunrise, Florida)|BB&T Center]]
|
| align=center | 19,250
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1993
| [[Bill Zito]]
| [[Joel Quenneville]]
| [[Aleksander Barkov]]
|-
| '''[[MontrealRana CanadiensSalmantina]]'''
| [[Salamanca]]
| [[Montreal|Montreal, Quebec]]
| [[Bell Centre]]
|
| align=center | 21,302
| align=center | 1909
| align=center | 1917
| [[Marc Bergevin]]
| [[Claude Julien (ice hockey)|Claude Julien]]
| [[Shea Weber]]
|-
| '''[[OttawaCDP SenatorsGalerna de Laredo]]'''
| [[Ottawa|Ottawa, OntarioLaredo]]
| [[Canadian Tire Centre]]
|
| align=center | 18,652
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1992
| [[Pierre Dorion]]
| [[D. J. Smith (ice hockey)|D. J. Smith]]
| ''Vacant''
|-
| '''[[TampaCiervos Baydel LightningPisuerga]]'''
| [[Tampa,Cervera Floridade Pisuerga]]
| [[Amalie Arena]]
|
| align=center | 19,092
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1992
| [[Julien BriseBois]]
| [[Jon Cooper (ice hockey)|Jon Cooper]]
| [[Steven Stamkos]]
|-
| '''[[TorontoLinces Maplede LeafsPrasencia]]'''
| [[Prasencia]]
| [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]]
| [[Scotiabank Arena]]
|
| align=center | 18,819
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1917
| [[Kyle Dubas]]
| [[Sheldon Keefe]]
| [[John Tavares]]
|-
| '''[[Robezos d'Uviéu]]'''
! style="background:#dfd;" rowspan="8"|[[Metropolitan Division|Metropolitan]]
| [[Uviéu]]
| '''[[Carolina Hurricanes]]'''
| [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]
|
| [[PNC Arena]]
| align=center | 18,680
| align=center | 1972
| align=center | 1979*
| [[Don Waddell]]
| [[Rod Brind'Amour]]
| [[Jordan Staal]]
|-
| '''[[ColumbusCuélebres Bluede JacketsLes Arriondes]]'''
| [[Columbus,Les OhioArriondes]]
| [[Nationwide Arena]]
|
| align=center | 18,144
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2000
| [[Jarmo Kekäläinen|Jarmo Kekalainen]]
| [[John Tortorella]]
| [[Nick Foligno]]
|-
| '''[[NewLehionarios Jerseyde DevilsMéria]]'''
| [[Newark, New JerseyMéria]]
| [[Prudential Center]]
| align=center | 16,514
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1974*
| [[Tom Fitzgerald (ice hockey)|Tom Fitzgerald]]
| [[Lindy Ruff]]
| ''Vacant''
|-
| '''[[New York Islanders]]'''
| [[Uniondale, New York]]
| [[Nassau Coliseum]]
| align=center | 13,917
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1972
| [[Lou Lamoriello]]
| [[Barry Trotz]]
| [[Anders Lee]]
|-
| '''[[New York Rangers]]'''
| [[New York City|New York City, New York]]
| [[Madison Square Garden]]
| align=center | 18,006
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1926
| [[Jeff Gorton]]
| [[David Quinn (ice hockey)|David Quinn]]
| ''Vacant''
|-
| '''[[Philadelphia Flyers]]'''
| [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]]
| [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]]
| align=center | 19,500
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1967
| [[Chuck Fletcher]]
| [[Alain Vigneault]]
| [[Claude Giroux]]
|-
| '''[[Pittsburgh Penguins]]'''
| [[Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]]
| [[PPG Paints Arena]]
| align=center | 18,387
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1967
| [[Jim Rutherford]]
| [[Mike Sullivan (ice hockey)|Mike Sullivan]]
| [[Sidney Crosby]]
|-
| '''[[Washington Capitals]]'''
| [[Washington, D.C.]]
| [[Capital One Arena]]
| align=center | 18,506
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1974
| [[Brian MacLellan]]
| [[Peter Laviolette]]
| [[Alexander Ovechkin]]
|-
! style="background:#003E7E;" colspan="10"|[[Western Conference (NHL)|<span style="color:#FFFFFF">Western Conference</span>]]
|-
! style="background:#ffd;" rowspan="7"|[[Central Division (NHL)|Central]]
| '''[[Chicago Blackhawks]]'''
| [[Chicago|Chicago, Illinois]]
| [[United Center]]
| align=center | 19,717
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1926
| [[Stan Bowman]]
| [[Jeremy Colliton]]
| [[Jonathan Toews]]
|-
| '''[[Colorado Avalanche]]'''
| [[Denver|Denver, Colorado]]
| [[Pepsi Center]]
| align=center | 18,007
| align=center | 1972
| align=center | 1979*
| [[Joe Sakic]]
| [[Jared Bednar]]
| [[Gabriel Landeskog]]
|-
| '''[[Dallas Stars]]'''
| [[Dallas|Dallas, Texas]]
| [[American Airlines Center]]
| align=center | 18,532
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1967*
| [[Jim Nill]]
| [[Rick Bowness]]
| [[Jamie Benn]]
|-
| '''[[Minnesota Wild]]'''
| [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]]
| [[Xcel Energy Center]]
| align=center | 17,954
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2000
| [[Bill Guerin]]
| [[Dean Evason]]
| ''Vacant''
|-
| '''[[Nashville Predators]]'''
| [[Nashville, Tennessee]]
| [[Bridgestone Arena]]
| align=center | 17,113
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1998
| [[David Poile]]
| [[John Hynes (ice hockey)|John Hynes]]
| [[Roman Josi]]
|-
| '''[[St. Louis Blues]]'''
| [[St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]]
| [[Enterprise Center]]
| align=center | 18,724
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1967
| [[Doug Armstrong]]
| [[Craig Berube]]
| ''Vacant''
|-
| '''[[Winnipeg Jets]]'''
| [[Winnipeg|Winnipeg, Manitoba]]
| [[Bell MTS Place]]
| align=center | 15,321
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1999*
| [[Kevin Cheveldayoff]]
| [[Paul Maurice]]
| [[Blake Wheeler]]
|-
! style="background:#fdf;" rowspan="8"|[[Pacific Division (NHL)|Pacific]]
| '''[[Anaheim Ducks]]'''
| [[Anaheim, California]]
| [[Honda Center]]
| align=center | 17,174
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1993
| [[Bob Murray (ice hockey, born 1954)|Bob Murray]]
| [[Dallas Eakins]]
| [[Ryan Getzlaf]]
|-
| '''[[Arizona Coyotes]]'''{{refn|group=nb|Beginning with the [[2021–22 NHL season]], when the [[Seattle Kraken]] join the Pacific Division, the Arizona Coyotes will move to the Central Division.<ref>{{cite news|title=Coyotes to Move to Central Division in 2021-22|url=https://www.nhl.com/coyotes/news/coyotes-to-move-to-central-division-in-2021-22/c-302594896|publisher=NHL Enterprises, L.P.|website=ArizonaCoyotes.com|date=December 4, 2018|access-date=May 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Dale|first=Shane|title=Coyotes will switch divisions when new Seattle NHL team joins league|url=https://www.abc15.com/sports/sports-blogs-local/coyotes-will-switch-divisions-when-new-seattle-nhl-team-joins-league|website=KNXV|date=December 4, 2018|access-date=December 5, 2018}}</ref>}}
| [[Glendale, Arizona]]
| [[Gila River Arena]]
| align=center | 17,125
| align=center | 1972
| align=center | 1979*
| [[Bill Armstrong (ice hockey, born 1970)|Bill Armstrong]]
| [[Rick Tocchet]]
| [[Oliver Ekman-Larsson]]
|-
| '''[[Calgary Flames]]'''
| [[Calgary|Calgary, Alberta]]
| [[Scotiabank Saddledome]]
| align=center | 19,289
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1972*
| [[Brad Treliving]]
| [[Geoff Ward (ice hockey)|Geoff Ward]]
| [[Mark Giordano]]
|-
| '''[[Edmonton Oilers]]'''
| [[Edmonton|Edmonton, Alberta]]
| [[Rogers Place]]
| align=center | 18,347
| align=center | 1972
| align=center | 1979
| [[Ken Holland]]
| [[Dave Tippett]]
| [[Connor McDavid]]
|-
| '''[[Los Angeles Kings]]'''
| [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]]
| [[Staples Center]]
| align=center | 18,230
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1967
| [[Rob Blake]]
| [[Todd McLellan]]
| [[Anže Kopitar|Anze Kopitar]]
|-
| '''[[San Jose Sharks]]'''
| [[San Jose, California]]
| [[SAP Center]]
| align=center | 17,562
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1991
| [[Doug Wilson (ice hockey)|Doug Wilson]]
| [[Bob Boughner]]
| [[Logan Couture]]
|-
| '''[[Vancouver Canucks]]'''
| [[Vancouver|Vancouver, British Columbia]]
| [[Rogers Arena]]
| align=center | 18,910
| align=center | 1945
| align=center | 1970
| [[Jim Benning]]
| [[Travis Green]]
| [[Bo Horvat]]
|-
| '''[[Vegas Golden Knights]]'''
| [[Paradise, Nevada]]
| [[T-Mobile Arena]]
| align=center | 17,356
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2017
| [[Kelly McCrimmon]]
| [[Peter DeBoer]]
| ''Vacant''
|}
 
