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National Hockey League
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</ref> He returned to lead the Canadiens to five consecutive titles between 1956 and 1960, a record no team has matched.^[13] Willie O'Ree broke the NHL's colour barrier on January 18, 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.^[14] In 1974, the Washington Capitals and Kansas City Scouts were added, bringing the league up to 18 teams.^[15]

The NHL fought the WHA for players, losing 67 to the new league in its first season of 1972–73,^[16] including Bobby Hull, who signed a ten year, $2.5 million contract with the Winnipeg Jets, the largest in hockey history at the time.^[17] The NHL attempted to block the defections in court, though a countersuit by the WHA led to a Philadelphia judge ruling the NHL's reserve clause to be illegal, eliminating the elder league's monopoly over the players.^[18] Seven years of battling for players and markets financially damaged both leagues, leading to a 1979 merger agreement that saw the WHA cease operations while the NHL absorbed the Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers and Quebec Nordiques.^[19]

Wayne Gretzky played one season in the WHA before joining the NHL in 1979–80 with the Oilers.^[20] He went on to lead the Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships between 1983 and 1988, and set single season records for goals (92 in 1981–82), assists (163 in 1985–86) and points (215 in 1985–86), as well as career records for goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857).^[20] He was traded to the Kings in 1988, a deal that dramatically improved the NHL's popularity in the United States, and provided the impetus for the 1990s expansion cycles that saw the addition of the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, [[Anaheim Ducks|Mighty Ducks of Anaheimin NHL history, all happening between 1992 and 2005.

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.^[21] 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.^[21] The resulting collective bargaining agreement was set for renegotiation in 1998 and extended to ]] 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.^[22]

On October 6, 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.^[23] 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.^[24] Also, the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and the Vancouver Canucks sold out all of their home games;^[24]Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). 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.^[25] The NHL'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.^[25]

Game

[[Image:WeaverLankow.jpg|thumb|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. A new rule was introduced for the 2007-08 season that if the first stoppage of play is an icing, the TV timeout does not occur. This is to prevent players from getting a break despite not being allowed to change. 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.

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.^[26] Shootout goals and saves are not tracked in hockey statistics; shootout statistics are tracked separately.

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.^[27] 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.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). 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,^[28] 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.^[28] 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.

Starting in the 2005–2006 season, after testing in the American Hockey League, a trapezoidal area behind each goal net has been introduced.^[29]

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.

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.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).

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.^[30] This is in contrast=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-26 |year=2006}}</ref> 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]

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]

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 (23 as an NHL team, 1 as an NHA team); 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 three more. The next most successful franchise is the Toronto Maple Leafs with 13 Stanley Cup championships, but they have not won one since 1967. The Detroit Red Wings, with 11 Stanley Cup championships, are 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]

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..

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 when 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.

The Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets are the only teams in the Western Conference that are located in the eastern time zone. This There has been speculation that the National Hockey League would expand by adding a second team in the Toronto (Hamilton) area and a new team in Quebec City ^[35].^[36] Both cities have had NHL teams in the past such as the Hamilton Tigers and the Quebec Nordiques and the NHL has stated on record that they have always been interested in returning to cities that are part of NHL history. Expansion to Europe has also been rumored. The NHL has been hosting the opening games of the season in Europe for the past 2 years and plans to continue. Nothing further has been announced.^[37]

List of teams

Notes

An asterisk (*) denotes a franchise move. See the respective team articles for more information.
The Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets all joined the NHL in 1979 as part of the NHL–WHA merger.

Season structure

The National Hockey League season is divided into an exhibition season (September), a regular season (from the first week in October through early to mid April) and a postseason (the Stanley Cup playoffs). During the regular season, clubs play each other in a predefined schedule. The Stanley Cup playoffs, which goes from April to the beginning of June, is an elimination tournament where two teams play against each other to win a best-of-seven series in order to advance to the next round. The final remaining team is crowned the Stanley Cup champion. Beginning in 2007, the NHL regular season has begun in Europe while teams not involved complete their exhibition schedule. That season the Los Angeles Kings faced off the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in London. The 2008–2009 season began with the Pittsburgh Penguins facing off against the Ottawa Senators in Stockholm, Sweden and the New York Rangers taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning in Prague, Czech Republic. The 2009-2010 season began with the Florida Panthers facing off twice against the Chicago Blackhawks in Helsinki, Finland and the Saint Louis Blues taking on twice the Detroit Red Wings in Stockholm, Sweden.

In the regular season, each team plays 82 games; 41 games at home and 41 on the road. Each team plays 24 games in its division (6 against each divisional opponent), and 40 games against non-divisional intra-conference opponents. That is, 4 games against each team in its conference, but not in its own division. Each team plays every team in the other conference at least once (one game each against 12 teams and two games against the remaining 3 teams). Prior to the 2008-2009 season, teams played 32 games within their division (8 games against each team in the division) and 10 inter-conference games (1 game against each team in two of the three divisions in the opposite conference).Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament, where two teams battle to win a best-of-seven series in order to advance to the next round. The first round of the playoffs, or conference quarterfinals, consists of the first seed playing the eighth seed, the second playing the seventh, third playing the sixth, and the fourth playing the fifth.^[38] In the second round, or conference semifinals, the NHL re-seeds the teams, with the top remaining conference seed playing against the lowest remaining seed, and the other two remaining conference teams pairing off. In the third round, the conference finals, the two remaining teams in each conference play each other, with the conference champions proceeding to the Stanley Cup Finals.

In each round the higher-ranked team is said to be the team with the home-ice advantage. Four of the seven games are played at this team's home venue — the first and second, and, when necessary, the fifth and seventh games — with the other games played at the lower-ranked team's home venue. In the Stanley Cup Finals, the team with the most points during the regular season is given home-ice advantage, regardless of where each team ranks in their own conference.

Trophies and awards

[[Image:Hockey Hall of Fame.JPG|right|thumb|240px|right|The [[Hockey number of trophies each year. 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. There are also 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 goalkeeper(s) for the team with the fewest goals against them. For the 2008–09 season these statistics-based trophies were awarded to Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, and, dually, Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez of the Boston Bruins respectively.

The other player trophies are voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association or the team general managers.^[39] 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 sportsmanship; all three of these awards are voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

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.^[39]

One interesting aspect for the trophies in the NHL is that the same trophy is reused every year for each of its awards. The Stanley Cup, much like its CFL counterpart, is unique in this aspect, as opposed to the Vince Lombardi Trophy, Larry O'Brien Trophy, and 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, 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, 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 retiremen|date=2006–05–31 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref> In 1999, Wayne Gretzky became the last player to have the three-year restriction waived,^[40] and after Gretzky's induction, the NHL declared that he would be the last to have the waiting period omitted.

Notable active players

The top five point scoring forwards in the 2008–09 season were Evgeni Malkin (113), Alexander Ovechkin (110), Sidney Crosby (103), Pavel Datsyuk (97), and Zach Parise (94). The top goal scorers were Alexander Ovechkin (56), Jeff Carter (46), Zach Parise (45), and Ilya Kovalchuk (43). The top four scoring defencemen were Mike Green, Andrei Markov, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Scott Niedermayer. The top goaltenders (by wins) were Miikka Kiprusoff (45), Evgeni Nabokov (41), Cam Ward (39), Henrik Lundqvist (38), Niklas Backstrom (37).

Origin of players

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 collapse of the Soviet Bloc, restrictions on the movement of hockey players from this region have lessened and there has been a large influx of European players into the NHL. Many of the league's top players today come from these European countries, including: Ilya Kovalchuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Marian Hossa,Nicklas Lidstrom, [[Zdeno tournaments many other countries are trying to model their development programs after Hockey Canada's.^[41] In Winter Olympic years, the league voluntarily suspends its season so that NHL players can play in the Winter Olympics, representing their native countries (though this practice may be modified for or after the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will be held in an NHL city, Vancouver).^[42] Currently the NHL has players from 18 different countries, with the majority (52.0 percent during the 2007–08 NHL season) coming from Canada.^[43]

The following table shows the origins of every player who played an NHL regular season game in the given year.

Country	Players (02–03)	%	style="background:lightgrey	Players (06–07)	%	Players<br /lightgrey; width:5.2em" \| Players (08–09)	%
Austria	1	0.1	3	0.3	3	0.3	2	0.2	2	0.2	3	0.3
Bahamas											1	0.1
Belarus	2	0.2	2	0.2	3	0.3	2	0.2	3	0.3	3	0.3
Brazil	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1
Brunei	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1
Canada	488	49.8	548	54.3	517	53.8	495	52.7	489	52.0	509	52.3
Croatia			1	0.1
Czech Republic	73	7.4	74	7.3	65	6.8	65	6.9	59	6.3	57	5.9
Denmark							1	0.1	2	0.2	4	0.4
England	2	0.2	2	0.2					1	0.1
Finland	38	3.9	38	3.8	39	4.1	42	4.5	40	4.3	42	4.3
France	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1
Germany	6	0.6	6	0.6	8	0.8	8	0.8	9	1.0	9	0.9
Indonesia					1	0.1	1	0.1
Italy											1	0.1
Japan							1	0.1
Kazakhstan	2	0.2	3	0.3	6	0.6	4	0.4	3	0.3	2	0.2
Latvia	5	0.5	4	0.4	3	0.3	4	0.4	3	0.3	5	0.5
Lithuania	2	0.2	2	0.2	2	0.2	2	0.2	1	0.1	1	0.1
Northern Ireland	1	0.1	1	0.1			1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1
Norway	1	0.1	2	0.2	1	0.1	2	0.2	2	0.2	1	0.1
Poland	2	0.2	2	0.2	3	0.3	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1
Russia	57	5.8	57	5.6	40	4.2	35	3.7	30	3.2	32	3.3
Slovakia	35	3.6	37	3.7	31	3.2	25	2.7	23	2.4	18	1.8
Slovenia							1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1
South Africa	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1
South Korea	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1	1	0.1
Sweden	58	5.9	52	5.1	45	4.7	49	5.2	52	5.5	53	5.4
Switzerland	2	0.2	3	0.3	4	0.4	5	0.5	6	0.6	5	0.5
Ukraine	8	0.8	8	0.8	8	0.8	9	1.0	5	0.5	4	0.4
United States	140	14.3	160	15.8	177	18.4	182	19.3	203	21.6	216	22.2
Total	980	100.0	1010	100.0	961	100.0	942	100.0	941	100.0	974	100.0

Television and radio

Canada

In Canada, National Hockey League games are aired nationally by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and The Sports Network (TSN). Regional games are broadcast by a number of networks including Rogers Sportsnet (RSN). French language games are broadcast by the Réseau des sports (RDS) and Réseau Info-Sports (RIS), but no longer on Radio-Canada (the French-language counterpart of the CBC), a change which has caused controversy in French Canada. The program Hockey Night in Canada, usually aired on Saturday nights on CBC, is a long-standing Canadian tradition dating to 1952,^[44]^[45] and even prior to that on radio since the 1920s.

United States

In the United States NHL games are aired nationally by Versus (previously the "Outdoor Life Network" and "OLN"), and by NBC.^[46] NBC replaced the previous over-the-air network, ABC, and has a revenue-sharing agreement with the NHL. Versus replaced ESPN as the cable network; Comcast, which owns Versus, offered a two-year $120 million agreement, while ESPN offered a revenue sharing agreement.^[46]

Versus had about 20 million fewer subscribers than ESPN when the NHL started on Versus, but Comcast switched Versus from a digital tier to basic cable to make NHL games available to more cable subscribers as well as re-branded the network as a sports network.^[46] For Versus the NHL coverage was a good addition as Versus' ratings grew by about 275% when it showed an NHL game. Versus has since used its acquisition of NHL rights to approach other leagues for broadcast rights to their sports, the notable success being college football. Owing to a dispute over fees and tier placement, Versus was dropped by the direct broadcast satellite service DirecTV when its contract to carry the service expired on September 1, 2009, cutting access to the exclusive broadcasts of NHL games on Versus to about 14 million DirecTV subscribers in the United States that previously received them.^[47]

The 2007 Stanley Cup Finals were the lowest rated in the United States in history. As a whole, the television ratings on NBC were down 20% from the 2006 series^[48], with Game 3's coverage on NBC garnering a mere 1.1 rating^[49] (approximately 1,205,600 households), making it the lowest rated prime-time broadcast in the network's history. However, coverage in Canada on CBC pulled in 2,608,000, 2,378,000, and 2,553,000 (for Games 1, 2, and 3 respectively), slightly higher than their numbers for the first three games in 2006. Comparatively, in 1994, when the New York Rangers were involved, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals posted a rating of 6.9.^[50]

Although 2007 saw low Stanley Cup Finals ratings, the 2008 series between Detroit and Pittsburgh drew one of the highest Stanley Cup ratings ever with strong 4.4 as the high overnight rating^{[citation needed]}.

XM Satellite Radio is the official satellite radio broadcaster of the NHL, as of July 1, 2007.^[51] Between September 2005 and June 2007, the NHL's broadcasting rights were shared with both XM and Sirius Satellite Radio and were broadcast on just Sirius before the NHL lockout. XM used to broadcast more than 80% of NHL games, including all the play-offs and finals. Starting with the 2007–08 season, XM broadcasts every game.

Outside of North America

Outside of North America, NHL games are broadcast across Europe on ESPN America which takes feeds from Versus, FSN, TSN and CBC (including Hockey Night in Canada), and MSG. Games can also be seen in the UK in ESPN, on Fox Sports in Australia, on SKY Sport in Italy, on Viasat Sport in Russia, on Viasat Sport in Norway, on Viasat Hockey in Sweden and in Portugal on SportTV 3.^{[citation needed]}

Popularity

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. Hockey has the smallest total fan base of the four leagues, the smallest revenue from television, and the least sponsorship.^[52] However the league is very prominent in Canada, where hockey is the most popular of these four major sports. While the NHL does not hold one of the largest fan bases in North America, it does hold one of the most affluent fan bases.^[52] 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.^[53]

The NHL estimates that fully half of its fan base roots for teams in outside markets. Beginning in 2008, under the direction of Chief Operating Officer John Collins, the NHL began a shift toward using digital technology to market to fans to capitalize on this. As a result, in 2009 the NHL drew a record number of sponsors and television viewers.^[54]

Causes

The NHL advocates for a number of causes throughout the season. During the days leading up to Remembrance Day (November 11), in respect of the day, coaches and other NHL officials wear red poppy lapel pins. Hockey Fights Cancer is a joint initiative founded in December 1998 by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association to raise money and awareness for hockey's most important fight. It is supported by NHL Member Clubs, NHL Alumni, the NHL Officials' Association, Professional Hockey Trainers and Equipment Managers, corporate marketing partners, broadcast partners and fans.

Notes

Footnotes

^ Holzman 2002, p. 159
^ McKinley 2006, p. 77
^ Pincus 2006, p. 21
^ Holzman 2002, p. 197
^ "Victoria Cougars—1924–25 Stanley Cup", Legends of Hockey, Hockey Hall of Fame, retrieved 2010-01-17
^ Sandor 2005, p. 35
^ , p. 29 http://bruins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=5489 {{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Text "2006" ignored (help)
^ Pincus 2006, p. 39
^ McFarlane 1990, p. 33
^ Jenish 2008, pp. 84–85
^ McFarlane 1990, p. 37
^ McFarlane 1990, p. 43
^ Pincus 2006, p. 100
^ Boer 2006, p. 13
^ McFarlane 1990, p. 115
^ McFarlane 1990, p. 113
^ Willes 2004, p. 33
^ McFarlane 1990, p. 133
^ Willes 2004, p. 214
^ ^a ^b The Legends—Wayne Gretzky, Hockey Hall of Fame, retrieved 2010-01-18
^ ^a ^b CBC Sports (2004–01–29). "We've been here before". cbc.ca. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Cite error: The named reference 2004_lockout was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ NHL.com (2005–10–06). "NHL returns with packed arenas, single-date attendance record". NHL.com. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ ^a ^b Molinaro, John (2006–04–20). "A season to remember". CBC.ca. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ ^a ^b Super Bowl XLII versus the Economy
^ Fitzpatrick, Jamie. "How the NHL Shootout Works". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
^ "Oh, what a night ... and morning. Stars-Canucks ranks sixth among longest OT games". Sports Illustrated. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-26.
^ ^a ^b National Hockey League (2005). "Division of ice surface". NHL.com. Retrieved 2006-06-08.
^ Template:/rule31.html
^ National Hockey League (2005). "Major penalties". NHL.com. Retrieved 2006-06-08.
^ ^a ^b National Hockey League (2005). "Minor penalties". NHL.com. Retrieved 2006-06-08.
^ Laurie, Scott (2005–09–28). "NHL unveils new drug testing policy". CTV. Retrieved 2007-01-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Fitzpatrick, Jamie (2006). "Stanley Cup Winners". about.com. Retrieved 2006-06-26.
^ ESPN (1999–12–31). "The 10 greatest teams". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2006-06-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ . radio-canada.ca. 2009–10–13 http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/hockey/2009/10/10/001-lnhQuebec-samedi.shtml. Retrieved 2010-01-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ Cite error: The named reference Rencontre au sommet was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Kevin allen (2008–10–23). "Intriguing expansion sites not in league's immediate future". USATODAY.com. Retrieved 2009-09-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Cite error: The named reference nhl_playoff_format was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b "NHL announces 2006–07 trophy finalists". NHL.com. 2007–05–01. Retrieved 2007-06-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Cite error: The named reference waiver was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ PAKARINEN, RISTO (2008–05–08). "Canada's top export: coaches". IIHF. Retrieved 2008-05-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "NHL won't commit to Olympics beyond '10". NBC Sports. 2006–02–18. Retrieved 2006-06-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ IWHC.net (2006–05–16). "NHL still likes Czechs best". IWHC.net. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ CBC.ca (2005). "HNIC in 2005–06". CBC.ca. Retrieved 2006-06-19.
^ CBC.ca (2005). "Hockey Night in Canada: A history of excellence". CBC.ca. Retrieved 2006-06-19.
^ ^a ^b ^c Weiner, Evan (2006–06–16). "Don't Believe the Gripe: The NHL Is Back". nysun.com. Retrieved 2006-06-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Multichannel News September 2, 2009 Versus-DirecTV Dispute About Subscriber Loss: Davis - Network President Says DBS Provider Wants Sports Service To Shed 6 Million Subscribers
^ ESPN - Ratings for Stanley Cup finals down 20 percent - NHL
^ ESPN - Game 3 equals NBC's lowest rating ever for prime-time program - NHL
^ Reed, Tom (2006–06–05). "NHL ratings toppling like dominoes". Akron Beacon Journal. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ "XM to Become Exclusive Satellite Radio Carrier of NHL" (Press release). XM Satellite Radio. 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2007-06-28.
^ ^a ^b Champions of the Turnstiles
^ Nwsource.com
^ Cite error: The named reference JohnCollins was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

