National Hockey League
Current season or competition: 2008 Stanley Cup Finals
Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	1917
Commissioner	Gary Bettman
No. of teams	30
Country(ies)	Canada  United States
Most recent champion(s)	Detroit Red Wings
TV partner(s)	CAN: CBC, TSN, RDS, RIS, NHL Network Canada USA: NBC, Versus, HDNet, NHL Network US
Official website	NHL.com

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America. It is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world,^[1] and one of the North American major professional sports leagues. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America,^[2] is awarded annually to the league champion at the end of each season. NHL is an abbreviation for National Hockey League National Historic Landmark National Hurling League in the GAA Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. ... Image File history File links 05_NHL_Shield. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... See also: 1916 in sports, 1918 in sports and the list of years in sports. Football (Australian Rules) Victorian Football League - Collingwood wins the 21st VFL Premiership (Collingwood 9. ... Gary Bruce Bettman (born on June 2, 1952 in Queens, New York) is the commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), a post he has held since February 1, 1993. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... For other uses of the name Red Wings, see Redwing (disambiguation). ... Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) is a popular television broadcast of National Hockey League games in Canada, produced by the CBC. Hockey Night consistently remains one of the highest-rated Canadian programs on television. ... NHL on TSN is TSNs broadcast of National Hockey League games. ... Réseau des sports (commonly known as RDS), is a Canadian French language cable television specialty channel showing sports and sport-related shows. ... Réseau Info-Sports (RIS), is a Canadian French language category 1 digital cable specialty channel. ... Silver logo used from 2005 - 2007. ... NHL on NBC is a TV show that televises National Hockey League games on NBC and is produced by NBC Sports. ... The NHL on Versus (formerly known as The NHL on OLN) is the National Hockey Leagues cable programming in the United States for the regular season, playoffs, and Stanley Cup Finals. ... HDNet is a general interest television channel in the United States, broadcasting exclusively in high-definition format, and available via cable and satellite television. ... This article is about the American Channel; for the Canadian Channel see NHL Network (Canada) NHL Network is a cable network devoted to the National Hockey League (NHL) and the sport of ice hockey that launched in the United States on October 1, 2007. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... North American redirects here. ... The term major professional sports league is used to describe the most important and well regarded leagues in the biggest professional sports in a country or region. ... The Stanley Cup (French: ) is an ice hockey club championship trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs champion. ... In an organised sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. ...

The league was founded in 1917 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada with four teams, and through a series of expansions, contractions and relocations, the league is now composed of 30 teams, 24 of which are based in the United States and six in Canada. After a labour dispute that led to the cancellation of the entire 2004–05 season, the league has staged a successful comeback, including revenue and profit growth.^[3] Nickname: Motto: Concordia Salus (well-being through harmony) Coordinates: , Country Province Region Montréal Founded 1642 Established 1832 Government  - Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area [1][2][3]  - City 365. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ...

The NHL draws many highly skilled players from all over the world. Currently, the league has players from about 20 different countries.^[4][5] Canadians have historically constituted a large majority of the players in the NHL because both the sport and the league originated in Canada. In the past 25 years, the percentages of American and European players have increased because of the NHL's continued expansion into the United States, its high standard of play compared to other leagues, and the availability of highly skilled European players.^[6] For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

History

Main article: History of the National Hockey League

After a series of disputes in the Canadian National Hockey Association (NHA) between Eddie Livingstone, who was the owner of the Toronto Blueshirts, and other owners, the owners of the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, and Quebec Bulldogs met at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal to talk about the NHA's future.^[7] Their discussions eventually led to the creation of the National Hockey League on November 22, 1917; the founding teams were the Canadiens, Wanderers and Senators. A Toronto franchise, because of the dispute, was given temporarily to the Toronto Arena Corp to operate, and is often referred to as the Arenas, though they operated without a nickname.^[8][7] This is a list of teams that once played in the National Hockey League but no longer exist. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... For other uses, see Toronto Maple Leafs (disambiguation). ... For other uses of the name Red Wings, see Redwing (disambiguation). ... The Boston Bruins are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ... The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, a hamlet located on Long Island in Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. ... The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, U.S.A. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. ... The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. ... The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. ... The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... The Anaheim Ducks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and play out of the Pengrowth Saddledome. ... The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... ‹ The template below (current sport-related) is being considered for deletion. ... The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Stanley Cup (French: ) is an ice hockey club championship trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs champion. ... The classic NHL shield logo, used until the end of the 2004 lockout. ... This article is part of the Evolution of the NHL series. ... Edward J. Livingstone (September 12, 1884 - September 11, 1945) was the founder of the Toronto Blueshirts, a predecessor of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL. Livingstone was born in Toronto, Ontario as the youngest of three children. ... Toronto Blueshirts were a National Hockey Association team which played in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... Montreal Wanderers The Montreal Wanderers were a professional hockey team that played in Montreal, Quebec and one of the founding franchises of the National Hockey League in the 1917-18 NHL season. ... This article is about the original Ottawa Senators. ... This article is on the ice hockey team. ... The Windsor Hotel in 1902 For other uses of Windsor Hotel, see Windsor Hotel (disambiguation). ...

Montreal Canadiens in 1942

Even though the league struggled to stay in business during its first decade, the NHL's teams were very successful on the ice; only once, in 1925, did a team from any other league win the Stanley Cup, and by 1926 the NHL was the only league competing for the Cup.^[9] The NHL then started a process of expansion: the Boston Bruins (the first U.S.-based NHL franchise) and Montreal Maroons entered the league in 1924–25; the New York Americans and the Pittsburgh Pirates entered in the 1925–26 season; and the New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks (now spelled Blackhawks), and Detroit Cougars (now known as the Red Wings) entered in the 1926–27 season, raising the number of teams in the NHL to ten. The Great Depression and the onset of World War II, took a toll on the league, and by 1942 the NHL was reduced to six teams. These six teams (the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins, and New York Rangers) are collectively known as the Original Six, and for the next quarter-century were the only teams in the National Hockey League. During this time the Norris family had influence over four of the teams as Detroit and Chicago were operated by members of the family, and Boston and New York had mortgages to the family. The media would nickname the league the "Norris House League."^[10] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (760x603, 128 KB) Montreal Canadiens hockey team, October 1942. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (760x603, 128 KB) Montreal Canadiens hockey team, October 1942. ... The Stanley Cup (French: ) is an ice hockey club championship trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs champion. ... The Boston Bruins are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... Montreal Maroons white logo Montreal Maroons dark logo The Montreal Maroons were a professional ice hockey team from Montreal, Quebec. ... The New York Americans were a NHL hockey team, the third expansion team in league history and the second to play in the United States. ... The Pittsburgh Pirates were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, U.S.A. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. ... For other uses of the name Red Wings, see Redwing (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Original Six is a well-known term for the six teams which comprised the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 25 seasons between the 1942-43 NHL season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. ...

By the mid 1960s, the desire for a network television contract in the U.S., and concerns that the Western Hockey League was planning to declare itself a major league and challenge for the Stanley Cup, spurred the NHL to undertake its first expansion since the 1920s. Six new teams were added to the NHL roster in 1967, and were placed in their own newly-created division. Two teams each were added in California, Pennsylvania, and the Mississppi River valley. The teams were the Los Angeles Kings, Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Minnesota North Stars, and St. Louis Blues. Three years later, the NHL added the Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres. The Western Hockey League was a minor pro ice hockey league that operated from 1952 to 1974. ... The National Hockey League added six new franchises for the 1967-68 NHL season, doubling the size of the league. ... The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. ... The California Golden Seals were a team in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1967-76. ... The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1967 to 1993. ... The St. ... The Vancouver Canucks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... {{NHL Team | team_name = Buffalo Sabres | bg_color = #002D62 | text_color = #FDBB30 | logo_image = Sabres. ...

In 1972, the World Hockey Association was formed, and though it never challenged for the Stanley Cup, the WHA's status as a potential rival to the NHL did not go unnoticed. In response, the NHL decided to rush its own expansion plans in 1972 by adding the New York Islanders and Atlanta Flames (which became the Calgary Flames in 1980) to forestall WHA franchises in newly constructed arenas in those markets, followed by the addition of the Kansas City Scouts and Washington Capitals two years later.^[11] The two leagues fought for the rights of players and fans until the WHA folded in 1979 as part of an agreement whereby four of the remaining six WHA teams would enter the NHL as expansion teams: the Hartford Whalers (the Carolina Hurricanes since 1997), Québec Nordiques (the Colorado Avalanche since 1995), Edmonton Oilers, and Winnipeg Jets (the Phoenix Coyotes since 1996).^[12] WHA redirects here. ... The Stanley Cup (French: ) is an ice hockey club championship trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs champion. ... The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, a hamlet located on Long Island in Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. ... The Atlanta Flames were a National Hockey League (NHL) team based in Atlanta, Georgia from 1972 to 1980. ... The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and play out of the Pengrowth Saddledome. ... The Kansas City Scouts was an ice hockey franchise that played in the National Hockey League from 1974-1976 out of Kansas City, Missouri. ... The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Hartford Whalers were an American professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. ... The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... The Québec Nordiques (translated into English as Northmen or Northerners) were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. ... The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. ... The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ... The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. ... The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. ...

With the expansion in 1974, the NHL was aligned into 2 conferences. These conferences, Campbell (representing the west) and Wales (representing the east) each had 2 divisions. The Campbell's divisions were the Smythe and Norris; while the Wales' divisions were the Adams and Patrick. This changed in 1993 when the NHL was realigned into geographical conferences (East & West), divided into 3 divisions. The Eastern Conference currently consists of the Atlantic, Southeast, and Northeast while the Western is made up of the Central, Northwest, and Pacific. Reasons for realignment include further expansion into the U.S. and efforts to expand the NHL's breadth of audience.

After a period of stability in the 1980s, the NHL further expanded with nine new franchises in ten years. The San Jose Sharks entered in 1991; a season later the Ottawa Senators would return to the NHL along with the addition of the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 1993, the league added two additional teams, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Florida Panthers. Next came the Nashville Predators in 1998, the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999, and then the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2000, bringing the total to 30 teams.
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. ... For other uses, see Ottawa Senators (disambiguation). ... The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Anaheim Ducks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... For the animal species by this name, see Florida Panther. ... The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. ... The Thrashers take the puck into the offensive zone against the St. ... The Minnesota Wild is a professional mens ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. ... The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. ...

Labour issues

History of the NHL

National Hockey League

Founding (1917–1942) Original Six (1942–1967) 1967 NHL Expansion (1967) Expansion era (1967–1991) Modern era (1991–present)

Ice hockey portal · v • d • e

There have been three league-wide work stoppages in NHL history, all happening between 1992 and 2005. The Original Six is a well-known term for the six teams which comprised the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 25 seasons between the 1942-43 NHL season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. ... The National Hockey League added six new franchises for the 1967-68 NHL season, doubling the size of the league. ... The classic NHL shield logo, used until the end of the 2004 lockout. ... The classic NHL shield logo, used until the end of the 2004 lockout. ...