===Future===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:left"
|-
! style="background:white; align=center"|Division
! style="background:white; align=center"|Team
! style="background:white; align=center"|City
! style="background:white; align=center"|Arena
! style="background:white; align=center"|Capacity
! style="background:white; align=center"|Founded
! style="background:white; align=center"|Joined
! style="background:white; align=center"|General manager
! style="background:white; align=center"|Head coach
! style="background:white; align=center"|Captain
|-
! style="background:#fdf;"|[[Pacific Division (NHL)|Pacific]]
| '''[[Seattle Kraken]]'''
| [[Seattle|Seattle, Washington]]
| [[Climate Pledge Arena]]
| 17,100
| colspan = "2" style="text-align:center;"|2021
| [[Ron Francis]]
| ''<span title="To be determined" >TBD</span>''
| ''<span title="To be determined" >TBD</span>''
|}
;Notes
{{refbegin}}
# ''An asterisk (*) denotes a franchise move. See the respective team articles for more information.''
# ''The [[Edmonton Oilers]], [[Hartford Whalers]] (now Carolina Hurricanes), [[Quebec Nordiques]] (now Colorado Avalanche), and [[Winnipeg Jets (1972–96)|original Winnipeg Jets]] (now Arizona Coyotes) all joined the NHL in 1979 as part of the [[NHL–WHA merger]].''
{{refend}}
 
===Timeline===
{{Main|History of organizational changes in the NHL}}
{{Timeline National Hockey League}}
 
==Game==
{{Main|Ice hockey}}
[[File:NHL Logo former.svg|left|upright|thumb|NHL logo, used from 1946 until 2005]]
Each National Hockey League regulation game is 60 minutes long. The game is composed of three 20-minute periods with an intermission between periods.<ref name="intermission">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/hockeyu/rulebook/rule90.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817022955/http://www.nhl.com/hockeyu/rulebook/rule90.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 17, 2000 |title=Time of match |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=December 2, 2006 |year=2006 }}</ref>
At the end of regulation time, the team with the most goals wins the game. If a game is tied after regulation time, [[Overtime (ice hockey)|overtime]] ensues. During the regular season, overtime is a five-minute, three-on-three [[Sudden death (sport)|sudden-death]] period, in which whoever scores a goal first will win the game.
 
[[File:WeaverLankow.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|[[Los Angeles Kings]]' [[Mike Weaver (hockey)|Mike Weaver]] clearing the puck away from [[Calgary Flames]]' [[Daymond Langkow]], December 21, 2005.]]
If the game is still tied at the end of overtime, the game enters a [[Overtime (ice hockey)#North American shootout|shootout]]. Three players for each team in turn take a [[Penalty shot (ice hockey)|penalty shot]]. The team with the most goals during the three-round shootout wins the game. If the game is still tied after the three shootout rounds, the shootout continues but becomes sudden-death. Whichever team ultimately wins the shootout is awarded a goal in the game score and thus awarded two points in the standings. The losing team in overtime or shootout is awarded only one.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/rules/a/shootout_debate_2.htm |title=How the NHL Shootout Works |accessdate=August 4, 2008 |last=Fitzpatrick |first=Jamie |work=About.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519150726/http://proicehockey.about.com/od/rules/a/shootout_debate_2.htm |archive-date=May 19, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Shootout goals and saves are not tracked in hockey statistics; shootout statistics are tracked separately.
 
There are no shootouts during the [[NHL Playoffs|playoffs]]. Instead, multiple sudden-death, 20-minute five-on-five periods are played until one team scores. Two games have reached six overtime periods, but none have gone beyond six.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Oh, what a night ... and morning. Stars-Canucks ranks sixth among longest OT games. |work=Sports Illustrated |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/hockey/nhl/specials/playoffs/2007/04/12/OT.games/ |accessdate=April 26, 2007 |date=April 12, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103141020/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/hockey/nhl/specials/playoffs/2007/04/12/OT.games/ |archivedate=November 3, 2007 }}</ref> During playoff overtime periods, the only break is to clean the loose ice at the first stoppage after the period is halfway finished.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/18470542/ |title=Playoff overtime format needs change |publisher=[[NBC Sports]] |last=Clement |first=Bill |authorlink=Bill Clement |year=2008 |accessdate=May 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220122859/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/18470542/ |archivedate=February 20, 2009 }}</ref>
 
==Hockey rink==
[[File:NHL Hockey Rink.svg|thumb|Diagram of an NHL hockey rink: {{ordered list |penalty boxes |team benches |scorekeepers' area}}]]
{{Main|Hockey rink}}
National Hockey League games are played on a rectangular [[hockey rink]] with rounded corners surrounded by walls and [[Plexiglas]]. It measures {{convert|200|ft|m|sigfig=4}} by {{convert|85|ft|m|sigfig=4}} in the NHL,<ref name="rink">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule02.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060409150309/http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule02.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 9, 2006 |title=Dimensions of Rink |year=2005 |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=June 8, 2006 }}</ref> approximately the same length but much narrower than [[International Ice Hockey Federation]] standards. The [[Hockey rink#Lines|centre line]] divides the ice in half,<ref name="lines">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule05.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621025953/http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule05.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 21, 2009 |title=Division of ice surface |year=2005 |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=June 8, 2006 }}</ref> and is used to judge [[icing (ice hockey)|icing violations]]. There are two [[Hockey rink#Lines|blue lines]] that divide the rink roughly into thirds, delineating one neutral and two attacking [[Hockey rink#Zones|zones]].<ref name="lines" /> Near the end of both ends of the rink, there is a thin red ''goal line'' spanning the width of the ice, which is used to judge [[Goal (hockey)|goals]] and icing calls.
 
A trapezoidal area behind each goal net has been introduced.<ref name="crease">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule04.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606090924/http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule04.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 6, 2009 |title=Goal crease |year=2005 |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=June 8, 2006 }}</ref> The goaltender can play the puck only within [[No play zone|the trapezoid]] or in front of the goal line; if the goaltender plays the puck behind the goal line and outside the trapezoidal area, a two-minute minor penalty for [[Delay of game (ice hockey)|delay of game]] is assessed.<ref name="crease_penalty">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26355|title=Rule 63 – Delaying the Game|year=2009|website=National Hockey League|accessdate=March 14, 2010}}</ref> The rule is unofficially nicknamed the "[[Martin Brodeur]] rule".<ref name="Diamos2007">{{cite news|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10616F835550C758DDDA00894DD404482|title=New Rule Will Take a Weapon Away from Brodeur|date=September 16, 2005|work=[[The New York Times]] (subscription required)|author=Diamos, Jason.|accessdate=March 2, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2005/09/18/Sports/Brodeur_not_handling_.shtml |title=Brodeur not handling new rule well |date=September 18, 2005 |work=[[St. Petersburg Times]] |author=Jones, Tom. |accessdate=March 2, 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206171542/http://www.sptimes.com/2005/09/18/Sports/Brodeur_not_handling_.shtml |archivedate=February 6, 2008 |df= }}</ref><ref name="Brodeur hopes NHL banishes trapezoid">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/brodeur_hopes_nhl_banishes_trapezoid/ |title=Brodeur hopes NHL banishes trapezoid |year=2009 |work=Fire&Ice |accessdate=November 10, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113050802/http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/brodeur_hopes_nhl_banishes_trapezoid |archivedate=November 13, 2009 |df= }}</ref><ref name="NHL decides to keep trapezoid">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/nhl_decides_to_keep_trapezoid/|title=NHL decides to keep trapezoid|year=2009|work=Fire&Ice|accessdate=November 10, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714195405/http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/nhl_decides_to_keep_trapezoid/|archive-date=July 14, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
Since the 2013–14 season, the league trimmed the goal frames by {{convert|4|in|cm}} on each side and reduced the size of the goalies' leg pads.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=684940|title=Hybrid Icying tops list of rules changes for 2013–2014 season|last=Rosen|first=Dan|website=National Hockey League|accessdate=December 2, 2013}}</ref>
 
==Rules==
{{main|National Hockey League rules}}
The National Hockey League's rules are one of the two standard sets of professional ice hockey rules in the world. The rules themselves have evolved directly from the [[First indoor hockey game|first organized indoor ice hockey game]] in Montreal in 1875, updated by subsequent leagues up to 1917, when the NHL adopted the existing NHA set of rules. The NHL's rules are the basis for rules governing [[List of ice hockey leagues#Minor professional|most professional]] and [[Canadian Hockey League|major junior ice hockey leagues]] in North America. Infractions of the rules, such as [[Offside (ice hockey)|offside]] and [[Icing (ice hockey)|icing]], lead to a stoppage of play and subsequent [[face-off]]s, while more serious infractions leading to penalties to the offending teams. The league also determines the specifications for playing equipment used in its games.
 
The league has regularly modified its rules to counter perceived imperfections in the game. The penalty shot was adopted from the [[Pacific Coast Hockey Association]] to ensure players were not being blocked from opportunities to score. For the 2005–06 season, the league changed some of the rules regarding being offside. First, the league removed the "offside pass" or "two-line pass" rule, which required a stoppage in play if a pass originating from inside a team's [[Ice hockey rink#Zones|defending zone]] was completed on the offensive side of the centre line, unless the puck crossed the line before the player.<ref name="newoffside">{{Cite news|title=Relaunching the Game |author=CBC sports |publisher=CBC.com |date=July 22, 2005 |accessdate=June 10, 2006 |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/rule_changes.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516050646/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/rule_changes.html |archivedate=May 16, 2006 }}</ref> Furthermore, the league reinstated the "tag-up offside" which allows an attacking player a chance to get back onside by returning to the neutral zone.<ref name="newoffside" /> The changes to the offside rule were among several rule changes intended to increase overall scoring,<ref name="newoffside" /> which had been in decline since the expansion years of the mid-nineties and the increased prevalence of the [[neutral zone trap]]. Since 2005, when a team is guilty of [[Icing (ice hockey)|icing the puck]] they are not allowed to make a line change or skater substitution of any sort before the following [[face-off]] (except to replace an injured player or re-install a [[extra attacker|pulled goaltender]]).<ref name="icing">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule81.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514155000/http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule81.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 14, 2013 |title=Icing |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=March 1, 2013 |year=2005 }}</ref> Since 2013, the league has used ''hybrid icing'', where a [[Official (ice hockey)#Linesman|linesman]] stops play due to icing if a defending player (other than the goaltender) crosses the imaginary line that connects the two face-off dots in their defensive zone before an attacking player is able to. This was done to counter a trend of player injury in races to the puck.<ref name="icing" />
 
The league's rules differ from the rules of the [[International Ice Hockey Federation]] (IIHF), as used in tournaments such as the [[Ice hockey at the Olympic Games|Olympics]], which were themselves derived from the Canadian amateur ice hockey rules of the early 20th century.{{sfn|Podnieks|Szemberg|2007|p=198}} In the NHL, [[Fighting in ice hockey|fighting]] leads to ''major penalties'' while IIHF rules, and most amateur rules, call for the ejection of fighting players.<ref name="major">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule27.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060423154838/http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule27.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 23, 2006 |title=Major penalties |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=June 8, 2006 |year=2005 }}</ref><ref name="fighting_iihf">{{Cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/sports/icehockey/essentials/intlvsnhl.shtml |title=Ice Hockey Essentials – International vs. NHL |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |accessdate=June 26, 2006 |year=2006 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060221192349/http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/sports/icehockey/essentials/intlvsnhl.shtml |archivedate = February 21, 2006}}</ref> Usually, a penalized team cannot replace a player that is penalized on the ice and is thus [[short-handed]] for the duration of the penalty,<ref name="minor" /> but if the penalties are coincidental, for example when two players fight, both teams remain at full strength. Also, unlike minor penalties, major penalties must be served to their full completion, regardless of number of goals scored during the power play.<ref name="minor">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule26.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060423154633/http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule26.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 23, 2006 |title=Minor penalties |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=June 8, 2006 |year=2005 }}</ref> The NHL and IIHF differ also in playing rules, such as icing, the areas of play for goaltenders, helmet rules, officiating rules, timeouts and play reviews.
 
The league also imposes a conduct policy on its players. Players are banned from [[gambling]] and criminal activities have led to the suspension of players. The league and the Players' Association agreed to a stringent anti-doping policy in the 2005 collective bargaining agreement. The policy provides for a twenty-game suspension for a first positive test, a sixty-game suspension for a second positive test, and a lifetime suspension for a third positive test.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050928/NHL_doping_050928?s_name=&no_ads= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051023064426/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050928/NHL_doping_050928?s_name=&no_ads= |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 23, 2005 |title=NHL unveils new drug testing policy |date=September 28, 2005 |accessdate=January 2, 2007 |first=Scott |last=Laurie |publisher=CTV }}</ref>
 
==Season structure==
{{Main|Season structure of the NHL}}
{{See also|List of NHL seasons}}
The National Hockey League season is divided into a preseason (September and early October), a regular season (from early October through early to mid April) and a postseason (the [[Stanley Cup playoffs]]).
 
Teams usually hold a summer showcase for prospects in July and participate in prospect tournaments, full games that do not feature any veterans, in September. Full training camps begin in mid-to-late September, including a preseason consisting of six to eight [[exhibition game]]s. Split squad games, in which parts of a team's regular season roster play separate games on the same day, are occasionally played during the preseason.
 
During the regular season, clubs play each other in a predefined schedule. In the regular season, each team plays 82 games: 41 games each of home and road. Eastern teams play 28 games in their own geographic division—four against each of their seven other divisional opponents—and 24 games against the eight remaining non-divisional intra-conference opponents—three games against every team in the other division of its conference. Western teams play 26 or 29 games in their own geographic division—four or five against each of their six or seven other divisional opponents—and 21 or 24 games against the six or seven remaining non-divisional intra-conference opponents—three games against every team in the other division of its conference, with one cross-division intra-conference match-up occurring in four games. All teams play every team in the other conference twice—home and road.<ref>{{Cite news|title=NHL ramps up rivalries |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/the-explainer-new-nhl-playoff-seeding-format-1.1871216 |author=CBC Sports Online |publisher=CBC.com |date=July 27, 2005 |accessdate=June 6, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927195147/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/the-explainer-new-nhl-playoff-seeding-format-1.1871216/ |archivedate=September 27, 2013}}</ref>
 
The league's regular season standings are based on a point system. Two points are awarded for a win, one point for losing in overtime or a shootout, and zero points for a loss in regulation. At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most points in each division is crowned the division champion, and the league's overall leader is awarded the [[Presidents' Trophy]].
 
The Stanley Cup playoffs, which go from April to the beginning of June, is an elimination tournament where two teams play against each other to win a [[Best-of-seven playoff|best-of-seven]] series in order to advance to the next round. The final remaining team is crowned the Stanley Cup champion. Eight teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs: the top three teams in each division plus the two conference teams with the next highest number of points.<ref name="nhl_playoff_format">{{cite web|website=National Hockey League |title=Playoff formats |year=2005 |accessdate=June 6, 2006 |url=http://www.nhl.com/hockeyu/history/cup/formats.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010718071657/http://www.nhl.com/hockeyu/history/cup/formats.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 18, 2001 }}</ref> The two conference champions proceed to the Stanley Cup Final. In all rounds, the higher-ranked team is awarded home-ice advantage, with four of the seven games played at this team's home venue. In the Stanley Cup Final, the team with the most points during the regular season has home-ice advantage.
 
==Entry Draft==
{{Main|NHL Entry Draft}}
 
The annual NHL Entry Draft consists of a seven-round off-season [[Draft (sports)|draft]] held in late June. Early NHL drafts took place at the Queen Elizabeth (currently Fairmont) Hotel in Montreal. Amateur players from junior, collegiate, or European leagues are eligible to enter the Entry Draft. The selection order is determined by a combination of the standings at the end of the regular season, playoff results, and a draft lottery. The 15 teams that did not qualify for the playoffs are entered in a weighted lottery to determine the initial draft picks in the first round, with the last place team having the best chance of winning the lottery. Once the lottery determines the initial draft picks, the order for the remaining non-playoff teams is determined by the standings at the end of the regular season. For those teams that did qualify for the playoffs, the draft order is then determined by total regular season points for non-division winners that are eliminated in the first two rounds of the playoffs, then any division winners that failed to reach the Conference Finals. Conference finalists receive the 28th and 29th picks depending on total points, with the Stanley Cup runner-up given the 30th pick and the Stanley Cup champions the 31st pick.
 
==Trophies and awards==
{{Main|List of National Hockey League awards}}
 
===Teams===
[[File:Hhof stanley cup.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Stanley Cup]], on display at the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]], is awarded annually to the league champion.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:1em; float:right"
|+ '''Stanley Cup championships'''<br /><small>[[List of defunct NHL teams|Defunct teams]] not included.</small>
Line 563 ⟶ 151:
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="6"| <small>* Includes one pre-NHL championship.</small><br />{{further2|<br />[[List of Stanley Cup champions]]}}
|}
 
The most prestigious team award is the [[Stanley Cup]], which is awarded to the league champion at the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team that has the most points in the regular season is awarded the [[Presidents' Trophy]].
 
The Montreal Canadiens are the most successful franchise in the league. Since the formation of the league in 1917, they have 25 NHL championships (three between 1917 and 1925 when the Stanley Cup was still contested in an interleague competition, twenty-two since 1926 after the Stanley Cup became the NHL's championship trophy). They also lead all teams with 24 [[List of Stanley Cup champions|Stanley Cup championships]] (one as an NHA team, twenty-three as an NHL team). Of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, the Montreal Canadiens are surpassed in the number of championships only by the [[New York Yankees]] of [[Major League Baseball]], who have three more.
 
The longest streak of winning the Stanley Cup in consecutive years is five, held by the Montreal Canadiens from 1955–56 to 1959–60.<ref name="list_stanley_cup">{{cite web|title=Stanley Cup Winners |url=http://proicehockey.about.com/od/stanleycupbunker/a/stanley_cuplist.htm |first=Jamie |last=Fitzpatrick |publisher=about.com |accessdate=June 26, 2006 |year=2006}}</ref> The 1977 edition of the Montreal Canadiens, the second of four straight Stanley Cup champions, was named by ESPN as the second greatest sports team of all-time.<ref name="greatest team">{{cite web|title=The 10 greatest teams |url=http://espn.go.com/endofcentury/s/other/greatteams.html |publisher=ESPN |date=December 31, 1999 |accessdate=June 26, 2006}}</ref>
 
The next most successful NHL franchise is the Toronto Maple Leafs with 13 Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 1967. The Detroit Red Wings, with 11 Stanley Cup championships, are the most successful American franchise.
 
The same trophy is reused every year for each of its awards. The Stanley Cup, much like its Canadian Football League [[Grey Cup|counterpart]], is unique in this aspect, as opposed to the [[Vince Lombardi Trophy]], [[Larry O'Brien Trophy]], and [[World Series Trophy|Commissioner's Trophy]], which have new ones made every year for that year's champion. Despite only one trophy being used, the names of the teams winning and the players are engraved every year on the Stanley Cup. The same can also be said for the other trophies reissued every year.
 
===Players===
There are numerous trophies that are awarded to players based on their statistics during the regular season; they include, among others, the [[Art Ross Trophy]] for the league scoring champion (goals and assists), the [[Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy]] for the goal-scoring leader, and the [[William M. Jennings Trophy]] for the [[goaltender]](s) for the team with the fewest goals against them.
 
The other player trophies are voted on by the [[Professional Hockey Writers' Association]] or the team general managers.<ref name="awards">{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-awards-trophies |title=NHL trophies|website=National Hockey League |accessdate=December 2, 2018}}</ref> These individual awards are presented at a formal ceremony held in late June after the playoffs have concluded. The most prestigious individual award is the [[Hart Memorial Trophy]] which is awarded annually to the [[Most Valuable Player]]; the voting is conducted by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association to judge the player who is the most valuable to his team during the regular season. The [[Vezina Trophy]] is awarded annually to the person deemed the best goaltender as voted on by the general managers of the teams in the NHL. The [[James Norris Memorial Trophy]] is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's top defenceman, the [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] is awarded annually to the top rookie, and the [[Lady Byng Memorial Trophy]] is awarded to the player deemed to combine the highest degree of skill and sportsmanship; all three of these awards are voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
 
[[File:Hockey Hall of Fame.JPG|thumb|The [[Hockey Hall of Fame]] in [[Downtown Toronto]]]]
In addition to the regular season awards, the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]] is awarded annually to the most valuable player during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs. Furthermore, the top coach in the league wins the [[Jack Adams Award]] as selected by a poll of the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association. The National Hockey League publishes the names of the top three vote getters for all awards, and then names the award winner during the NHL Awards Ceremony.<ref name="awards" />
 
Players, coaches, officials, and team builders who have had notable careers are eligible to be voted into the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]]. Players cannot enter until three years have passed since their last professional game, currently tied with the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.hoophall.com/news/naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fame-announces-modifications-to-its-enshrinement-process-beginning-with-the-class-of-2018/ |title=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Modifications to its Enshrinement Process Beginning with the Class of 2018 |publisher=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |date=December 19, 2017 |accessdate=February 17, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212075506/http://www.hoophall.com/news/naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fame-announces-modifications-to-its-enshrinement-process-beginning-with-the-class-of-2018/ |archive-date=February 12, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> for the shortest such time period of any major sport. One unique consequence has been Hall of Fame members (specifically, [[Gordie Howe]], [[Guy Lafleur]], and [[Mario Lemieux]]) coming out of retirement to play once more.<ref>{{cite web|title=Roy on deck for 2006, 'mayhem' in 2007 |publisher=The Sports Network |url=https://www.tsn.ca/classic/news_story.asp?ID=142315&hubName= |agency=The Canadian Press |date=November 7, 2005 |accessdate=June 8, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516001757/http://www.tsn.ca/classic/news_story.asp?ID=142315&hubName= |archivedate=May 16, 2007 }}</ref> If a player was deemed significant enough, the three-year wait would be waived; only ten individuals have been honoured in this manner.<ref name="waiver">{{cite web|title=Wayne Gretzky signs five-year contract as head coach |url=http://www.phoenixcoyotes.com/news/story_details.php?ID=5063 |website=Phoenix Coyotes |date=May 31, 2006 |accessdate=June 9, 2006 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20060615113421/http://www.phoenixcoyotes.com/news/story_details.php?ID=5063 |archivedate = June 15, 2006}}</ref> In 1999, [[Wayne Gretzky]] joined the Hall and became the last player to have the three-year restriction waived.<ref name="waiver" /> After his induction, the Hall of Fame announced that Gretzky would be the last to have the waiting period waived.
 