References

Chi-Kit Wong, John (2005), Lords of the Rinks, ISBN 0-8020-8520-2
Coleman, Charles (1966–1969), Trail of the Stanley Cup, vols. 1–3
Jenish, D'Arcy (2008), The Montreal Canadians: 100 Years of Glory, Doubleday Canada, ISBN 978-0385-66324-3
Holzman, Morey (2002), Deceptions and Doublecross : How the NHL Conquered Hockey, Toronto, ON, Canada: Dundurn Press, ISBN 1-55002-413-2 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
McFarlane, Brian (1997), Brian McFarlane's History of Hockey, Champaign, IL: Sports Publishing Inc, ISBN 1-57167-145-5
McKinley, Michael (2006), Hockey: A People's History, McClelland & Stewart, ISBN 0-7710-5769-5
National Hockey League (2005), 2005–06 NHL Official Rules, NHL.com, retrieved 2006-06-10
Pincus, Arthur (2006), The Official Illustrated NHL History, Readers Digest, ISBN 0-88850-800-X
Sandor, Steven (2005), The Battle of Alberta: A Century of Hockey's Greatest Rivalry, Heritage House, ISBN 1-894974-01-8

External links

Template:Link FA Template:Link FA Template:Link FA Template:Link FA

[1] Holzman 2002, p. 159

[2] McKinley 2006, p. 77

[3] Pincus 2006, p. 21

[4] Holzman 2002, p. 197

[5] "Victoria Cougars—1924–25 Stanley Cup", Legends of Hockey, Hockey Hall of Fame, retrieved 2010-01-17

[6] Sandor 2005, p. 35

[7] , p. 29 http://bruins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=5489 {{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help); Text "2006" ignored (help)

[8] Pincus 2006, p. 39

[9] McFarlane 1990, p. 33

[10] Jenish 2008, pp. 84–85

[11] McFarlane 1990, p. 37

[12] McFarlane 1990, p. 43

[13] Pincus 2006, p. 100

[14] Boer 2006, p. 13

[15] McFarlane 1990, p. 115

[16] McFarlane 1990, p. 113

[17] Willes 2004, p. 33

[18] McFarlane 1990, p. 133

[19] Willes 2004, p. 214

[LOHGretzky-20] The Legends—Wayne Gretzky, Hockey Hall of Fame, retrieved 2010-01-18

[labour_history-21] CBC Sports (2004–01–29). "We've been here before". cbc.ca. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[2004_lockout-22] Cite error: The named reference 2004_lockout was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[23] NHL.com (2005–10–06). "NHL returns with packed arenas, single-date attendance record". NHL.com. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[season_review-24] Molinaro, John (2006–04–20). "A season to remember". CBC.ca. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[ibisworld-25] Super Bowl XLII versus the Economy

[26] Fitzpatrick, Jamie. "How the NHL Shootout Works". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2008-08-04.

[27] "Oh, what a night ... and morning. Stars-Canucks ranks sixth among longest OT games". Sports Illustrated. 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-26.

[lines-28] National Hockey League (2005). "Division of ice surface". NHL.com. Retrieved 2006-06-08.

[crease-29] Template:/rule31.html

[major-30] National Hockey League (2005). "Major penalties". NHL.com. Retrieved 2006-06-08.

[minor-31] National Hockey League (2005). "Minor penalties". NHL.com. Retrieved 2006-06-08.

[32] Laurie, Scott (2005–09–28). "NHL unveils new drug testing policy". CTV. Retrieved 2007-01-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[list_stanley_cup-33] Fitzpatrick, Jamie (2006). "Stanley Cup Winners". about.com. Retrieved 2006-06-26.

[greatest_team-34] ESPN (1999–12–31). "The 10 greatest teams". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2006-06-26. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[35] . radio-canada.ca. 2009–10–13 http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/hockey/2009/10/10/001-lnhQuebec-samedi.shtml. Retrieved 2010-01-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)

[Rencontre_au_sommet-36] Cite error: The named reference Rencontre au sommet was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[future_expansion-37] Kevin allen (2008–10–23). "Intriguing expansion sites not in league's immediate future". USATODAY.com. Retrieved 2009-09-04. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[nhl_playoff_format-38] Cite error: The named reference nhl_playoff_format was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[awards-39] "NHL announces 2006–07 trophy finalists". NHL.com. 2007–05–01. Retrieved 2007-06-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[waiver-40] Cite error: The named reference waiver was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Canadians_Coaching_the_World-41] PAKARINEN, RISTO (2008–05–08). "Canada's top export: coaches". IIHF. Retrieved 2008-05-13. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[NHLers_too_Olympics?-42] "NHL won't commit to Olympics beyond '10". NBC Sports. 2006–02–18. Retrieved 2006-06-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[europe_players-43] IWHC.net (2006–05–16). "NHL still likes Czechs best". IWHC.net. Retrieved 2006-06-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[hnic1-44] CBC.ca (2005). "HNIC in 2005–06". CBC.ca. Retrieved 2006-06-19.

[hnic2-45] CBC.ca (2005). "Hockey Night in Canada: A history of excellence". CBC.ca. Retrieved 2006-06-19.

[nysun-46] Weiner, Evan (2006–06–16). "Don't Believe the Gripe: The NHL Is Back". nysun.com. Retrieved 2006-06-19. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[47] Multichannel News September 2, 2009 Versus-DirecTV Dispute About Subscriber Loss: Davis - Network President Says DBS Provider Wants Sports Service To Shed 6 Million Subscribers

[48] ESPN - Ratings for Stanley Cup finals down 20 percent - NHL

[49] ESPN - Game 3 equals NBC's lowest rating ever for prime-time program - NHL

[50] Reed, Tom (2006–06–05). "NHL ratings toppling like dominoes". Akron Beacon Journal. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)

[51] "XM to Become Exclusive Satellite Radio Carrier of NHL" (Press release). XM Satellite Radio. 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2007-06-28.

[affluent-52] Champions of the Turnstiles

[53] Nwsource.com

[JohnCollins-54] Cite error: The named reference JohnCollins was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[13]

[14]

[15]

