The shape of a season
The NHL's 32 teams split into Eastern and Western Conferences, two divisions of eight in each (Atlantic and Metropolitan in the East; Central and Pacific in the West). The regular season is 82 games, October to April. Standings use hockey's famous points system: 2 points for a win, 1 point for an overtime or shootout loss, 0 for a regulation loss — the “loser point” that keeps the standings bunched and the playoff races alive into the final week.
How the Stanley Cup playoffs work
Sixteen teams qualify: the top three in each division, plus two wild cards per conference. The bracket is division-based — division winners play wild cards, and the 2nd and 3rd teams in each division meet in the first round, guaranteeing rivalry series early. All four rounds are best-of-seven, 2-2-1-1-1 home format, with continuous sudden-death overtime (no shootouts — a game can run past midnight, and the great ones do). Winners need 16 victories to lift the Stanley Cup, first awarded in 1893 and widely called the hardest trophy in sports to win: two months of attrition hockey stand between any team and it.
Terms a new fan needs
Power play — a man advantage (usually 5-on-4) while an opponent serves a penalty. Hat trick — three goals by one player in a game; hats rain onto the ice. Icing — shooting the puck the length of the ice untouched, whistled dead. Point (player stat) — a goal or an assist. Original Six — the league's 1942–1967 membership: Bruins, Blackhawks, Red Wings, Canadiens, Rangers, Maple Leafs.
The divisions
| Division | Teams |
|---|---|
| Atlantic (East) | Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Metropolitan (East) | Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals |
| Central (West) | Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Utah Mammoth, Winnipeg Jets |
| Pacific (West) | Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights |