The NHL season is held according to a mixed schedule. First there is a regular season, at the end of which the strongest clubs advance to the playoffs.

To participate in the regular season, teams are divided into two conferences based on geography: Eastern and Western, which, in turn, are divided into several divisions. According to the regulations, at this stage the teams must hold 82 meetings (41 at home and the same number away). In this case, games are played both against clubs in their own division and against opponents from foreign divisions of both conferences. The number of matches with each specific team is determined before the start of the season, taking into account annual rotation.

In case of victory, the team receives 2 points, for a loss in overtime or as a result of a shootout - 1 point. No points are awarded for losing during regular time. Based on the results of the first stage, several clubs from each division that score the most points in it receive the right to play in the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup. To these are added 4 more clubs based on points from the combined standings of each conference.

To participate in the playoffs, clubs are divided into pairs. Each of them plays a series of matches up to four victories of one of the clubs. If the main time of the match ends with a draw, the winner will be determined in overtime. The regulations stipulate that overtime lasts 20 minutes and is played until the first goal is scored. At the same time, 5 field players from each club enter the court. The number of additional periods is not regulated. No free throws will be awarded at this stage.

The team that wins all playoff series wins the Stanley Cup. The club with the most points during the regular season is awarded the President's Cup. At the end of the entire season, the best players and goalkeepers are also awarded various trophies:

1. Art Ross Trophy – awarded to the top scorer using the goal plus pass system;
2. Maurice Richard Trophy - awarded to the best sniper;
3. William M. Jennings Trophy – awarded to the goaltender who has allowed the fewest goals allowed per game;
4. Hart Trophy - Most Valuable Player;
5. Vezina Trophy – awarded to the best goaltender, according to head coaches;
6. James Norris Trophy - awarded to the best defensive player;
7. Calder Trophy – best rookie of the season;
8. Lady Byng Trophy - awarded for fair fighting and gentlemanly behavior;
9. Conn Smythe Trophy – awarded to the most valuable player in the playoffs;
10. Jack Adams Award - awarded to the best coach.

Cling to the line

What is “clinging to the line” in hockey? When hockey fans use the expression "hooked on...

National Hockey League(NHL) is one of the oldest professional sports leagues in the world. It has a rich history and traditions. Initially, only Canadian clubs played in the NHL, but later the organization united teams from Canada and the United States of America. How did clubs from the USA appear in the NHL? Which American team was the first to be accepted into the NHL? What year did this happen? Which NHL team was the first to have a mascot, and which never had a mascot? How did one song influence the choice of name for the team? Why was the club named after the lumberjack? Why was the Sharks preferred to the Blades? And why didn't "The Savages" eventually become "The Freezers"? In this article we will talk about the history of the names and nicknames of the NHL Western Conference teams, as well as talk about the emblems and mascots (mascots) of the clubs.

(Anaheim Ducks) - nicknames: “Ducks”, “Ducks”, “Quacks”, “Mighty Ducks”, “Ducks from Anaheim”.

When the new NHL team was founded by the Walt Disney Company in 1993, there was no question of a name. “Mighty Ducks of Anaheim”, which translates as “Mighty Ducks from Anaheim” - this is exactly what the club was called. The Californian team received this name for a reason. The fact is that in 1992, that is, exactly a year before the founding of the team, Walt Disney Studios released a film about a children's hockey team from Minnesota, which was called “The Mighty Ducks.” The company made very good money from this film, and decided that calling the team “The Mighty Ducks” would be easier to promote the brand (and make money from it), as well as gain a whole army of fans from the very first day of the team’s existence. In 2006, the club was sold, the logo was changed, and the word “mighty” was removed from the name. To this day, the team from the Californian city of Anaheim is called the Anaheim Ducks. The nickname "Ducks" is a translation of the word "Ducks", and "Ducks" and "Kryaki" are derivatives and are used by Russian-speaking fans. The Anaheim Ducks mascot, Wild Wing, is an anthropomorphic duck.

(Arizona Coyotes) - nicknames: “Coyotes”, “Dogs”, “Coyotes from Arizona”.

The Arizona Coyotes were known as the Winnipeg Jets until 1996 and were based in Winnipeg, Canada. In fact, the current “Arizona” and “Winnipeg” have nothing in common. The fact is that the current Winnipeg Jets are the former Atlanta Thrashers club, which was based in Atlanta, USA. In 1996, the Winnipeg team was renamed the Phoenix Coyotes and moved to Glendale, Arizona, USA. In 2009, the club was declared bankrupt and became the property of the National Hockey League. At the same time, rumors appeared that the team could again change their place of registration, however, the move did not happen. In 2013, the NHL sold the then-Phoenix team to new owners. The club's new bosses said the team will still play in Glendale, but the name will be changed to the Arizona Coyotes before the 2014/2015 season. Why exactly "Coyotes" you ask? It's very simple! The nickname was chosen by the fans. Just over 10,000 people voted for the Coyotes, with the Scorpions name coming in second. Sometimes Russian-speaking fans call the team "Dogs". Coyote is derived from coyotl, which means "divine dog" in Aztec. The Arizona Coyotes' mascot is Howler the Coyote, a howling coyote.

(Calgary Flames) - nicknames: “Lights”, “Tongues of Flames”, “Sparks”, “Flames”, “Lights of Calgary”.

