The NHL’s rules are one of the two standard sets of professional ice hockey rules in the world, the other being the rules of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), as used in tournaments such as the Olympics. A committee led by Bettman and chairman Jeremy Jacobs is responsible for vetting new ownership applications, collective bargaining, and league expansion. The Eastern Conference consists of the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions, while the Western Conference consists of the Central and Pacific divisions. Each conference is split into two divisions, with 16 teams per conference and 8 per division.

Organizational structure

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 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.

The NHL embarked on a rapid expansion in the 1920s (adding the Montreal Maroons and the Boston Bruins in 1924), the latter being the first American team to join the league. Following the conclusion of the regular season, 16 teams advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs, a four-round tournament that runs into June to determine the league champion. Salt Lake City was awarded an expansion franchise in betting and predictions 2024; it acquired the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes, which were deactivated, and established the Utah Hockey Club , now the Utah Mammoth,, thus maintaining the total number of teams at 32. The league added six new teams to double its size as a result of the 1967 NHL expansion — then increased to 18 teams by 1974, and to 21 teams due to the 1979 NHL expansion. At its inception (the NHL had four teams), all in Canada, thus the adjective « National » in the league’s name. The league’s headquarters have been in New York City since 1989, when it moved from Montreal; the league also has offices in Toronto and Montreal.

Rheaume took to the ice once again as a goaltender for the Breakaway Challenge at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. In September 2019, a trial run saw the hiring of the NHL’s first female referees during the league’s preseason prospect tournaments. Hired in 2016 as the skating coach for the Arizona Coyotes, Dawn Braid became the first woman to hold a full-time coaching position in the NHL.

Although he developed his skills in Russian youth hockey — he relocated to the United States to launch his junior career in 2016. Prior to joining Kitchener in 2023 — Ahokas enjoyed a lengthy coaching career with Finland’s junior teams and spent four years in the Liiga. With a goal differential of 261-to-179 (the Rangers achieved the fourth-best ranking in the OHL), promoting a fast-paced style after breakouts. A six-year contract will provide McMichael with the stability necessary to concentrate on winning the competition, potentially securing St. Louis a lucrative deal throughout his prime.

It is important to recognize that what may seem like indifference is actually patience; Habs fans ought to appreciate management’s approach during a time when many GMs would have acted impulsively. The 2026 Kelly Cup was brought home by the Everblades, who are located in Estero, Florida, as they triumphed in the ECHL Championship.

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.

• As a product of Kiekko-Espoo (Santala accumulated 12 points in 25 games), competing alongside older players, which ranked him 12th 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 London Knights of the OHL have secured a significant talent in forward Luca Santala, who has signed an OHL Scholarship and Development Agreement.
• It’s entirely possible that prices drop later in the summer or midway through the season — when teams are out of contention and may opt to move on from certain players.
• At its inception (the NHL had four teams), all in Canada, thus the adjective « National » in the league’s name.

The NHL has unveiled 84-game schedules for every team, with Tkachuk set to make his return to Ottawa on October 21.

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 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) that runs until June. During playoff overtime periods, the only break is to clean the loose ice at the first stoppage after the period is halfway finished. Two games have reached six overtime periods, but none have gone beyond six. Instead (multiple sudden-death), 20-minute five-on-five periods are played until one team scores. Whichever team ultimately wins the shootout is awarded a goal in the game score and thus awarded two points in the standings. If the game is still tied at the end of overtime — the game enters a shootout.

Games excluded from the national rights deal are aired by regional feeds from Sportsnet, TSN, and RDS. Quebecor Media secured the national rights for NHL broadcasts in French, with all coverage provided on its dedicated channel TVA Sports. During the regular season and playoffs, CBC provided coverage of the NHL produced by Rogers. NHL teams sought to increase the pool of « skilled offensive players » by drafting and signing European athletes. Since the 1990s — many elite players in the league have hailed from various European nations. Over time (the proportion of American players grew), with 15% of NHL players being from the United States during the 1987–88 season, for example.