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@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 | logo = 05 NHL Shield.svg
 | caption = The modernized NHL shield logo debuted in 2005, replacing the old orange and black shield.
-| official languages = English, French
+| official asdfsdgsd| [[Calgary Flames]] || 1
-| sport = [[Ice hockey]]
-| founded = 1917 - [[Montreal]], [[Canada]]
-| ceo = [[Gary Bettman]]
-| teams = [[#List of teams|30]]
-| country = {{CAN}} (6 teams)<br>{{USA}} (24 teams)
-| champion = [[Pittsburgh Penguins]]
-| most_champs = [[Montreal Canadiens]] <small>(25)</small><!-- Please before changing this note the Stanley Cup has not always been the League Championship. --><ref group="nb">The Montreal Canadiens won 23 Stanley Cups as part of the NHL. However the Stanley Cup has not always been solely the NHL championship trophy. The Canadiens were also the league champions in [[1919 Stanley Cup Finals|1918–19]] when the [[Spanish flu]] cancelled the Stanley Cup finals and in [[1925 Stanley Cup Finals|1924–25]] when they lost the Stanley Cup finals to the [[Victoria Cougars]], who were part of the [[Western Canada Hockey League|WCHL]].</ref>
-| TV = '''CAN:''' [[Hockey Night in Canada|CBC]], [[NHL on TSN|TSN]], [[LNH à RDS|RDS]], [[Réseau Info-Sports|RIS]], [[NHL Network (Canada)]]<br> '''USA:''' [[NHL on NBC|NBC]], [[NHL on Versus|Versus]], [[NHL Network (United States)]]<br>  | website = [http://www.nhl.com NHL.com] | Formerly=[[National Hockey Association]] }}
-The '''National A credential is an attestation of qualification, competence, or authority issued to an individual by a third party with a relevant de jure or de facto authority or assumed competence to do so.
-Examples of credentials include academic diplomas, academic degrees, certifications, security clearances, identification documents, badges, passwords, user names, keys, powers of attorney, and so on. Sometimes publications, such as scientific papers or books, may be viewed as similar to credentials by some people, especially if the publication was peer reviewed or made in a well-known journal or reputable publisher.
- Book & Guide 2009''  77th Edition, p. 9. New York: National Hockey League (2008)</ref> It started with four teams and, through a series of expansions, contractions, and relocations, the league is now composed of 30 teams active franchises. After a [[2004–05 NHL lockout|labour<!--This article uses Canadian English spelling--> dispute]] that led to the cancellation of the entire [[2004–05 NHL season|2004–05 season]], the league has staged a successful comeback, including revenue and profit growth. In [[2008–09 NHL season|2009]], the NHL enjoyed record-high sponsorships, crowds and television viewers.<ref name=JohnCollins>{{cite news|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aGY7pu.INAhA|agency=Bloomberg|title=NHL Borrows From NFL as It Pursues Bigger TV Contract|first=Curtis|last=Eichelberger|date=May 29, 2009|accessdate=June 29, 2009}}</ref>
-The NHL draws many highly skilled players from all over the world and currently has players from about 20 different countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/community/nhlgreen/ |title=NHL aims to put global warming on ice |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2008-04-26}}</ref> Although Canadians have historically constituted the majority of the players in the NHL, over the past four plus decades the percentages of American and European trained players have increased both because of the NHL's continued expansion from six to thirty clubs since 1967, and the increased availability of highly skilled European players especially from former [[East Bloc]] countries.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2006-10-10-european-captains_x.htm| title=European players taking more and more leadership roles, captainciesfhk in NHL| first=Kevin| last=Allen| date=10/11/2006| accessdate=June 29, 2009}}</ref>
-== History ==
-{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:1em; float:right"
-|+ '''Total Stanley Cup championships'''<br><small>[[List of defunct NHL teams|Defunct teams]] not included.</small>
-! Team
-! Titles
-|-
-| [[Montreal Canadiens]] || 24*
-|-
-| [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] || 13
-|-
-| [[Detroit Red Wings]] || 11
-|-
-| [[Boston Bruins]] || 5
-|-
-| [[Edmonton Oilers]] || 5
-|-
-| [[New York Islanders]] || 4
-|-
-| [[New York Rangers]] || 4
-|-
-| [[Chicago Blackhawks]] || 3
-|-
-| [[New Jersey Devils]] || 3
-|-
-| [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] || 3
-|-
-| [[Colorado Avalanche]] || 2
-|-
-| [[Philadelphia Flyers]] || 2
-|-
-| [[Anaheim Ducks]] || 1
-|-
-| [[Calgary Flames]] || 1
 |-
 | [[Carolina Hurricanes]] || 1
@@ Line 65: / Line 15: @@
 | align=center colspan=6 | <small>* - One championship pre-dates the Canadiens' entry into the NHL.</small><br>{{further|<br>[[Stanley Cup]]}}
 |}
+rom the NHA, and on November 26, 1917, formed the National Hockey League.<ref>{{Harvnb|Holzman|2002|p=159}}</ref> While a full member of the new league, the Bulldogs were unable to play, and the remaining owners created a [[Toronto Arenas|new team]] in Toronto to compete with the Canadiens, Wanderers and Senators.<ref>{{harvnb|McKinley|2006|p=77}}</ref>  The first games were played three weeks later on December 19.  [[Joe Malone]] scored five goals in a 7–4 victory for the Canadiens over the Senators on opening night; he finished the [[1917–18 NHL season|1917–18 season]] with 44 goals in 20 games.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=21}}</ref> The league nearly collapsed in January 1918 when the [[Montreal Arena]] burned down, causing the Wanderers to cease Pacific Coast Hockey Association]]'s  [[Vancouver Millionaires]] to win the [[1918 Stanley Cup Finals|1918 Stanley Cup]]<ref>{{Harvnb|Holzman|2002|p=197}}</ref> The Canadiens won the league title in 1919, however their Stanley Cup Final against theafter they defeated the [[Toronto Maple Leafs|Toronto St. Patricks]] in the semi-final. Montreal was then defeated by the [[Victoria Cougars]] for the [[1925 Stanley Cup Finals|1925 Stanley Cup]].  It was the last time a non-NHL team won the trophy,<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=STC&year=1924-25 |title=Victoria Cougars—1924–25 Stanley Cup |accessdate=2010-01-17 |work=Legends of Hockey |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame}}</ref> as the Stanley Cup became the ''de facto'' NHL championship in 1926 after the WCHL ceased operations.<ref>{{Harvnb|Sandor|2005|p=35}}</ref>
+The 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 NHL,<ref>{{citation |url=http://bruins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=5489 ||2006|p=29}}</ref> [[Conn Smythe]] purchased the Toronto St. Patricks in 1927, immediately renamed them the Maple Leafs, and built [[Maple Leaf Gardens]] in 1931.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=39}}</ref>
-===Early years===
-{{Main|History of the National Hockey League}}
-A series of disputes in the [[National Hockey Association]] (NHA) between [[Toronto Blueshirts]] owner [[Eddie Livingstone]] led the other owners, representing the [[Montreal Canadiens]], [[Montreal Wanderers]], [[Ottawa Senators (original)|Ottawa Senators]], and [[Quebec Bulldogs]] to meet at the [[Windsor Hotel]] in Montreal to talk about the NHA's future.<ref name="mcfarlane_15_16">{{harvnb|McFarlane|1997|pp=15–16}}</ref> Realizing the league constitution left them unable to force Livingstone out, the four teams voted instead to withdraw from the NHA, and on November 26, 1917, formed the National Hockey League.<ref>{{Harvnb|Holzman|2002|p=159}}</ref> While a full member of the new league, the Bulldogs were unable to play, and the remaining owners created a [[Toronto Arenas|new team]] in Toronto to compete with the Canadiens, Wanderers and Senators.<ref>{{harvnb|McKinley|2006|p=77}}</ref>  The first games were played three weeks later on December 19.  [[Joe Malone]] scored five goals in a 7–4 victory for the Canadiens over the Senators on opening night; he finished the [[1917–18 NHL season|1917–18 season]] with 44 goals in 20 games.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=21}}</ref> The league nearly collapsed in January 1918 when the [[Montreal Arena]] burned down, causing the Wanderers to cease operations and forcing the Canadiens to hastily find a new arena.<ref>{{citation |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 |publisher=National Hockey League |accessdate=2010-01-17}}</ref>  The NHL continued on as a three-team league until Quebec returned in 1919.<ref name="pincus24">{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=24}}</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 Canadiens were nearly sold and relocated to Cleveland, Ohio in 1936 before a trio of local owners purchased the team and kept them in Montreal.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jenish|2008|pp=84-85}}</ref> The Maroons did not survive, however, as they suspended operations in 1938.<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=37}}</ref> The Americans were suspended in 1942 due to a lack of players, but never revived.<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  leg during a game.  His |2006|p=86}}</ref> He returned to lead the Canadiens to five consecutive titles between 1956 and 1960, a record no team has matched.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=100}}</ref> [[Willie O'Ree]] broke the NHL's colour barrier on January 18, 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>
-[[Image:Montreal Canadiens hockey team, October 1942.jpg|thumb|240px|left||Montreal Canadiens in 1942]]
-Toronto won the first league title, then defeated the [[Pacific Coast Hockey Association]]'s  [[Vancouver Millionaires]] to win the [[1918 Stanley Cup Finals|1918 Stanley Cup]]<ref>{{Harvnb|Holzman|2002|p=197}}</ref> The Canadiens won the league title in 1919, however their Stanley Cup Final against the [[Seattle Metropolitans]] was abandoned with the series tied after several players became ill as a result of the [[Spanish Flu]] epidemic that resulted in Montreal defenceman [[Joe Hall]]'s death.<ref name="pincus23">{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=23}}</ref> Montreal defeated the [[Calgary Tigers]] of the [[Western Canada Hockey League]] (WCHL) in 1924 to win their first Stanley Cup in the NHL.<ref>{{Harvnb|Sandor|2005|p=33}}</ref> The [[Hamilton Tigers]], who had relocated from Quebec in 1920, 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]] in the semi-final. Montreal was then defeated by the [[Victoria Cougars]] for the [[1925 Stanley Cup Finals|1925 Stanley Cup]].  It was the last time a non-NHL team won the trophy,<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=STC&year=1924-25 |title=Victoria Cougars—1924–25 Stanley Cup |accessdate=2010-01-17 |work=Legends of Hockey |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame}}</ref> as the Stanley Cup became the ''de facto'' NHL championship in 1926 after the WCHL ceased operations.<ref>{{Harvnb|Sandor|2005|p=35}}</ref>
-The 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 NHL,<ref>{{citation |url=http://bruins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=5489 |title=The History of the Hub of Hockey |accessdate=2008-05-16 |publisher=Boston Bruins Hockey Club}}</ref> while the Maroons played in the newly completed [[Montreal Forum]] that the Canadiens made famous in later decades.<ref>{{Harvnb|McKinley|2006|p=102}}</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|2002|p=262}}</ref> [[George Lewis Rickard|Tex Rickard]], owner of the [[Madison Square Garden]], was so impressed with the popularity of the Americans that he added the [[New York Rangers]] 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> [[Conn Smythe]] purchased the Toronto St. Patricks in 1927, immediately renamed them the Maple Leafs, and built [[Maple Leaf Gardens]] in 1931.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=39}}</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 Canadiens were nearly sold and relocated to Cleveland, Ohio in 1936 before a trio of local owners purchased the team and kept them in Montreal.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jenish|2008|pp=84-85}}</ref> The Maroons did not survive, however, as they suspended operations in 1938.<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=37}}</ref> The Americans were suspended in 1942 due to a lack of players, but never revived.<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 first [[NHL All-Star Game]] was held in 1934 to benefit [[Ace Bailey]], who's career was 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.  His teammate [[Aurel Joliat]] said that Morenz "died of a broken heart" when he learned he would never play hockey again.<ref>{{Harvnb|McKinley|2006|p=120}}</ref> [[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>{{citation |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=2010-01-18 |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame}}</ref> Ten years later he was suspended for the 1955 Stanley Cup playoffs for punching a linesman, an incident that led to the [[Richard Riot]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=86}}</ref> He returned to lead the Canadiens to five consecutive titles between 1956 and 1960, a record no team has matched.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pincus|2006|p=100}}</ref> [[Willie O'Ree]] broke the NHL's colour barrier on January 18, 1958 when he made his debut with the Boston Bruins and became the first black player in league history.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=13894 |title=Players—Willie O'Ree |accessdate=2010-01-18 |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame}}</ref>