==Origin of players==
{{Further|List of NHL statistical leaders by country}}
[[File:Wgretz edit2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Wayne Gretzky]] in a [[New York Rangers]] uniform in 1997]]
 
In addition to Canadian and American born and trained players, who have historically composed a large majority of NHL rosters, the NHL also draws players from an expanding pool of other nations where organized and professional hockey is played. Since the [[Revolutions of 1989|collapse]] of the Soviet Bloc, political/ideological restrictions on the movement of hockey players from this region have disappeared, leading to a large influx of players mostly from Czech Republic, Slovakia and Russia into the NHL. Swedes, Finns, and other Western Europeans, who were always free to move to North America, came to the league in greater numbers than before.
 
Many of the league's top players in recent years have come from these European countries including [[Daniel Alfredsson]], [[Erik Karlsson]], [[Henrik Sedin]], [[Daniel Sedin]], [[Henrik Lundqvist]], [[Jaromír Jágr|Jaromir Jagr]], [[Patrik Eliáš|Patrik Elias]], [[Zdeno Chára|Zdeno Chara]], [[Pavel Datsyuk]], [[Evgeni Malkin]], [[Nicklas Lidström|Nicklas Lidstrom]] and [[Alexander Ovechkin]].<ref name="Europe">{{Cite news|title=New world order: as the Olympics have shown, the influx of players from across the Atlantic brought changes to the NHL game |work=The Sporting News |date=February 25, 2002 |accessdate=June 11, 2006 |first=Larry |last=Wigge |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_8_226/ai_83450464 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060419061539/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_8_226/ai_83450464 |archivedate=April 19, 2006 |df= }}</ref> European players were drafted and signed by NHL teams in an effort to bring in more "skilled offensive players",<ref name="europe2">{{cite web|title=Canadians left behind as NHL goes for firepower |agency=The Canadian Press |date=June 27, 1999 |accessdate=June 11, 2006 |first=Bill |last=Beacon |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/HockeyNHLDraft99/jun27_can.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20070623032604/http://slam.canoe.ca/HockeyNHLDraft99/jun27_can.html |archivedate=June 23, 2007 }}</ref> although recently{{when|date=October 2015}} there has been a decline in European players as more American players enter the league.<ref name="More Americans?">{{cite web|title=NHL landscape changes |website=IIHF |date=May 10, 2008 |accessdate=May 13, 2008 |first=ANDREW |last=PODNIEKS |url=http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/browse/2/article/nhl-landscape-changes.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=187&cHash=5abfb28b5e/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206010456/http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/browse/2/article/nhl-landscape-changes.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=187&cHash=5abfb28b5e%2F |archivedate=December 6, 2008 }}</ref> The addition of European players changed the style of play in the NHL and European style hockey has been integrated into the NHL game.<ref name="Europe" />
 
As of the 2017–18 season, the NHL has players from 17 different countries, with 46.0% coming from Canada and 26.0% from the United States, while players from a further 15 countries make up 26.4% of NHL rosters.<ref name="quanthockey.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/nationality-totals/nhl-players-2017-18-stats.html|title=NHL Totals by Nationality ‑ 2017‑18 Stats|date=January 12, 2018}}</ref><ref name="europe_players">{{cite web|url=http://live82.ihwc.net/english/article/recaps/index.ihwc?artId=2398 |title=NHL still likes Czechs best |publisher=IWHC.net |date=May 16, 2006 |accessdate=June 9, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714160151/http://live82.ihwc.net/english/article/recaps/index.ihwc?artId=2398 |archivedate=July 14, 2007 }}</ref> The following table shows the six countries make up the vast majority of NHL players. The table follows the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]] convention of classifying players by the currently existing countries in which their birthplaces are located, without regard to their citizenship or where they were trained.
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center; padding: 1px; border-spacing: 1px;"
|-
! style="width:8.5em" | Country
! style="width:5.2em" | Players<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/nationality-totals/nhl-players-1988-89-stats.html|title=NHL Totals by Nationality ‑ 1988‑89 Stats}}</ref><br />([[1988–89 NHL season|1988–89]])
! style="width:3.5em" | %
! style="width:5.2em" | Players<br /><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nhl.com/ice/app?service=page&page=playerstats&fetchKey=20032ALLAASAll&viewName=bios&sort=player.birthCountryAbbrev |title= 2002–2003 – Regular season – Bios – Country |website= National Hockey League }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20032ALLGAGAll&sort=player.birthCountryAbbrev&viewName=goalieBios |title= 2002–2003 – Regular season – Goalie – Bios – Country |website= National Hockey League }}</ref><br />([[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03]])
! style="width:3.5em" | %
! style="width:5.2em" | Players<br /><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nhl.com/ice/app?service=page&page=playerstats&fetchKey=20062ALLAASAll&viewName=bios&sort=player.birthCountryAbbrev |title= 2006–2007 – Regular season – Bios – Country |website= National Hockey League }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20072ALLGAGAll&sort=player.birthCountryAbbrev&viewName=goalieBios |title= 2006–2007 – Regular season – Goalie – Bios – Country |website= National Hockey League }}</ref><br />([[2006–07 NHL season|2006–07]])
! style="width:3.5em" | %
! style="width:5.2em" | Players<br /><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20102011&gameType=2&team=&position=S&country=&status=&viewName=summary |title= 2010–2011 – Regular season – Bios – Country |website= National Hockey League }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20102011&gameType=2&team=&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=summary |title= 2010–2011 – Regular season – Goalie – Bios – Country |website= National Hockey League }}</ref><br />([[2010–11 NHL season|2010–11]])
! style="width:3.5em" | %
! style="width:5.2em" | Players<br /><ref name="quanthockey.com"/><br />([[2017–18 NHL season|2017–18]])
! style="width:3.5em" | %
|-
| {{flagu|Canada}}
| 551 || '''75.4'''
| 488 || '''49.8'''
| 495 || '''52.7'''
| 521 || '''53.3'''
| 446 || '''45.3'''
|-
| {{flagu|United States}}
| 112 || '''15.3'''
| 140 || '''14.3'''
| 182 || '''19.3'''
| 234 || '''23.9'''
| 269 || '''27.3'''
|-
| {{flag|Sweden}}
| 23 || '''3.1'''
| 58 || '''5.9'''
| 49 || '''5.2'''
| 63 || '''6.4'''
| 98 || '''9.9'''
|-
| {{flag|Finland}}
| 18 || '''2.5'''
| 38 || '''3.9'''
| 42 || '''4.5'''
| 30 || '''3.1'''
| 42 || '''4.3'''
|-
| {{flag|Czech Republic}}
| 11 || '''1.5'''
| 73 || '''7.4'''
| 65 || '''6.9'''
| 42 || '''4.3'''
| 37 || '''3.8'''
|-
| {{flagu|Russia}}
| 1 || '''0.1'''
| 57 || '''5.8'''
| 35 || '''3.7'''
| 32 || '''3.3'''
| 39 || '''4.0'''
|-
! Total
! 731
! 100.0
! 980
! 100.0
! 942
! 100.0
! 978
! 100.0
! 985
! 100.0
|}
 
==Corporate sponsors==
The NHL lists its several official corporate partners into three categories: North American Partners, USA Partners, and Canada Partners.<ref name="NHL.comPartners">{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/info/corporate-marketing-partners |title=NHL.com – NHL Corporate Marketing Partners |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=January 28, 2017}}</ref> [[Discover Card]] is the league's official credit card in the US, while competitor [[Visa Inc.|Visa]] is an official sponsor in Canada.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Richard|first1=Sandomir|title=Discover Card Forges Tie to the N.H.L.|url=https://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/06/discover-card-forges-tie-to-the-n-h-l/?_r=0|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=January 28, 2017|date=November 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525155138/https://slapshot.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/06/discover-card-forges-tie-to-the-n-h-l/?_r=0|archive-date=May 25, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Likewise, [[Tim Hortons]] is the league's official [[coffee and doughnuts]] chain in Canada, while [[Dunkin' Donuts]] is the NHL's sponsor in the US.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Perez|first1=A.J.|title=Dunkin' Donuts announces partnership with the NHL|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nhl/2016/12/05/dunkin-donuts-partner-nhl-tim-hortons/94992702/|work=USA Today|accessdate=January 28, 2017|date=December 5, 2016}}</ref>
 
Among its North American corporate sponsors, [[Kraft Heinz]] sponsors ''[[Kraft Hockeyville]]'', an annual competition in which communities compete to demonstrate their commitment to the sport of [[ice hockey]]. The winning community gets a cash prize dedicated to upgrading their local home arena, as well as the opportunity to host an NHL pre-season game. Two contests are held, one for communities across Canada and a separate competition for communities in the US.
 
