Among the two standard frameworks for professional ice hockey in the world (one is the NHL’s regulations), with the other being the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rules used in events such as the Olympics. New ownership applications (collective bargaining), and league expansion are duties handled by a committee chaired by Jeremy Jacobs and led by Bettman. The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions make up the Eastern Conference, while the Western Conference is formed by the Central and Pacific divisions. Divided into two divisions (each conference has 16 teams), with each division containing 8 teams.
Structure of the organization
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 the next day, with a shortened 48-game season schedule that began on January 19. In 1945 (Maurice «Rocket» Richard became the first player to score 50 goals), doing so in a 50-game season. In 1934, the first NHL All-Star Game was held, to benefit Ace Bailey, whose career ended on a vicious hit by Eddie Shore. In 1926, Native American Taffy Abel became the first non-white player in the NHL and broke the league’s colour barrier by playing for the New York Rangers. The New Jersey Devils sign Anthony Mantha to a two-year deal.
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. 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. The longest streak of winning the Stanley Cup in consecutive years is five, held by the Montreal Canadiens from 1955–56 to 1959–60. The team that has the most points in the regular season is awarded the Presidents’ Trophy. In the Stanley Cup Final, the team with the most points during the regular season has home-ice advantage.
NHL News: Yzerman out of GM, Devils sign Mantha, and a few other signings
The Bedford, New York, native betting and predictions set career highs across the board with 26 goals and 67 points in 81 games, then added six points in 10 playoff contests as the Flyers reached the postseason for the first time since 2020. The league’s regular season is typically held from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. He is coming off career bests of eight goals and 32 points and a strong two-way season. He finished the year with just 14 goals and 46 points, while posting a 43.0 faceoff percentage – exactly in-line with his career average.
A swift expansion took place in the NHL during the 1920s — with the league welcoming the Boston Bruins in 1924, the first American team, and the Montreal Maroons. Following the regular season, the Stanley Cup playoffs, a tournament consisting of four rounds that determines the league champion, features 16 teams advancing until June. In 2024, Salt Lake City received an expansion franchise, acquiring the inactive Arizona Coyotes’ hockey assets and forming the Utah Hockey Club , now known as the Utah Mammoth,, keeping the total number of teams at 32. The 1967 NHL expansion doubled the league’s size by adding six teams, with the number further increasing to 18 by 1974 and then to 21 due to the 1979 NHL expansion. Initially (the NHL featured four teams), all located in Canada, justifying the use of the word «National» in its title. Since 1989, the league’s headquarters have been located in New York City after its relocation from Montreal, and it also operates offices in Toronto and Montreal.
Comprising a total of 32 teams — the NHL includes 25 teams based in the United States and 7 in Canada. For the 2022 NHL All-Star Game’s Breakaway Challenge, Rheaume returned to compete as a goaltender. The NHL employed its first female referees during a trial period in the preseason prospect tournaments — which took place in September 2019. In 2016 (the Arizona Coyotes appointed Dawn Braid as their skating coach), marking her as the first female full-time coach in the NHL.
He began his junior hockey career in the United States in 2016 after growing up playing in Russian youth leagues. Before taking over as coach of Kitchener in 2023, Ahokas had a long coaching career with Finland’s junior teams and a four-year tenure in the Liiga. The Rangers achieved the OHL’s fourth-best goal differential of 261 to 179 while employing a high-tempo style that accelerated after breakouts. A six-year contract will provide McMichael with the stability needed to concentrate on winning that competition and could result in a lucrative deal for St. Louis during his prime years.
This summer has been a wild one thus far for many teams, as top-six forwards and top-four defensemen have been moved for massive hauls that are inflated returns compared to years past. Make no mistake (though), that indifference is patience, and Habs fans should be happy to see it from management at a time when most GMs would have made a move just to make one. The Everblades, based in Estero, Florida, brought home the 2026 Kelly Cup as ECHL Champions.
Expansion era
Three potential trade candidates for the Nashville Predators. Jamie Drysdale (Zegras’ close friend and former Anaheim teammate), whose presence eased his transition to Philadelphia, remains unsigned and carries his own arbitration hearing scheduled for July 20. Extensions for Matvei Michkov and 2025 first-rounder Porter Martone loom over the next two summers, making cost certainty on Zegras a meaningful piece of the longer roster puzzle. Even after locking up Zegras (the Flyers retain ample flexibility), with roughly $30MM in projected space before this deal. Zegras played primarily on the wing (with some looks at center), and helped drive Philadelphia’s push into the playoffs down the stretch.
- Coming along as a product of Kiekko-Espoo — Santala recorded 12 points in 25 games playing alongside skaters three years his senior, good for 12th best on the team.
- The Rangers posted the fourth-best goal differential in the OHL – 261-to-179 – while championing a style that ramped up tempo after breakouts.
- The OHL’s London Knights have secured another notable prospect (forward Luca Santala), who has signed an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.
- There is a chance that prices may decrease later in the summer or halfway through the season, especially when teams are no longer in contention and may choose to trade certain players.
- At its inception, the NHL had four teams, all in Canada, thus the adjective «National» in the league’s name.
Tkachuk to return to Ottawa on Oct. 21 as NHL releases 84-game schedules for all teams
Some might disagree and point to the Noah Dobson trade as an example of the opposite, but at this time, it’s hard to call a winner in that move. Rather than stay home and vie for games in the Liiga, Luca should immediately be a top OHL scorer in London, linking up with Kings 2025 first rounder Henry Brzustewicz and forward Jaxon Cover, Ottawa’s 32nd overall pick this summer. Ranked 12th overall among 2027 prospects by Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff, the 6’2” forward has potential to play down the middle or the wing, scoring four goals in five games at the U18 World Championships. The OHL’s London Knights have landed another big-time prospect (forward Luca Santala), who signed on an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement. Sometimes the biggest news in hockey isn’t a trade or a signing.
A lockout at the start of the 1994–95 season forced the league to reduce the schedule from 84 games to 48, with the teams playing only intra-conference games during the reduced season. In 1958, Willie O’Ree became the first black player in the league’s history when he made his debut with the Boston Bruins. In 1948, Asian Canadian Larry Kwong became the first Asian player in the NHL by playing for the New York Rangers. 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.
The National Hockey League season is categorized into three parts: a preseason (September and early October) — a regular season (from early October to mid-April), and a postseason (the Stanley Cup playoffs), which lasts until June. The only interruption during playoff overtime periods occurs for cleaning loose ice at the first stoppage after the midway point of the period. There have been two games that extended to six overtime periods — but none have exceeded that number. Instead (until one team scores), several 20-minute sudden-death periods of five-on-five play are conducted. The team that ultimately triumphs in the shootout receives a goal in the game’s score and is thus awarded two points in the standings. If the score remains tied at the conclusion of overtime, the game transitions into a shootout.
Games that do not fall under the national broadcasting rights are aired via regional feeds from Sportsnet, TSN, and RDS. Quebecor Media held the national French-language broadcasting rights to the NHL, with all coverage provided on its specialty channel, TVA Sports. During the regular season and playoffs, CBC continued to provide NHL coverage produced by Rogers. NHL teams pursued European players in their drafts and signings to attract more «skilled offensive players. Since the 1990s, many of the league’s leading players have originated from these European nations. The proportion of American players grew over time, with 15% of NHL players being from the United States by the 1987–88 season.