-===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 NHL to undertake its first [[1967 NHL Expansion|expansion]] since the 1920s. The league doubled in size for the [[1967–68 NHL season|1967–68 season]], adding the [[Los Angeles Kings]], [[Minnesota North Stars]], [[Philadelphia Flyers]], [[Pittsburgh Penguins]], [[Oakland Seals]] and [[St. Louis Blues (hockey)|St. Louis Blues]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Diamond|1991|p=175}}</ref> Canadians were outraged that all six teams were placed in the United States,<ref>{{Harvnb|McKinley|2006|p=194–195}}</ref> and the league responded by adding the [[Vancouver Canucks]] in 1970 along with the [[Buffalo Sabres]].<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 NHL 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 million contract with the [[Winnipeg Jets]], the largest in hockey history at the time.<ref>{{Harvnb|Willes|2004|p=33}}</ref> The NHL attempted to block the defections in court, though a countersuit by the WHA led to a Philadelphia judge ruling the NHL's [[reserve clause]] to be illegal, 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 Jets, [[Edmonton Oilers]], [[Hartford Whalers]] and [[Quebec Nordiques]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Willes|2004|p=214}}</ref>
-[[Wayne Gretzky]] played one season in the WHA before joining the NHL in [[1979–80 NHL season|1979–80]] with the Oilers.<ref name="LOHGretzky">{{citation |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p199901&page=bio&list=#photo |title=The Legends—Wayne Gretzky |accessdate=2010-01-18 |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame}}</ref> He went on to lead the Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships between 1983 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 NHL's popularity in the United States, and provided the impetus for the 1990s expansion cycles that saw the addition of the [[San Jose Sharks]], [[Tampa Bay Lightning]], [[Ottawa Senators]], [[Anaheim Ducks|Mighty Ducks of Anaheim]], [[Florida Panthers]], [[Nashville Predators]], [[Atlanta Thrashers]], [[Minnesota Wild]] and [[Columbus Blue Jackets]].<ref name="EOHGretzky">{{citation |url=http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/dynasty_highlights_gretzkytrade.html |title=Edmonton's Saddest Hockey Day—The Gretzky Trade |accessdate=2010-01-18 |publisher=Edmonton Oilers Heritage Foundation}}</ref>
+[[Wayne Gretzky]] played one season in the WHA before joining the NHL in [[1979–80 NHL season|1979–80]] with the Oilers.<ref name="LOHGretzky">{{citation |url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p199901&page=bio&list=#photo |title=The Legends—Wayne Gretzky |accessdate=2010-01-18 |publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame}}</ref> He went on to lead the Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships between 1983 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 NHL's popularity in the United States, and provided the impetus for the 1990s expansion cycles that saw the addition of the [[San Jose Sharks]], [[Tampa Bay Lightning]], [[Ottawa Senators]], [[Anaheim Ducks|Mighty Ducks of Anaheimin NHL history, all happening between [[1992-93 NHL season|1992]] and [[2004-05 NHL season|2005]].
+The first was a [[1992 NHL players' strike|strike]] by the [[National Hockey League Players Association]] in April [[1991–92 NHL season|1992]] which lasted for 10 days, but the strike was settled quickly and all affected games were rescheduled.<ref name="labour_history">{{cite web |title=We've been here before |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/flashback.html |author=CBC Sports |publisher=cbc.ca |date=2004–01–29 |accessdate =2006-06-09}}</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]] was set for renegotiation in 1998 and extended to ]] 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 [[NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement|collective bargaining agreement]] for an additional year at the end of the term, allowing the NHL to resume as of the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]].<ref name="2004_lockout" />
-=== Labour<!--This article uses Canadian English spelling--> issues ===
-{{NHLHistory}}
-There have been three league-wide work stoppages in NHL history, all happening between [[1992-93 NHL season|1992]] and [[2004-05 NHL season|2005]].
+On October 6, 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=NHL returns with packed arenas, single-date attendance record |url=http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/10/237032.html |publisher=NHL.com |author=NHL.com |date=2005–10–06 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref> 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.<ref name="season_review">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/hockey_features/season_review.html |title=A season to remember |publisher=CBC.ca |first=John |last=Molinaro |date=2006–04–20 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref> Also, the [[Montreal Canadiens]], [[Calgary Flames]], [[Colorado Avalanche]], [[Minnesota Wild]], and the [[Vancouver Canucks]] sold out all of their home games;<ref name="season_review" /><ref>{{cite web |title= draft pick [[Sidney Crosby]].<ref name="season_review" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Penguins ticket sales hit the roof |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05231/556523.stm |publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |author=Finder, Chuck |date=2005–8–19 |accessdate=2006-12-11}}</ref> 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.<ref name="ibisworld">[http://www1.ibisworld.com/pressrelease/pressrelease.aspx?prid=107 Super Bowl XLII versus the Economy]</ref> The NHL'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.<ref name="ibisworld"/>
-The first was a [[1992 NHL players' strike|strike]] by the [[National Hockey League Players Association]] in April [[1991–92 NHL season|1992]] which lasted for 10 days, but the strike was settled quickly and all affected games were rescheduled.<ref name="labour_history">{{cite web |title=We've been here before |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/flashback.html |author=CBC Sports |publisher=cbc.ca |date=2004–01–29 |accessdate =2006-06-09}}</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]] 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 |month=December | year=2005|format=PDF}}</ref>
-With no new agreement in hand when the existing contract expired on September 15, 2004, league commissioner [[Gary Bettman]] announced a [[2004–05 NHL lockout|lockout]] of the players union and cessation of operations by the NHL head office.<ref name="2004_lockout" /> 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.<ref name="2004_lockout" /> 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 [[NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement|collective bargaining agreement]] for an additional year at the end of the term, allowing the NHL to resume as of the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]].<ref name="2004_lockout" />
-On October 6, 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=NHL returns with packed arenas, single-date attendance record |url=http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/10/237032.html |publisher=NHL.com |author=NHL.com |date=2005–10–06 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref> 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.<ref name="season_review">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/hockey_features/season_review.html |title=A season to remember |publisher=CBC.ca |first=John |last=Molinaro |date=2006–04–20 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref> Also, the [[Montreal Canadiens]], [[Calgary Flames]], [[Colorado Avalanche]], [[Minnesota Wild]], and the [[Vancouver Canucks]] sold out all of their home games;<ref name="season_review" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Canucks abuse fan trust |first=Bob |last=Mackin |date=2006–04–18 |accessdate=2006-07-03 |publisher=Slam Sports |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Vancouver/2006/04/18/1538866-sun.html}}</ref> all six Canadian teams played to 98% capacity or better at every home game.<ref name="season_review" /> 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]].<ref name="season_review" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Penguins ticket sales hit the roof |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05231/556523.stm |publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |author=Finder, Chuck |date=2005–8–19 |accessdate=2006-12-11}}</ref> 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.<ref name="ibisworld">[http://www1.ibisworld.com/pressrelease/pressrelease.aspx?prid=107 Super Bowl XLII versus the Economy]</ref> The NHL'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.<ref name="ibisworld"/>
 == Game ==
 [[Image:NHL Logo former.svg|left|150px|thumb|Original NHL logo, used before 2005. A version of the logo features it in the likeness of a [[hockey puck]].]]
+[[Image:WeaverLankow.jpg|thumb|and 14 minutes of elapsed time unless there is a [[Powerplay|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. A new rule was introduced for the 2007-08 season that if the first stoppage of play is an [[Icing (ice hockey)|icing]], the TV timeout does not occur. This is to prevent players from getting a break despite not being allowed to change. 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 (ice hockey)|overtime]] ensues. During the regular season, overtime is a five-minute, four-player on four-player [[Sudden death (sport)|sudden-death]] period, in which the first team to score a goal wins the game. Until the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]], if no team was able to score in the five-minute overtime, the game ended in a tie.
-[[Image:WeaverLankow.jpg|thumb|right|260px|[[Los Angeles Kings]]' [[Mike Weaver (hockey)|Mike Weaver]] battling for the puck against [[Calgary Flames]]' [[Daymond Langkow]], December 21, 2005.]]
-{{Main|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.<ref name="intermission">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/hockeyu/rulebook/rule90.html |title=Time of match |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-12-02 |year=2006}}</ref> Television timeouts are taken at the first stoppage of play after 6, 10, and 14 minutes of elapsed time unless there is a [[Powerplay|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. A new rule was introduced for the 2007-08 season that if the first stoppage of play is an [[Icing (ice hockey)|icing]], the TV timeout does not occur. This is to prevent players from getting a break despite not being allowed to change. 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 (ice hockey)|overtime]] ensues. During the regular season, overtime is a five-minute, four-player on four-player [[Sudden death (sport)|sudden-death]] period, in which the first team to score a goal wins the game. Until the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]], if no team was able to score in the five-minute overtime, the game ended in a tie.
 Beginning in the 2005–06 season, 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=2008-08-04 |last=Fitzpatrick |first=Jamie |work=About.com |publisher=The New York Times Company}}</ref> Shootout goals and saves are not tracked in hockey statistics; shootout statistics are tracked separately.