At least two of the North American corporate sponsors have ties to [[List of NHL franchise owners|NHL franchise owners]]: the [[Molson family]], founders of [[Molson Brewery]], has owned the Montreal Canadiens for years, while [[SAP SE|SAP]] was co-founded by [[Hasso Plattner]], the current majority owner of the San Jose Sharks.
 
Many of these same corporate partners become the title sponsors for the league's All-Star and [[NHL outdoor games|outdoor games]].
 
==Media coverage==
{{Main|National Hockey League on television}}
{{See also|List of current National Hockey League broadcasters}}
[[File:Hockey Night in Canada - Ron MacLean.jpg|thumb|[[Ron MacLean]], ''Hockey Night in Canada'' host]]
 
===Canada===
Broadcasting rights in Canada have historically included the [[CBC Television|CBC]]'s ''[[Hockey Night in Canada]]'' (''HNIC''), a Canadian tradition dating to 1952,<ref name="hnic1">{{Cite news|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/seasoninfo.html |title=HNIC in 2005–06 |year=2005 |accessdate=June 19, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210225017/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/seasoninfo.html |archivedate=February 10, 2006 }}</ref><ref name="hnic2">{{Cite news|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |title=Hockey Night in Canada: A history of excellence |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/histrad.html |year=2005 |accessdate=June 19, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210224941/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hnic/histrad.html |archivedate=February 10, 2006 }}</ref> and even prior to that on radio since the 1920s.
 
The current national television and digital rightsholder is [[Rogers Communications]], under a 12-year deal valued at [[Canadian dollar|C]]$5.2&nbsp;billion which began in the [[2014–15 NHL season|2014–15 season]], as the national broadcast and cable television rightsholders. National [[NHL on Sportsnet|English-language coverage]] of the NHL is carried primarily by Rogers' [[Sportsnet]] group of specialty channels; Sportsnet holds national windows on Wednesday and Sunday nights. ''Hockey Night in Canada'' was maintained and expanded under the deal, airing up to seven games nationally on Saturday nights throughout the regular season. CBC maintains Rogers-produced NHL coverage during the regular season and playoffs.<ref name=gandm-howcbclost>{{cite news|last1=Shoalts|first1=David|title=Hockey Night in Canada: How CBC lost it all|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/hockey-night-in-canada-how-cbc-lost-it-all/article21072643/|website=The Globe and Mail|accessdate=October 11, 2014}}</ref> Sportsnet's networks also air occasional games involving all-U.S. matchups.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nearly-500-nhl-games-to-air-under-rogers-deal/ |title=500-plus NHL games to air under Rogers deal | work=Sportsnet | date=February 4, 2014 | accessdate=February 5, 2014}}</ref><ref name=gandm-rogersnhl14>{{cite news|title=Rogers reaches 12-year broadcast deal with NHL worth $5.2-billion|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rogers-reaches-12-year-broadcast-deal-with-nhl-worth-52-billion/article15600412/|work=The Globe and Mail|accessdate=November 26, 2013|location=Toronto|date=November 27, 2013}}</ref><ref name=cbcnews-rogersnhl>{{cite news|title=Rogers scores national NHL TV rights for $5.2B|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/rogers-scores-national-nhl-tv-rights-for-5-2b-1.2440645|publisher=CBC News|accessdate=November 26, 2013}}</ref><ref name=torstar-hugeblow>{{cite news|title=NHL deal with Rogers a huge blow to TSN and CBC: Mudhar|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2013/11/26/nhl_deal_with_rogers_a_huge_blow_to_tsn_and_cbc_mudhar.html|work=Toronto Star|accessdate=November 26, 2013|date=November 26, 2013}}</ref><ref name=cbcsports-rogers14>{{cite news|title=CBC partners with Rogers in landmark NHL rights deal|url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/cbc-partners-with-rogers-in-landmark-nhl-rights-deal-1.2440326|work=CBC Sports|accessdate=November 26, 2013}}</ref><ref name=gandm-hnicnewgame>{{cite news|last1=Bradshaw|first1=James|title=Rogers' Hockey Night in Canada will be a whole new game for viewers|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/canadians-prepare-for-more-game-coverage-storytelling-with-new-nhl-season/article20930976/?page=all|accessdate=October 12, 2014|work=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>
 
[[Quebecor Media]] holds national [[French language|French-language]] rights to the NHL, with all coverage airing on its specialty channel [[TVA Sports]].<ref name=nhl-tvasports>{{cite web|title=NHL, TVA Sports launch French-language agreement|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=729553|website=National Hockey League|accessdate=September 21, 2014}}</ref><ref name=torstar-rogersnhl14>{{cite news|title=NHL signs 12-year TV, Internet deal with Rogers; CBC keeps 'Hockey Night in Canada'|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2013/11/26/nhl_signs_12year_broadcast_deal_with_rogers_cbc_keeps_hockey_night_in_canada.html|work=Toronto Star|accessdate=November 26, 2013|date=November 26, 2013}}</ref>
 
Games that are not broadcast as part of the national rights deal are broadcast by Sportsnet's regional feeds, [[The Sports Network|TSN]]'s regional feeds, and [[Réseau des sports|RDS]]. Regional games are subject to [[blackout (broadcasting)|blackout]] for viewers outside of each team's designated market.<ref name="fagstein-habs15">{{cite web|url=http://blog.fagstein.com/2014/08/18/nhl-regional-schedule-2014-15/|title=NHL broadcast schedule 2014–15: Who owns rights to what games|first=Steve|last=Faguy|work=Fagstein|date=August 18, 2014|accessdate=August 23, 2014}}</ref>
 
===United States===
{{Main|History of the National Hockey League on United States television}}
[[File:Mike "Doc" Emrick (2014).jpg|thumb|200px|[[Mike Emrick|Mike "Doc" Emrick]], NBC Sports lead hockey play-by-play announcer]]
Historically, the NHL has never fared well on American television in comparison to the other American professional leagues. The league's American broadcast partners have been in flux for decades, ranging from such networks as [[NHL on CBS|CBS]], [[NHL on SportsChannel America|SportsChannel America]], the [[NHL on USA|USA Network]], [[NHL on Fox|Fox]], [[NHL on ABC|ABC]], and [[ESPN National Hockey Night|ESPN]].
 
National U.S. television rights are currently held by [[NBC Sports]]; its current 10-year, US$2&nbsp;billion contract, which began in the [[2011–12 NHL season|2011–12 season]], extended and unified rights deals that were first established in the 2005–06 season, when [[Comcast]] acquired cable rights to replace ESPN, and [[NBC]] acquired broadcast television rights under a revenue-sharing agreement to replace [[ESPN on ABC|ABC]].<ref name="nysun">{{cite news|first=Evan |last=Weiner |work=New York Sun |url=http://www.nysun.com/article/34542 |title= Don't Believe the Gripe: The NHL Is Back |date=June 16, 2006 |accessdate=June 19, 2006}}</ref> [[NBC Sports Network]] and the company negotiated a new, 10-year, unified rights deal worth nearly US$2&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fangsbites.com/2011/04/nbcversus-to-air-nhl-games-for-the-next-ten-year/ |title=NBC/Versus To Air NHL Games for the Next Ten Years |author=Fang, Ken |date=April 19, 2011 |work=Fangsbites.com |accessdate=April 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018033414/http://fangsbites.com/2011/04/nbcversus-to-air-nhl-games-for-the-next-ten-year/ |archivedate=October 18, 2011 }}</ref> Under this contract, NBCSN usually airs at least two regular season games per week, while NBC airs afternoon games on selected weekends. NBCUniversal holds exclusive rights to Wednesday night games, all games televised by the NBC network, and every game in the Stanley Cup playoffs beginning in the second round. Coverage of the playoffs and the Finals is split between the two networks, with other games shown on [[CNBC]], [[USA Network]], [[NHL Network (United States)|NHL Network]].
 