The first was a strike by the National Hockey League Players Association in April 1992 which lasted for 10 days, but the strike was settled quickly and all affected games were rescheduled.^[13] A lockout at the start of the 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.^[13] The resulting collective bargaining agreement was set for renegotiation in 1998 and extended to September 15, 2004.^[14] The National Hockey League Players Association or NHLPA is a labour union that represents the interests of the hockey players in the National Hockey League. ... The NHL collective bargaining agreement is the basic contract between the National Hockey League (NHL) team owners and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA), designed to be arrived at through the typical labour-management negotiations of collective bargaining. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

With no new agreement in hand when the existing contract expired on September 15, 2004, league commissioner Gary Bettman announced a lockout of the players union and cessation of operations by the NHL head office.^[14] The lockout shut down the league for 310 days, the longest in sports history; the NHL was the first professional sports league to lose an entire season.^[14] The league vowed to install what it dubbed "cost certainty" for its teams, but the NHL 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. A new collective bargaining agreement was ratified in July 2005 with 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 NHL to resume as of the 2005–06 season.^[14] is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Gary Bruce Bettman (born on June 2, 1952 in Queens, New York) is the commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), a post he has held since February 1, 1993. ... The National Hockey League Players Association or NHLPA is a labour union that represents the interests of the hockey players in the National Hockey League of North America. ... A euphemism is the substitution of an agreeable or less offensive expression in place of one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant to the listener;[1] or in the case of doublespeak, to make it less troublesome for the speaker. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The NHL collective bargaining agreement is the basic contract between the National Hockey League (NHL) team owners and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA), designed to be arrived at through the typical labour-management negotiations of collective bargaining. ...

On October 5, 2005, the first post-lockout NHL season took to the ice with 15 games, and consequently all 30 teams. Of those 15 games, 11 were in front of sell-out crowds.^[15] The NHL received record attendance in the 2005–06 season. 20,854,169 fans, an average of 16,955 per game, was a 1.2% increase over the previous mark held in the 2001–02 season.^[16] Also, the Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and the Vancouver Canucks sold out all of their home games;^[16][17] all six Canadian teams played to 98% capacity or better at every home game.^[16] 24 of the 30 clubs finished even or ahead of their 2003–04 mark. The Pittsburgh Penguins had the highest increase at 33%, mainly because of 18-year-old first overall draft pick Sidney Crosby.^[16][18]. After losing a season to a labour dispute in 2005, attendance figures for League teams have returned to solid ground; but the League's TV audience has not because of ESPN's decision to drop the sport from its schedule. The NHL League's current agreement with NBC gives the sport a share of revenue from each game's advertising sales, rather than the usual lump sum paid up front for game rights. The NHL is estimated to earn annual revenue of around $2.27 billion^[19]. For other uses, see 5th October (Serbia). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. ... The Minnesota Wild is a professional mens ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. ... The Vancouver Canucks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the NHLs Pittsburgh Penguins. ...

Game

Original NHL logo, used before 2005. A version of the logo features it in the likeness of a hockey puck.

Los Angeles Kings' Mike Weaver battling for the puck against Calgary Flames' Daymond Langkow, December 21, 2005.

Main article: Ice hockey

Each National Hockey League regulation game is an ice hockey game played between two teams and is 60 minutes long. The game is composed of three 20-minute periods with an intermission of either 15½ or 17 minutes (if nationally televised) between periods.^[20] Television timeouts are taken at the first stoppage of play after 6, 10, and 14 minutes of elapsed time unless there is a power play or the first stoppage is the result of a goal. In these cases, the timeout will occur at the first stoppage after the penalty expires or the next stoppage after the goal, respectively. At the end of the 60-minute regulation time, the team with the most goals wins the game. If a game is tied after regulation time, overtime ensues. During the regular season, overtime is a five-minute, four-player on four-player sudden-death period, in which the first team to score a goal wins the game. Until the 2005–06 season, if no team was able to score in the five-minute overtime, the game ended in a tie. National Hockey League logo This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... Two standard hockey pucks. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 86 KB) Summary Mike Weaver battling for the puck against Daymond Langkow, December 21, 2005 Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): National Hockey League Mike... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x768, 86 KB) Summary Mike Weaver battling for the puck against Daymond Langkow, December 21, 2005 Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): National Hockey League Mike... The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. ... Mike Weaver {b. ... The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and play out of the Pengrowth Saddledome. ... Daymond Langkow (born September 27, 1976 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) is a professional ice hockey player. ... is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... Overtime, in ice hockey, is a method of determining the winner and loser of ice hockey matches should a game be tied after regulation. ... For other uses, see Sudden death (disambiguation). ...