-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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oh, what a night ... and morning. Stars-Canucks ranks sixth among longest OT games. |publisher=Sports Illustrated |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/hockey/nhl/specials/playoffs/2007/04/12/OT.games/ |year=2007 |accessdate=2007-04-26}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/18470542/ |title=Playoff overtime format needs change |publisher=[[NBC Sports|NBCSports.com]] |last=Clement |first=Bill |authorlink=Bill Clement |year=2008 |accessdate=2008-05-09}}</ref>
+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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oh, what a night ... and morning. Stars-Canucks ranks sixth among longest OT games. |publisher=Sports Illustrated |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/hockey/nhl/specials/playoffs/2007/04/12/OT.games/ |year=2007 |accessdate=2007-04-26}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/18470542/ |title=Playoff overtime format needs change |p|200px|Diagram of an NHL hockey rink:<br>1. penalty boxes<br>2. team benches<br>3. scorekeepers' area.]]
-<br clear="all">
-== Hockey rink ==
-[[Image:NHLHockeyRink.gif|thumb|right|200px|Diagram of an NHL hockey rink:<br>1. penalty boxes<br>2. team benches<br>3. scorekeepers' area.]]
 {{Main|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&nbsp;ft) in the NHL,<ref name="rink">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule02.html |title=Dimensions of Rink |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref> while international standards call for a rink measuring 29–30 metres by 60–61 metres (95.14–98.43&nbsp;ft by 196.85–200.13&nbsp;ft). The [[Hockey rink#Lines|center line]] divides the ice in half,<ref name="lines">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule05.html |title=Division of ice surface |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref> and is used to judge icing violations. There are two [[Hockey rink#Lines|blue lines]] that divide the rink roughly into thirds, which divide the ice into two attacking and one neutral [[Hockey rink#Zones|zone]].<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)|goal]]s and icing calls.
-Starting in the 2005–2006 season, after testing in the [[American Hockey League]], a trapezoidal area behind each goal net has been introduced.<ref name="crease">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule04.html |title=Goal crease |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref> 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 (ice hockey)|delay of game]] is assessed by the referees.<ref name="crease_penalty">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/hockeyu/rulebook/rule31.html |title=Goalkeeper's Penalties |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-26 |year=2005}}</ref>
+Starting in the 2005–2006 season, after testing in the [[American Hockey League]], a trapezoidal area behind each goal net has been introduced.<ref name="crease">{{/rule31.html |title=Goalkeeper's Penalties |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-26 |year=2005}}</ref>
 == Rules ==
@@ Line 122: / Line 47: @@
 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 [[Ice hockey at the Olympic Games|Olympics]]. Infractions of the rules can lead to either the stoppage of play in the case of [[Offside (ice hockey)|offside]] and [[Icing (ice hockey)|icing]] calls, or a penalty call for more serious infractions.
-During the [[2004–05 NHL lockout|2004–05 lockout]], the league changed some of the rules regarding being [[Offside (ice hockey)|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 [[Hockey rink#Zones|defending zone]] was completed on the offensive side of the [[Hockey rink#Lines|center line]], unless the puck crossed the line before the player.<ref name="newoffside">{{cite web |title=Relaunching the Game |author=CBC sports |publisher=CBC.com |date=2005–07–22 |accessdate=2006-06-10 |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/rule_changes.html}}</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 one of several rule changes intended to increase overall scoring,<ref name="newoffside" /> which had been in decline since the expansion years of the mid-nineties.
+During the [[2004–05 NHL lockout|2004–05 lockout]], the league changed some of the rules regarding being [[Offside (ice hockey)|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 [[Hockey rink#Zones|defending zone]] was completed on the offensive side of the [[Hockey rink#Lines|center line]], unless the puck crossed the line before the player.<ref name="newoffside">{{cite web |title=Relaunching the Game |author=CBC sports |publisher=CBC.com |date=2005–07–22 |accessdate=2006-06-10 |url=http://www.cbc.layer is able to,<ref name="icing" /> 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]].<ref name="icing">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule65.html |title=Icing the puck |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref>
-Another rule difference between the NHL and the IIHF rules concerns how [[Icing (ice hockey)|icings]] are called. In the NHL, a [[Official (ice hockey)#Linesman|linesman]] stops play due to icing if a defending player (other than the goaltender) touches the puck before an attacking player is able to,<ref name="icing" /> 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]].<ref name="icing">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule65.html |title=Icing the puck |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref>
-The NHL and IIHF differ also in penalty rules. The NHL, in addition to the [[Penalty (ice hockey)#Types of penalties|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.<ref name="major">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule27.html |title=Major penalties |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref> This is in contrast to the IIHF rule, in which players who fight are ejected from the game.<ref name="fighting_iihf">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/sports/icehockey/essentials/intlvsnhl.shtml |title=Ice Hockey Essentials - International vs. NHL |author=CBC.ca |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-26 |year=2006}}</ref> Usually a penalized team cannot replace a player that is penalized on the ice and is thus [[Shorthanded (hockey)|shorthanded]] 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 |title=Minor penalties |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref>
+The NHL and IIHF differ also in penalty rules. The NHL, in addition to the [[Penalty (ice hockey)#Types of penalties|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.<ref name="major">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule27.html |title=Major penalties |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref> This is in contrast=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-26 |year=2006}}</ref> Usually a penalized team cannot replace a player that is penalized on the ice and is thus [[Shorthanded (hockey)|shorthanded]] 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 |title=Minor penalties |author=National Hockey League |publisher=NHL.com |accessdate=2006-06-08 |year=2005}}</ref>
 The NHL and the [[NHL Players' Association|NHLPA]] created a stringent anti-doping policy in the new [[NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050928/NHL_doping_050928?s_name=&no_ads= |title=NHL unveils new drug testing policy |date=2005–09–28 |accessdate=2007-01-02 |first=Scott |last=Laurie |publisher=CTV}}</ref>
@@ Line 139: / Line 62: @@
 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 NHL season|1998–99 season]] when a league realignment added two divisions to bring the total number of divisions to six; the current team alignment began with the [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–2001 season]] when the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets joined the league as expansion teams.
-The Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets are the only teams in the Western Conference that are located in the eastern time zone.  This results in significantly increased travel time for both teams.
+The Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets are the only teams in the Western Conference that are located in the eastern time zone.  This
 There has been speculation that the National Hockey League would expand by adding a second team in the [[Toronto]] ([[Hamilton]]) area and a new team in Quebec City <ref>{{cite web |title= |url=http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/hockey/2009/10/10/001-lnhQuebec-samedi.shtml |publisher=radio-canada.ca |date=2009–10–13 |accessdate=2010-01-17}}</ref>.<ref name="Rencontre au sommet"/> Both cities have had NHL teams in the past such as the [[Hamilton Tigers]] and the [[Quebec Nordiques]] and the NHL has stated on record that they have always been interested in returning to cities that are part of NHL history. Expansion to [[Europe]] has also been rumored. The NHL has been hosting the opening games of the season in Europe for the past 2 years and plans to continue. Nothing further has been announced.<ref name="future expansion">{{cite web |title=Intriguing expansion sites not in league's immediate future|url=http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columnist/allen/2008-10-23-nhl-expansion_N.htm |author=Kevin allen |publisher=USATODAY.com |date=2008–10–23 |accessdate=2009-09-04}}</ref>
@@ Line 320: / Line 242: @@
 | '''[[Anaheim Ducks]]'''
 | {{flagicon|USA}} [[Anaheim, California|Anaheim]], [[California|CA]]
-| [[Honda Center]]
+| [[Honda Center
-| colspan=2 align=center | 1993
-| [[Randy Carlyle]]
-|-
-| '''[[Dallas Stars]]'''
-| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Dallas]], [[Texas|TX]]
-| [[American Airlines Center]]
-| colspan=2 align=center | 1967*
-| [[Marc Crawford]]
-|-
-| '''[[Los Angeles Kings]]'''
-| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Los Angeles]], [[California|CA]]
-| [[Staples Center]]
 | colspan=2 align=center | 1967
 | [[Terry Murray]]
@@ Line 361: / Line 271: @@
 The National Hockey League season is divided into an exhibition season (September), a [[regular season]] (from the first week in October through early to mid April) and a postseason (the [[Stanley Cup playoffs]]). During the regular season, clubs play each other in a predefined schedule. The Stanley Cup playoffs, which goes from April to the beginning of June, is an elimination tournament where two teams play against each other to win a [[Playoff format#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. Beginning in 2007, the NHL regular season has begun in Europe while teams not involved complete their exhibition schedule. That season the [[Los Angeles Kings]] faced off the [[Anaheim Mighty Ducks]] in London. The 2008–2009 season began with the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] facing off against the [[Ottawa Senators]] in Stockholm, Sweden and the [[New York Rangers]] taking on the [[Tampa Bay Lightning]] in Prague, Czech Republic. The 2009-2010 season began with the [[Florida Panthers]] facing off twice against the [[Chicago Blackhawks]] in Helsinki, Finland and the [[Saint Louis Blues]] taking on twice the [[Detroit Red Wings]] in Stockholm, Sweden.
-In the regular season, each team plays 82 games; 41 games at home and 41 on the road.  Each team plays 24 games in its [[Division (sport)|division]] (6 against each divisional opponent), and 40 games against non-divisional intra-conference opponents.  That is, 4 games against each team in its conference, but not in its own division.  Each team plays every team in the other conference at least once (one game each against 12 teams and two games against the remaining 3 teams).  Prior to the 2008-2009 season, teams played 32 games within their division (8 games against each team in the division) and 10 inter-conference games (1 game against each team in two of the three divisions in the opposite conference).<ref>{{cite web |title=NHL ramps up rivalries |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/schedule_changes.html |author=CBC Sports Online |publisher=CBC.com |date=2005–07–27 |accessdate=2006-06-06}}</ref> The two divisions from the opposite conference which each team plays against were rotated every year, much like [[interleague play]] in [[Major League Baseball]]. As with the current system, each team played 4 games against the other 10 teams in its conference, but not in its own division.
