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the conference against the lower ranked wild-card and the other division winner against the higher ranked wild-card. The second and third place teams in each division play each other. The top ranked team in a division, along with its wild card opponent and the second and third ranked teams of the same division comprise a group or bracket during the First Round, and the two winners will meet in the Second Round. The
Western Conference (Pacific vs. Central divisional bracket winners) and Eastern Conference (Atlantic vs. Metropolitan divisional bracket winners) Finals will determine who faces off in the
114:. Each team plays either three or four games against the other teams in its division (a total of 26 games) as well as playing all non-divisional teams in their own conference three times (24 games). The remaining games of the season are inter-conference play (32 games), allowing every team in the league to play every other team twice. The schedule is structured so that every NHL team plays in every arena at least once per season, which also include
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A team shall be allowed to pull its goalkeeper in favor of an additional skater in the overtime period. However, should that team lose the game during the time in which the goalkeeper has been removed, it would forfeit the automatic point gained in the tie at the end of regulation play, except if the
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to determine which team from each conference will advance to the final round, dubbed the
Stanley Cup Finals. The top three teams in each division earn automatic berths (six teams per conference) and the next two teams in the conference earn wild-card spots. The First Round pits the top ranked team in
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If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, are used to determine the standing. The "odd" games are identical to those mentioned in the previous paragraph, that is, the first game in the city of the
58:
The NHL pre-season is generally held during the last two weeks of
September. Each team plays roughly six to eight exhibition games. These games allow coaches to evaluate their teams, new players to try out for roster and position spots, and established players to practice prior to competitive play.
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The league also schedules a three-day
Christmas break (since 1971) when no regular season games are played on either Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Games are not played on December 26 unless it falls on a Saturday, in which case no games would be played on December 23. The NHL also has a holiday
522:
For the first two rounds, the higher-seeded team has home-ice advantage (regardless of point record). Thereafter, it goes to whoever has the better regular season record (no matter the seeding). The team with home-ice advantage hosts Games 1, 2, 5 and 7, while the opponent hosts Games 3, 4 and 6
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club that has had more home games in games between each club in the tie. Note that, because of this procedure, if two teams in the multi team tie (also applicable in a two team tie) have only played once against each other, the points earned in that game are not included.
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If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, the points earned and available in the first game played in the city of the club that had the greater number of home games in games between the two are not
42:. In the regular season, which generally runs from early October through early April, teams play 82 games which determine their standings. The three highest-placed teams in each division and two wild card teams per conference enter the playoff
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during overtime and gives up an empty net goal, the point normally awarded for losing in overtime is forfeited. Pulling a goaltender in overtime was occasionally attempted in certain situations prior to the
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near the end of a season if earning a single point in overtime would have been worthless for playoff qualification purposes, but with the introduction of the shootout it has not been attempted as often.
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152:(second Sunday of February), the league avoids scheduling any games that night, and will either have a blank slate that day or have a few afternoon games, usually starting no later than 3:00
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and its accompanying festivities typically occur during the bye week. From 1998 to 2014, every four years in lieu of an All-Star break, there was a break for the
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or shootout), one point for a loss in overtime or shootout, and no points for a loss in regulation time. If, however, a team pulls their goaltender for an
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playoffs. In the pre-season, which is generally held during the last two weeks of
September, each team plays several not-for-the-record
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roster freeze between
December 18 and 27, in which in most cases, players cannot be traded, waived, or sent to the minor leagues.
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If two clubs are still tied on non-shootout wins, points earned between the tied clubs and regular season goal differential, a
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The fewest games played (only used during the season, as all teams will have played 82 games once the regular season is over).
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Each team has a mandatory bye week near the midpoint of the season, during which no regular season games take place. The
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have also been scheduled, including games between an NHL team and a club from another league overseas.
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games, 41 each of home and road. In all, 1,312 games are scheduled (512 of them inter-conference).
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Several pre-season games may be held at neutral sites. Since 2006 in Canada and 2015 in the U.S.,
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The greater differential between goals for and goals against during the entire regular season.
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Teams may also have split squad games, in which parts of a team's roster play separate games.