Beginning in the 2005–06 season, if the game is still tied at the end of overtime, the game enters a shootout. Three players for each team in turn take a 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. Shootout goals and saves are not tracked in hockey statistics; shootout statistics are tracked separately. Overtime, in ice hockey, is a method of determining the winner and loser of ice hockey matches should a game be tied after regulation. ... In ice hockey, a penalty shot is a type of penalty awarded when a team loses a clear scoring opportunity because of a foul committed by an opposing player. ...

Shootouts do not occur during the playoffs. In the playoffs, sudden-death 20-minute five-on-five periods are played until one team scores. While a game could theoretically continue forever, only four games have reached five overtime periods, two have reached six, and none have gone beyond six.^[21] There are no television timeouts during playoff overtime periods; the only break is to clean the loose ice at the first stoppage after the period is halfway finished.^[22]

Hockey rink

Diagram of an NHL hockey rink:
1. penalty boxes
2. team benches
3. scorekeepers' area.

Main article: Hockey rink

National Hockey League games are played on an oblong hockey rink, similar to a rectangle with rounded corners, and surrounded by a wall. It measures 25.91 by 60.92 metres (85 by 200 ft) in the NHL,^[23] while international standards call for a rink measuring 29–30 metres by 60–61 metres (95.14–98.43 ft by 196.85–200.13 ft). The center line divides the ice in half,^[24] and is used to judge icing violations. There are two blue lines that divide the rink roughly into thirds, which divide the ice into two attacking and one neutral zone.^[24] 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 goals and icing calls. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (392x647, 18 KB) Summary New NHL rink for 2005-2006 season with new rink markings. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (392x647, 18 KB) Summary New NHL rink for 2005-2006 season with new rink markings. ... hi everybody A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... hi everybody A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... hi everybody A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... hi everybody A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... hi everybody A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... The puck dents the top of the net for a goal as the goaltender fails to block the shot A goal in ice hockey provides a team with one point. ...

Starting in the 2005–2006 season, after testing in the American Hockey League, a trapezoidal area behind each goal net has been introduced.^[25] The goaltender can only play the puck within that area or in front of the goal line; if the goaltender plays the puck behind the goal line and not in the trapezoidal area, a 2 minute minor penalty for delay of game is assessed by the referees.^[26] The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League (NHL). ...

Rules

Main articles: National Hockey League rules

While the National Hockey League follows the general rules of ice hockey, it differs slightly from those used in international games organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) such as the Olympics. Infractions of the rules can lead to either the stoppage of play in the case of offside and icing calls, or a penalty call for more serious infractions. While the National Hockey League follows the general rules of Ice hockey, it differs slightly from those used in international games organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation such as the Olympics. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) was founded in 1908 as the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace and is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. ... Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since the 1920 Summer Olympics. ... For other uses, see Offside. ... Example A is not icing; Example B is icing. ...

During the 2004–05 lockout, 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 defending zone was completed on the offensive side of the center line, unless the puck crossed the line before the player.^[27] 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.^[27] The changes to the offside rule were one of several rule changes intended to increase overall scoring,^[27] which had been in decline since the expansion years of the mid-nineties. For other uses, see Offside. ... hi everybody A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ... hi everybody A hockey rink is an ice rink specifically designed for the game of ice hockey. ...

Another rule difference between the NHL and the IIHF rules concerns how icings are called. In the NHL, a linesman stops play due to icing if a defending player (other than the goaltender) touches the puck before an attacking player is able to,^[28] in contrast to the IIHF rules where play is stopped the moment the puck crosses the goal line. As a result of the rule changes following the 2004–05 lockout, when a team is guilty of icing the puck they are not allowed to make a line change before the following faceoff.^[28] Example A is not icing; Example B is icing. ... American Hockey League referee Dean Morton In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility in enforcing the rules or maintaining the order of the game. ... A closeup of an official about to drop the puck A typical faceoff at centre ice A faceoff is the method used to begin play in ice hockey. ...