+In the regular season, each team plays 82 games; 41 games at home and 41 on the road.  Each team plays 24 games in its [[Division (sport)|division]] (6 against each divisional opponent), and 40 games against non-divisional intra-conference opponents.  That is, 4 games against each team in its conference, but not in its own division.  Each team plays every team in the other conference at least once (one game each against 12 teams and two games against the remaining 3 teams).  Prior to the 2008-2009 season, teams played 32 games within their division (8 games against each team in the division) and 10 inter-conference games (1 game against each team in two of the three divisions in the opposite conference).<ref>{{cite web |title=NHL ramps up rivalries |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/schedule_changes.html |author=CBC Sports Online |publisher=CBC.com |date=for a loss in regulation. Among major professional sports leagues, the NHL is the only one to award a team points for losing in overtime.
-Points are awarded for each game, where two points are awarded for a win, one point for losing in [[Overtime (hockey)|overtime]] or a shootout, and zero points for a loss in regulation. Among major professional sports leagues, the NHL is the only one to award a team points for losing in overtime.
 At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most points in each division is crowned the division champion. The league's overall leader is awarded the [[Presidents' Trophy]]. The three division champions along with the five other teams in each conference with the next highest number of points, for a total of 8 teams in each conference, qualify for the [[playoff]]s. The division winners are seeded one through three (even if a non-division winner has a higher point total), and the next five teams with the best records in the conference are seeded four through eight.<ref name="nhl_playoff_format">{{cite web |publisher=NHL.com |title=Playoff formats |year=2005 |accessdate=2006-06-06 |url=http://www.nhl.com/hockeyu/history/cup/formats.html}}</ref> The [[Season structure of the NHL|Stanley Cup playoffs]] is an elimination [[tournament]], where two teams battle to win a [[Playoff format#Best-of-seven playoff|best-of-seven]] series in order to advance to the next round. The first round of the playoffs, or conference quarterfinals, consists of the first seed playing the eighth seed, the second playing the seventh, third playing the sixth, and the fourth playing the fifth.<ref name="nhl_playoff_format" /> In the second round, or conference semifinals, the NHL re-seeds the teams, with the top remaining conference seed playing against the lowest remaining seed, and the other two remaining conference teams pairing off. In the third round, the conference finals, the two remaining teams in each conference play each other, with the conference champions proceeding to the [[Stanley Cup]] Finals.
@@ Line 371: / Line 279: @@
 == Trophies and awards ==
 [[Image:Hhof hart.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Hart Memorial Trophy on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame]]
+[[Image:Hockey Hall of Fame.JPG|right|thumb|240px|right|The [[Hockey  number of trophies each year. 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]]. There are also 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 goalkeeper(s) for the team with the fewest goals against them. For the 2008–09 season these statistics-based trophies were awarded to [[Evgeni Malkin]] of the Pittsburgh Penguins, [[Alexander Ovechkin]] of the Washington Capitals, and, dually, [[Tim Thomas (Ice Hockey)|Tim Thomas]] and [[Emmanuel Fernandez|Manny Fernandez]] of the Boston Bruins respectively.
-[[Image:Hockey Hall of Fame.JPG|right|thumb|240px|right|The [[Hockey Hall of Fame]] in downtown Toronto]]
-[[Image:Wgretz edit2.jpg|180px|thumb|[[Wayne Gretzky]] in a [[New York Rangers]] uniform in 1997.]]
-{{Main|National Hockey League awards}}
-The National Hockey League presents a number of trophies each year. 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]]. There are also 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 goalkeeper(s) for the team with the fewest goals against them. For the 2008–09 season these statistics-based trophies were awarded to [[Evgeni Malkin]] of the Pittsburgh Penguins, [[Alexander Ovechkin]] of the Washington Capitals, and, dually, [[Tim Thomas (Ice Hockey)|Tim Thomas]] and [[Emmanuel Fernandez|Manny Fernandez]] of the Boston Bruins respectively.
-The other player trophies are voted on by the [[Professional Hockey Writers' Association]] or the team general managers.<ref name="awards">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=301911 |title=NHL announces 2006–07 trophy finalists |publisher=NHL.com |date=2007–05–01 |accessdate=2007-06-19}}</ref> 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 goalkeeper 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.
+The other player trophies are voted on by the [[Professional Hockey Writers' Association]] or the team general managers.<ref name="awards">{{cite web |url=http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=301911 |title=NHL announces 2006–07 trophy finalists |publisher=NHL.com |date=2007–05–01 |accessdate=2007-06-19}}</ref> 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 sportsmanship; all three of these awards are voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
 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" />
@@ Line 382: / Line 287: @@
 One interesting aspect for the trophies in the NHL is that the same trophy is reused every year for each of its awards. The [[Stanley Cup]], much like its [[Canadian Football League|CFL]] [[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, 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, 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=tsn.ca |url=http://www.tsn.ca/classic/news_story.asp?ID=142315&hubName= |author=Canadian Press |date=2005–11–7 |accessdate=2006-06-08}}</ref> In the past, however, if a player was deemed significant enough, the pending period 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 |publisher=phoenixcoyotes.com |author= phoenixcoyotes.com |date=2006–05–31 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref> In 1999, [[Wayne Gretzky]] became the last player to have the three-year restriction waived,<ref name="waiver" /> and after Gretzky's induction, the NHL declared that he would be the last to have the waiting period omitted.
+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, 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 retiremen|date=2006–05–31 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref> In 1999, [[Wayne Gretzky]] became the last player to have the three-year restriction waived,<ref name="waiver" /> and after Gretzky's induction, the NHL declared that he would be the last to have the waiting period omitted.
 == Notable active players ==
@@ Line 390: / Line 295: @@
 == Origin of players ==
-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 [[Eastern Bloc|Soviet Bloc]], restrictions on the movement of hockey players from this region have lessened and there has been a large influx of European players into the NHL.  Many of the league's top players today come from these European countries, including: [[Ilya Kovalchuk]], [[Henrik Zetterberg]], [[Marian Hossa]],[[Nicklas Lidstrom]], [[Zdeno Chara]], [[Pavel Datsyuk]], [[Evgeni Malkin]], and reigning MVP [[Alexander Ovechkin]].<ref name="Europe">{{cite web |title=New world order: as the Olympics have shown, the influx of players from across the Atlantic brought changes to the NHL game |publisher=The Sporting News |date=2002–02–25 |accessdate=2006-06-11 |first=Larry |last=Wigge |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_8_226/ai_83450464}}</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 |publisher=Canadian Press |date=199–06–27 |accessdate=2006-06-11 |first=Bill |last=Beacon |url=http://slam.canoe.ca/HockeyNHLDraft99/jun27_can.html}}</ref> Although recently 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 |publisher=IIHF |date=2008–05–10 |accessdate=2008-05-13 |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/}}</ref>  The addition of European players changed the style of play in the NHL and European style hockey has been integrated in to the NHL game.<ref name="Europe" /> Conversely Canadian coaches and the Canadian style of play have been embraced by many European countries. Because of the continued success of Canadian teams in world tournaments many other countries are trying to model their development programs after [[Hockey Canada]]'s.<ref name="Canadians Coaching the World">{{cite web |title=Canada's top export: coaches |publisher=IIHF |date=2008–05–08 |accessdate=2008-05-13 |first=RISTO |last=PAKARINEN |url=http://www.iihf.com/channels/iihf-world-championship/news/news-singleview-world-championship/article/canadas-top-export-coaches.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=552&cHash=a2631f795d/}}</ref> In [[Winter Olympics|Winter Olympic]] years, the league voluntarily suspends its season so that NHL players can play in the [[Winter Olympics]], representing their native countries (though this practice may be modified for or after the [[2010 Winter Olympics]], which will be held in an NHL city, Vancouver).<ref name="NHLers too Olympics?">{{cite web |title=NHL won’t commit to Olympics beyond ’10 |publisher=NBC Sports |date=2006–02–18 |accessdate=2006-06-11 |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/11406892/}}</ref> Currently the NHL has players from 18 different countries, with the majority (52.0 percent during the [[2007–08 NHL season]]) coming from Canada.<ref name="europe_players">{{cite web |url=http://live82.ihwc.net/english/article/recaps/index.ihwc?artId=2398 |title=NHL still likes Czechs best |author=IWHC.net |publisher=IWHC.net |date=2006–05–16 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref>
+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 [[Eastern Bloc|Soviet Bloc]], restrictions on the movement of hockey players from this region have lessened and there has been a large influx of European players into the NHL.  Many of the league's top players today come from these European countries, including: [[Ilya Kovalchuk]], [[Henrik Zetterberg]], [[Marian Hossa]],[[Nicklas Lidstrom]], [[Zdeno tournaments many other countries are trying to model their development programs after [[Hockey Canada]]'s.<ref name="Canadians Coaching the World">{{cite web |title=Canada's top export: coaches |publisher=IIHF |date=2008–05–08 |accessdate=2008-05-13 |first=RISTO |last=PAKARINEN |url=http://www.iihf.com/channels/iihf-world-championship/news/news-singleview-world-championship/article/canadas-top-export-coaches.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=552&cHash=a2631f795d/}}</ref> In [[Winter Olympics|Winter Olympic]] years, the league voluntarily suspends its season so that NHL players can play in the [[Winter Olympics]], representing their native countries (though this practice may be modified for or after the [[2010 Winter Olympics]], which will be held in an NHL city, Vancouver).<ref name="NHLers too Olympics?">{{cite web |title=NHL won’t commit to Olympics beyond ’10 |publisher=NBC Sports |date=2006–02–18 |accessdate=2006-06-11 |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/11406892/}}</ref> Currently the NHL has players from 18 different countries, with the majority (52.0 percent during the [[2007–08 NHL season]]) coming from Canada.<ref name="europe_players">{{cite web |url=http://live82.ihwc.net/english/article/recaps/index.ihwc?artId=2398 |title=NHL still likes Czechs best |author=IWHC.net |publisher=IWHC.net |date=2006–05–16 |accessdate=2006-06-09}}</ref>
 The following table shows the origins of every player who played an NHL regular season game in the given year.
@@ Line 398: / Line 303: @@
 ! style="background:lightgrey; width:5.2em" | Players<br />([[2002–03 NHL season|02–03]])
 ! style="background:lightgrey; width:3.5em" | %
-! style="background:lightgrey; width:5.2em" | Players<br />([[2003–04 NHL season|03–04]])
+! style="background:lightgrey
-! style="background:lightgrey; width:3.5em" | %
-! style="background:lightgrey; width:5.2em" | Players<br />([[2005–06 NHL season|05–06]])
-! style="background:lightgrey; width:3.5em" | %
 ! style="background:lightgrey; width:5.2em" | Players<br />([[2006–07 NHL season|06–07]])
 ! style="background:lightgrey; width:3.5em" | %
-! style="background:lightgrey; width:5.2em" | Players<br />([[2007–08 NHL season|07–08]])
+! style="background:lightgrey; width:5.2em" | Players<br /lightgrey; width:5.2em" | Players<br />([[2008–09 NHL season|08–09]])
-! style="background:lightgrey; width:3.5em" | %
-! style="background:lightgrey; width:5.2em" | Players<br />([[2008–09 NHL season|08–09]])
 ! style="background:lightgrey; width:3.5em" | %
 |- bgcolor="#eeeeee"