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681:"The Morning Take: Wild Risk It All By Pulling Goalie in OT — 'We're Here to Win, Right?'"
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contests, in which communities compete for the opportunity to host a pre-season game;
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goalkeeper has been removed at the call of a delayed penalty against the other team.
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the NHL regular season formula was adjusted to account for the addition of the
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would be discontinued in the U.S. following the 2020 edition. Several
706:"Marchessault's empty-net goal in overtime lifts Vegas over Wild 2-1"
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The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs.
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Any ties in the standings are broken using the following protocols:
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playoffs, an elimination tournament consisting of three rounds of
609:"NHL's holiday roster freeze tradition lets players breathe easy"
562:
The
National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2009
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At the end of the regular season, sixteen teams qualify for the
133:. However, the NHL prohibited players from participation in the
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730:"NHL realignment includes four divisions, wild card teams"
34:
is divided into the pre-season, regular season, and the
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The greater number of total wins, including shootouts.
664:. The National Hockey League. Section 10, Rule 84.2.
543:
List of NHL franchise post-season appearance streaks
32:
season structure of the
National Hockey League (NHL)
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752:"Stanley Cup Playoffs format, qualification system"
27:
Structure of a season in the
National Hockey League
116:regular season games played outside North America
507:The greater number of goals scored (used since
658:National Hockey League Official Rules 2023-2024
159:Two points are awarded for a win (including in
401:4 games × 5 opponents + 3 games × 2 opponents
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594:"NHL schedule: Bye weeks for 2018-19 season"
78:pre-season games held at international sites
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548:List of NHL franchise post-season droughts
518:is played under Stanley Cup playoff rules.
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523:(Games 5–7 are played "if necessary").
481:, excluding shootouts (used since the
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607:Whyno, Stephen (December 22, 2017).
485:, reflected by the ROW statistic).
409:Within conference, non-divisional
25:
777:NHL – Stanley Cup Playoff Formats
511:, reflected by the GF statistic).
474:, reflected by the RW statistic).
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704:Donnelly, Patrick (2024-03-30).
611:. Toronto Star. Associated Press
538:National Hockey League rivalries
120:games played in outdoor stadiums
99:, each team in the NHL plays 82
1558:Collective bargaining agreement
1548:Ice hockey in the United States
679:Traikos, Michael (2024-03-11).
655:National Hockey League (2021).
631:"What are NHL overtime rules?"
88:For NHL league structure, see
1:
560:McCarthy, Dave, ed. (2008).
479:regulation and overtime wins
1434:defunct and relocated teams
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564:. Dan Diamond Associates.
533:List of NHL playoff series
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177:Conferences and divisions
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754:. NHL.com. April 6, 2018
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423:2 games × 16 opponents
1429:Organizational changes
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813:National Hockey League
477:The greater number of
466:The greater number of
412:3 games × 8 opponents
199:Metropolitan Division
90:National Hockey League
44:elimination tournament
1123:Columbus Blue Jackets
1105:Metropolitan Division
596:. NHL. July 13, 2018.
470:only (used since the
242:Columbus Blue Jackets
1543:Ice hockey in Canada
916:Vegas Golden Knights
449:best-of-seven series
439:Stanley Cup playoffs
433:Stanley Cup playoffs
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131:Winter Olympic Games
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1461:potential expansion
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347:Tampa Bay Lightning
330:Philadelphia Flyers
298:Nashville Predators
220:Carolina Hurricanes
185:Eastern Conference
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170:2004–05 NHL lockout
18:Stanley Cup Playoff
1577:Attendance figures
1419:All-time standings
1260:Presidents' Trophy
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1063:Montreal Canadiens
949:Colorado Avalanche
940:Chicago Blackhawks
832:Eastern Conference
827:Western Conference
509:2019–20 NHL season
483:2010–11 NHL season
472:2019–20 NHL season
454:Stanley Cup Finals
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571:978-1-894801-14-0
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271:Los Angeles Kings
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127:NHL All-Star Game
74:Kraft Hockeyville
69:Kraft Hockeyville
46:to determine the
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