The NHL and IIHF differ also in penalty rules. The NHL, in addition to the minor and double minor penalties called in IIHF games, calls major penalties which are more dangerous infractions of the rules, such as fighting, and have a duration of five minutes.^[29] This is in contrast to the IIHF rule, in which players who fight are ejected from the game.^[30] Usually a penalized team cannot replace a player that is penalized on the ice and is thus shorthanded for the duration of the penalty,^[31] 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.^[31] A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. ... Shorthanded in hockey terms refers to having one less skater on the ice during play. ...

The NHL and the NHLPA created a stringent anti-doping policy in the new CBA of September 2005. The policy provides for a 20-game penalty for a first positive test, 60 games for a second positive test, and a third offence resulting in a permanent ban.^[32] The National Hockey League Players Association or NHLPA is a labour union that represents the interests of the hockey players in the National Hockey League. ... The NHL collective bargaining agreement is the basic contract between the National Hockey League (NHL) team owners and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA), designed to be arrived at through the typical labour-management negotiations of collective bargaining. ...

Teams

The National Hockey League originated in 1917 with four teams, and through a sequence of team expansions, reductions, and relocations currently consists of 30 teams, 24 of which are based in the United States and six in Canada. The Montreal Canadiens are the most successful franchise with 24 Stanley Cup championships; in the four major North American professional sports leagues the Montreal Canadiens are only surpassed in the number of championships by the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, who have two more. The next most successful franchise is the Toronto Maple Leafs with 13 Stanley Cups, but they have not won a championship since 1967. The Detroit Red Wings, with 11 Stanley Cups, is the most successful American franchise. 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 New York Islanders (1980–1983) and the Montreal Canadiens (1976–1979) have four-year championship streaks.^[33] 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.^[34] The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. ... The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, a hamlet located on Long Island in Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. ... The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, U.S.A. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ... The Boston Bruins are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. ... {{NHL Team | team_name = Buffalo Sabres | bg_color = #002D62 | text_color = #FDBB30 | logo_image = Sabres. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... For other uses, see Ottawa Senators (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Toronto Maple Leafs (disambiguation). ... The Thrashers take the puck into the offensive zone against the St. ... The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. ... For the animal species by this name, see Florida Panther. ... The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C.. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. ... The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. ... For other uses of the name Red Wings, see Redwing (disambiguation). ... The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. ... The St. ... The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and play out of the Pengrowth Saddledome. ... The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. ... The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ... The Vancouver Canucks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... The Anaheim Ducks are a professional mens ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... ‹ The template below (current sport-related) is being considered for deletion. ... The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. ... The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. ... The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. ... This is a list of teams that once played in the National Hockey League but no longer exist. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... The Stanley Cup This is a list of Stanley Cup champions, including finalists and challengers. ... The term major professional sports league is used to describe the most important and well regarded leagues in the biggest professional sports in a country or region. ... The Montreal Canadiens (French: ) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 23, 32, 37, 44, 49 Name New York Yankees (1913–present) New York Highlanders (1903-1912) Baltimore Orioles (1901-1902) (Also referred to as... Major Leagues redirects here. ... For other uses, see Toronto Maple Leafs (disambiguation). ... For other uses of the name Red Wings, see Redwing (disambiguation). ... The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, a hamlet located on Long Island in Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, United States. ... ESPN, formerly an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American cable television network dedicated to broadcasting and producing sports-related programming 24 hours a day. ...

Of all the major leagues in North America, the NHL is the only league to field teams that play in two countries' capital cities, Ottawa and Washington, D.C.-1... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ...

The current league organization divides the teams into two conferences. Each conference has three divisions, and each division has five teams. The current organization has roots in the 1998–99 season where a league realignment added two divisions to bring the total number of divisions to six; the current team alignment began with the 2000–2001 season when the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets joined the league as expansion teams.