As in Canada, games not broadcast nationally are aired regionally within a team's home market, and are subject to [[Blackout (broadcasting)|blackout]] outside of them. These broadcasters include [[regional sports network]] chains. Certain national telecasts on NBCSN are non-exclusive, and may also air in tandem with telecasts of the game by local broadcasters. However, national telecasts of these games are blacked out in the participating teams' markets to protect the local broadcaster.
 
===NHL Network===
{{main|NHL Network (United States)|NHL Network (Canada)}}
 
The league co-owns the NHL Network, a television specialty channel devoted to the NHL. Its signature show is ''[[NHL Tonight]]''. The NHL Network also airs live games, but primarily simulcasts of one of the team's regional broadcasters.
The U.S. version simulcasts selected regular season games nationally that are not aired by NBC Sports, as well as be used as an overflow channel during the playoffs.
 
===Out-of-market packages===
The NHL operates two subscription-based services allowing access to live, out-of-market games. [[NHL Centre Ice]] in Canada<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=27197 |title=NHL Centre Ice (Canada) official website |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=March 14, 2014}}</ref> and [[NHL Center Ice]] in the United States<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=26371 |title=NHL Center Ice United States official website |website=National Hockey League |accessdate=March 14, 2014}}</ref> offer access to out-of-market feeds of games through a cable or satellite television provider.
 
The league also offers ''NHL.tv'' (branded as ''Rogers NHL GameCentre Live'' in Canada), which allows the streaming of out-of-market games over the internet, and has been coordinated by [[Major League Baseball Advanced Media|MLB Advanced Media]] since 2016.<ref name="NHL-MLBAM-deal">{{cite web
| url = https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-major-league-baseball-advanced-media-form-transformative-digital-rights-partnership/c-776246
| title = NHL, Major League Baseball Advanced Media form transformative digital-rights partnership
| last = Rosen
| first = Dan
| date = August 4, 2015
| publisher = NHL
| access-date = 2020-02-21 }}</ref>
In the United States, NHL.tv does not carry national games or in-market games, while Rogers NHL GameCentre Live does allow those in Canada to stream Sportsnet's national games.
 
===International===
Outside of Canada and the United States, NHL games are broadcast across Europe, in the Middle East, in Australia,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.foxtel.com.au/whats-on/channels/fox-sports-1/default.htm |title = Fox Sports 1 [501] |publisher = Foxtel.com.au| accessdate =April 9, 2010}}</ref> and in the Americas across Mexico, Central America, Dominican Republic, Caribbean, South America and Brazil, among others.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}}
 
NHL.tv is also available for people outside Canada and the United States to watch games online, but blackout restrictions may still apply if a game is being televised in the user's country. Those in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, where [[Viasat]] holds the NHL rights, must instead stream games from Viasat's [[Viaplay]] service.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/subscribe|title=NHL.tv|publisher=NHL|accessdate=September 26, 2019|quote=For international customers, blackout restrictions may apply to games that appear on an NHL partner network in your viewing area ... NHL.TV not sold and subscriptions cannot be accessed from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden ... click the applicable link for information on accessing NHL hockey in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden}}</ref>
 
==International competitions==
{{main|List of international games played by NHL teams}}
{{see also|List of international ice hockey competitions featuring NHL players}}
The National Hockey League has occasionally participated in international club competitions. Most of these competitions were arranged by the NHL or NHLPA. The first international club competition was held in [[Super Series '76|1976]], with eight NHL teams playing against the [[Soviet Championship League]]'s [[HC CSKA Moscow]], and [[Krylya Sovetov Moscow]]. Between 1976 and 1991, the NHL, and the Soviet Championship League would hold a number of exhibition games between the two leagues known as the [[Super Series]]. No NHL club had played a Russian-based club from the end of the Super Series in 1991 to 2008, when the New York Rangers faced [[Metallurg Magnitogorsk]] in the [[2008 Victoria Cup]].
 
In addition to the Russian clubs, NHL clubs had participated in a number of international club exhibitions and competitions with various European-based clubs. The first exhibition game to feature an NHL team against a European-based team (aside from clubs based in the former Soviet Union) was in December 1977, when the New York Rangers faced [[HC Kladno|Poldi Kladno]] of the [[Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League]]. In the 2000s the NHL had organized four [[NHL Challenge]] series between NHL, and European clubs. From 2007 to 2011, the NHL organized exhibition games prior to the beginning of the season, known as the NHL Premiere, between NHL clubs and teams from a number of European leagues. The [[List of international games played by NHL teams#2018 NHL Global Series|2018 NHL Global Series]] was the last NHL-organized club competition involving European teams. NHL clubs have also participated in IIHF-organized club tournaments. The most recent IIHF-organized event including an NHL club was the [[2009 Victoria Cup]], between the Swiss [[National League A]]'s [[ZSC Lions]], and the Chicago Blackhawks.
 
From 1998 to 2014, during the quadrennial [[Winter Olympics|Winter Olympic]] years, the NHL suspended its all-star game and expanded the traditional all-star break to allow NHL players to represent their countries in the Olympic ice hockey tournament; starting 2018, because the All-Star game is held in late January, there would be no Olympic break. Conversely, the annual [[Ice Hockey World Championships]] are held every May at the same time as the Stanley Cup playoffs. Thus, NHL players generally only join their respective country's team in the World Championships if their respective NHL team has been eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, or did not make the playoffs.
 
In 2007, the [[International Ice Hockey Federation]] (IIHF) formalized the "[[Triple Gold Club]]", the group of players and coaches who have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and the Stanley Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Winner of three-team tourney to get Victoria Cup|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2863711|date=May 8, 2007|accessdate=February 9, 2009|publisher=[[ESPN]]|agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="expands">{{cite web|title=Triple Gold Club expands to 22 |url=http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/article/triple-gold-club-expands-to-22/ |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |date=June 5, 2008 |accessdate=February 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218074948/http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/article/triple-gold-club-expands-to-22/ |archivedate=February 18, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=PR & Media Activities|url=http://www.iihf.com/100-years/100-years-of-ice-hockey/pr-media-activities.html|website=International Ice Hockey Federation|accessdate=February 8, 2009}}</ref> The term had first entered popular use following the [[2002 Winter Olympics]], which saw the addition of the first Canadian members.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Welcome to the Triple Gold Club: Blake, Sakic, Shanahan: New members to elite club: Olympics, worlds, Stanley Cup|work=[[National Post]]|author=Barnes, Don|date=February 25, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Triple Gold Club awaits Canadian trio|author=Scanlan, Wayne|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|date=February 24, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Skating a fine line|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/2002GamesColumnistsPreGames/buffery_dec26-sun.html|last=Buffery|first=Steve|work=[[Toronto Sun]]|date=December 26, 2001|accessdate=February 9, 2009}}</ref>
 
As well as participating in the above international club competitions, the NHL and the National Hockey League Players' Association organizes the [[World Cup of Hockey]]. Unlike the Ice Hockey World Championships and the Olympic tournament, both run by the International Ice Hockey Federation, the World Cup of Hockey is played under NHL-rules and not those of the IIHF. The tournament takes place prior to the NHL pre-season.<ref name=sn-wch2016>{{cite web|title=New-look World Cup of hockey back for 2016|url=http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/new-look-world-cup-of-hockey-back-for-2016/|website=Sportsnet.ca|accessdate=January 24, 2015}}</ref>
 
==Popularity==
{{See also|NHL attendance}}
The NHL is considered one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, along with [[Major League Baseball]], the [[National Football League]], and the [[National Basketball Association]]. The league is very prominent in Canada, where hockey is the most popular of these four major sports as alongside [[Canadian Football League|CFL]].<ref name="Canadian Press 2006-06-08">{{Cite news|agency=The Canadian Press |authorlink=Canadian Press |date=June 8, 2006 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060608.wsurvey8/BNStory/Sports/home |title=Survey: Canadian interest in pro football is on the rise |work=The Globe and Mail |accessdate=June 8, 2006 |location=Toronto }}{{dead link|date=November 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Overall, hockey has the smallest total fan base of the four leagues, the smallest revenue from television, and the least sponsorship.<ref name="affluent">{{cite web|url=http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/bmag/sbsm0408/feature_sports.shtml |title=Champions of the Turnstiles |date=August 2004 |last=Markus |first=David |work=gsb.stanford.edu |accessdate=June 24, 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102214551/http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/bmag/sbsm0408/feature_sports.shtml |archivedate=January 2, 2011 }}</ref>
 
The NHL holds one of the most affluent fan bases.<ref name="affluent"/> Studies by the Sports Marketing Group conducted from 1998 to 2004 show that the NHL's fan base is much more affluent than that of the [[PGA Tour]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19910221&slug=1267313 |title=Sports: NBA Booming, But Football Is America's Favorite Sport |work=The Seattle Times |date=February 21, 1991 |accessdate=March 14, 2014}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=June 2013}} A study done by the [[Stanford Graduate School of Business]] in 2004, found that NHL fans in America were the most educated and affluent of the four major leagues. Further it noted that season-ticket sales were more prominent in the NHL than the other three because of the financial ability of the NHL fan to purchase them.<ref name="affluent" /> According to [[Reuters]] in 2010, the largest demographic of NHL fans was males aged 18–34.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6974VM20101008 |title=NHL pushes for growth on TV, online |date=October 8, 2010 |last=Klayman |first=Ben |agency=Reuters|accessdate=May 23, 2011}}</ref>
The NHL estimates that half of its fan base roots for teams in outside markets. Beginning in 2008, the NHL began a shift toward using digital technology to market to fans to capitalize on this.
 
The debut of the [[NHL Winter Classic|Winter Classic]], an outdoor regular season NHL game held on [[New Year's Day]] 2008, was a major success for the league. The game has since become an annual staple of the NHL schedule. This, along with the transition to a national "Game of the Week" and an annual "Hockey Day in America" regional coverage, all televised on NBC, has helped increase the NHL's regular season television viewership in the United States.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} These improvements led NBC and the cable channel [[Versus (TV channel)|Versus]] to sign a ten-year broadcast deal, paying US$200&nbsp;million per year for both American cable and broadcast rights; the deal will lead to further increases in television coverage on the NBC channels.
 
This television contract has boosted viewership metrics for the NHL. The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs saw the largest audience in the history of the sport "after a regular season that saw record-breaking business success, propelled in large part by the NHL's strategy of engaging fans through big events and robust digital offerings."<ref>"[http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=531630 Stanley Cup Playoffs attract largest audience ever]", "NHL.com", June 14, 2010</ref> This success has resulted in a 66 percent rise in NHL advertising and sponsorship revenue. Merchandise sales were up 22 percent and the number of unique visitors on the NHL.com website were up 17 percent during the playoffs after rising 29 percent in the regular season.<ref>Klayman, Ben. "[http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/14062010/6/finance-interview-nhl-ad-sponsorship-revenue-66-pct-year.html NHL ad, sponsorship revenue up 66 pct this year]", "Yahoo! News", June 14, 2010 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619232943/http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/14062010/6/finance-interview-nhl-ad-sponsorship-revenue-66-pct-year.html |date=June 19, 2010 }}</ref>
 
==See also==
{{portal|Ice hockey}}
* [[List of NHL records (individual)]]
* [[List of NHL records (team)]]
* [[List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada]]
* [[List of American and Canadian cities by number of major professional sports franchises]]
* [[List of TV markets and major sports teams]]
* [[List of National Hockey League attendance figures]]
* [[List of National Hockey League arenas]]
* [[NHL All-Rookie Team]]
* [[NHL All-Star Team]]
 
==Footnotes==
{{reflist|group="nb"}}
 
==References==
=== Bibliography ===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book|title=Trail of the Stanley Cup, vols. 1–3 |last=Coleman |first=Charles |year=1966–1969 |ref=harv |website=National Hockey League|isbn=0-8403-2941-5}}
* {{Cite book|last=Jenish|first=D'Arcy|year=2008|title=The Montreal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DFLcnuvieV0C |publisher=Doubleday Canada |isbn= 978-0-385-66324-3|ref=harv}}
* {{Cite book|first1=Morey |last1=Holzman |first2=Joseph |last2=Nieforth |title=Deceptions and Doublecross: How the NHL Conquered Hockey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=COb82MiKyGQC |year=2002 |location=Toronto |publisher=Dundurn Press |isbn=1-55002-413-2 |ref=harv }}
* {{Cite book|first=Brian |last=McFarlane |title=Brian McFarlane's History of Hockey |year=1997 |location=Champaign, Illinois |publisher=Sports Publishing Inc |isbn= 1-57167-145-5 |ref=harv}}
* {{Cite book|last=McKinley |first=Michael |year=2006|title=Hockey: A People's History|publisher=McClelland & Stewart|isbn= 0-7710-5769-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fCAL2ysKFWoC |ref=harv}}
* {{cite web|website=National Hockey League |title=2005–06 NHL Official Rules |url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050925113900/http://www.nhl.com/rules/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 25, 2005 |year=2005 |accessdate=June 10, 2006 |ref=harv }}
* {{Cite book|last=Pincus|first=Arthur|year=2006|title=The Official Illustrated NHL History|publisher=Reader's Digest|isbn= 0-88850-800-X|ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1=Podnieks |first1=Andrew |last2=Szemberg |first2=Szymon |title=World of hockey: celebrating a century of the IIHF |year= 2007 |publisher=Fenn Publishing |isbn=9781551683072 |ref=harv}}
* {{Cite book|last=Ross|first=J. Andrew|year=2015|title=Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=978-0-8156-3383-9}}
* {{Cite book|last=Sandor|first=Steven|year=2005|title=The Battle of Alberta: A Century of Hockey's Greatest Rivalry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WpI_rzHaT8oC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016020327/https://books.google.com/books?id=WpI_rzHaT8oC|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 16, 2015|publisher=Heritage House |isbn= 1-894974-01-8|ref=harv}}
* {{Cite book|title=Lords of the Rinks |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8uKWKUOl5LkC |publisher= University of Toronto Press|last=Wong |first=John Chi-Kit |year=2005 |isbn=0-8020-8520-2 |ref=harv }}
{{Refend}}
 
=== Notes ===
{{Reflist|22em}}
 
==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last =Bass |first =Alan |year = 2011|title =The Great Expansion: The Ultimate Risk That Changed the NHL Forever |url =https://books.google.com/books?id=JgLqzbebH4gC&q=The%20NHL&pg=PP1 |publisher=Iuniverse Inc |isbn= 978-1-4502-8605-3 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last =Fischler |first =Stan & Shirley |year =2003 |title =Who's Who in Hockey |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wpbLnSHBNHgC&pg=PA1 |publisher= Andrews McMeel Pub|isbn=0-7407-1904-1 |ref=harv}}
* {{cite book |last1 =Holzman|first1 = Morey |first2=Joseph |last2=Nieforth |year =2002 |title =Deceptions and doublecross : how the NHL conquered hockey |url =https://books.google.com/books?id=COb82MiKyGQC&pg=PP1 |publisher= Dundurn Press|isbn=1-55002-413-2 |ref=harv}}
* {{Cite book |last =Weekes |first =Don |year =2005 |title =The Big Book of Hockey Trivia |url =https://books.google.com/books?id=31znPJH56zAC&pg=PP1 |publisher= Greystone Books|isbn=1-55365-119-7 |accessdate = }}
* {{cite book |last =Wright |first =Marshall D |year = 2010|title = The National Hockey League, 1917–1967: A Year-by-Year Statistical History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5BwMfrkN1SQC&pg=PP1 |publisher= McFarland & Co |isbn=978-0-7864-4444-1 |ref=harv}}
{{Refend}}
 
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|d=Q1215892|c=category:National Hockey League|n=Category:National Hockey League|voy=Ice hockey in North America|v=no|s=no|wikt=no|b=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no|q=no}}
* {{Official website}}
* [http://www.nhlpa.com/ NHL Player's Association (NHLPA)]
* [http://www.nhlofficials.com/ NHL Officials Association website]
 
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