Division	Team	City/area	Arena	Founded	Joined	Head coach
Eastern Conference
Atlantic	New Jersey Devils	Newark, NJ	Prudential Center	1974*		Jacques Lemaire
	New York Islanders	Uniondale, NY	Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum	1972		Scott Gordon
	New York Rangers	New York City, NY	Madison Square Garden	1926		John Tortorella
	Philadelphia Flyers	Philadelphia, PA	Wachovia Center	1967		Peter Laviolette
	Pittsburgh Penguins	Pittsburgh, PA	Mellon Arena	1967		Dan Bylsma
Northeast	Boston Bruins	Boston, MA	TD Garden	1924		Claude Julien
	Buffalo Sabres	Buffalo, NY	HSBC Arena	1970		Lindy Ruff
	Montreal Canadiens	Montreal, QC	Bell Centre	1909	1917	Jacques Martin
	Ottawa Senators	Ottawa, ON	Scotiabank Place	1992		Cory Clouston
	Toronto Maple Leafs	Toronto, ON	Air Canada Centre	1917		Ron Wilson
Southeast	Atlanta Thrashers	Atlanta, GA	Philips Arena	1999		John Anderson
	Carolina Hurricanes	Raleigh, NC	RBC Center	1972	1979*	Paul Maurice
	Florida Panthers	Sunrise, FL	BankAtlantic Center	1993		Peter DeBoer
	Tampa Bay Lightning	Tampa, FL	St. Pete Times Forum	1992		Rick Tocchet
	Washington Capitals	Washington, DC	Verizon Center	1974		Bruce Boudreau
Western Conference
Central	Chicago Blackhawks	Chicago, IL	United Center	1926		Joel Quenneville
	Columbus Blue Jackets	Columbus, OH	Nationwide Arena	2000		Ken Hitchcock
	Detroit Red Wings	Detroit, MI	Joe Louis Arena	1926		Mike Babcock
	Nashville Predators	Nashville, TN	Sommet Center	1998		Barry Trotz
	St. Louis Blues	St. Louis, MO	Scottrade Center	1967		Davis Payne
Northwest	Calgary Flames	Calgary, AB	Pengrowth Saddledome	1972*		Brent Sutter
	Colorado Avalanche	Denver, CO	Pepsi Center	1972	1979*	Joe Sacco
	Edmonton Oilers	Edmonton, AB	Rexall Place	1972	1979	Pat Quinn
	Minnesota Wild	St. Paul, MN	Xcel Energy Center	2000		Todd Richards
	Vancouver Canucks	Vancouver, BC	General Motors Place	1970		Alain Vigneault
Pacific	Anaheim Ducks	Anaheim, CA	[[Honda Center	1967		Terry Murray
	Phoenix Coyotes	Glendale, AZ	Jobing.com Arena	1972	1979*	Dave Tippett
	San Jose Sharks	San Jose, CA	HP Pavilion at San Jose	1991		Todd McLellan

v t e National Hockey League-related lists and topics
History	Pre-NHL seasons National Hockey Association 1917–1942 1942–1967 1967–1992 1992–2017 2017–present All-time standings Seasons Playoff series Tied games Streaks Droughts Retired numbers First NHL player by country Ice hockey in Canada Ice hockey in the United States
Personnel	Famous linemates Captains Careers with one franchise Head coaches General managers Owners Notable families Presidents and Commissioners Referees and linesmen
Records	League records (individual, team) Statistical leaders (by country of birth) Points, career (min. 1,000) Assists, career (min. 600) Goals, career (min. 500) Points, season (min. 100) Goals, season (min. 50) 50 goals in 50 games Games, career (min. 1,000) Consecutive games, career (min. 500) PIMs, career (min. 2,000) 5+ goals, game 8+ points, game Goaltender wins, career (min. 300) Goaltenders who have scored Wayne Gretzky's records Gordie Howe's records Longest winning streaks Longest losing streaks
Related	International games with NHL teams International games with NHL players 4 Nations World Cup of Hockey Hockey Fights Cancer
Other	Attendance totals Trade deadline Waivers Player salaries NHLPA CBA Video games Mascots Advanced statistics NHL uniform