In 1972, the Atlanta Flames club was born - this is the name of the team that is now called the Calgary Flames. Until 1980, the Atlanta Flames were based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. In 1980, the Flames were sold to a new owner and moved to Calgary, Canada. Translated from English, "Flames" means "flame", "fire". The Flames' name reflects the horrific events of the American Civil War and its aftermath, namely the burning of the city of Atlanta to the ground. After moving to Calgary, the Flames decided not to change the name of the club. An interesting fact is that Atlanta is the only city that has lost two NHL franchises (Altanta Flames and Atlanta Thrashers). All the nicknames of the team are only related to its name: “Lights”, “Ogonki”, “Flame”, “Tongues of Flame”. The Calgary Flames' mascot is Harvey the Hound. She was introduced in 1983 and became the first-ever mascot in the NHL.

(Chicago Blackhawks) - nicknames: “Hawks”, “Black Hawks”, “Indians”, “Inchu-Chuns”, “Chicago Black Hawks”.

Multimillionaire Frederick McLaughlin purchased the Portland Rosebuds from brothers Frank and Lester Patrick, the organizers of the Western Hockey League, for $200,000 in the mid-1920s. The team was moved to Chicago, Illinois and became the Chicago Black Hawks. And this is not a mistake; indeed, previously the name of the team was written separately, and only since 1986 the combined spelling began to be used - “Chicago Blackhawks”. McLaughlin is a former Army major. During World War I, he served in a division named after the leader of the Sauk Indian tribe, Black Hawk. Therefore, McLaughlin did not have to think long about the name of his team. Sometimes "Chicago" is called "Eagles", but this is wrong. The mascot of the Chicago Blackhawks is Tommy Hawk. He hates being called an eagle. The Chicago Blackhawks are one of the oldest franchises in the NHL.

(Colorado Avalanche) - nicknames: "Avalanche", "Colorado Avalanche".

The history of the current Colorado Avalanche began in 1972 in Quebec, Canada, where the Quebec Nordiques club was born. Nordiques existed until 1995. On July 1, 1995, the team moved to Denver and changed its name to the Colorado Avalanche. The interesting thing is that in the same year, immediately after the move, the Avalanche won their first Stanley Cup. The club could have been named differently. Among the options, for example, was the name “Extreme”, but it received a lot of negative reviews, and “Avalanche” was chosen as the name. The following names were also considered: "Beers" (Bears), "Cougars" (Cougars), "Renegates" (Renegades), "Outlaws" (Outlaws). "Avalanche" means "avalanche" in English. Colorado Avalanche mascot - Bernie the St. Bernard. He replaced Howler the Yeti, the first mascot of the Colorado Avalanche.

(Dallas Stars) - nicknames: “Stars”, “Dallas Stars”.

The birth of the team dates back to 1967. It was this year that the leadership of the National Hockey League decided to expand to twelve teams. The current Dallas Stars were called the Minnesota North Stars until 1993 and were based in Bloomington, Minnesota. "North Stars" translates to "North Star", and the name for the club was chosen by fans who used the Minnesota state motto - "L'Etoile du Nord", which means "North Star" in French. In 1990, the Minnesota North Stars were sold. New owner Norman Green moved the team to Dallas, Texas in 1993 and changed the club's name to the Dallas Stars. The nickname "Stars" is a translation of the word "Stars". The Dallas Stars mascot, Victor E. Green, is an abstract green creature with horns shaped like hockey stick hooks.

(Edmonton Oilers) - nicknames: “Oil”, “Oilers”, “Oil”, “Oils”, “Oilers from Edmonton”.

From birth, the current Edmonton Oilers were called the Alberta Oilers. The club received the name of a province in Canada, as it was planned that the Oilers would hold home games in Edmonton and Calgary, which, in fact, was never destined to happen. Bill Hunter, owner of the Edmonton Oil Kings junior team, received repeated refusals from the leadership of the National Hockey League in his request to accept a new club from the Canadian city of Edmonton into the NHL. Ultimately, having received another turnaround from the NHL, Hunter managed to register the team in the WHA. A year later, the club was renamed the Edmonton Oilers. In 1978, the legendary Wayne Gretzky came to Edmonton, and a year later (1979) the team managed to get into the NHL. Translated from English, "Oil" means "oil", "petroleum". The name “Oilers” is quite logical, because Edmonton was then the oil capital of Canada, which, in fact, remains to this day. The Edmonton Oilers are one of only three NHL teams that does not have a mascot.

(Los Angeles Kings) - nicknames: “Kings”, “Kings”, “Team from the City of Angels”, “L.A. Kings” (LA), “Kings from Los Angeles”.

The Los Angeles Kings are one of the few NHL clubs that have not changed their name since the very beginning of their existence. The Kings were admitted to the NHL in 1967, and are a "Second Six" team, one of six teams that appeared in the National Hockey League after its expansion from six to twelve teams. The name "Kings", meaning "Kings" in English, was suggested by the fans. The owner of the club, Jack Kent Cook, did not hesitate for a second; he really liked the idea of ​​​​creating the “Royal Team” in Los Angeles. Plus, naming the club like this is a great way to pay tribute to the Los Angeles Monarchs, a team that played in the 1930s Pacific Hockey League (PCHL). Jack Kent Cooke also owned the Lakers basketball team, and their colors were gold and purple. Cook decided that the Kings' colors would also be gold and purple, because they symbolize royal grandeur and power. When Bruce McNall became part owner of the Kings in 1980, he insisted on changing the color scheme to black and silver. But the name of the club remained untouched. Los Angeles Kings mascot Kingston is an anthropomorphic snow leopard.

(Minnesota Wild) - nicknames: “Savages”, “Wilds”, “Savages from Minnesota”.

Minnesota State lost the North Stars in 1993 when they moved to Dallas. But it was replaced in 2000 by the Minnesota Wild, and the staff of the Northwestern Center again received an NHL team. The home of the “Wilds,” as “Wild” is translated, became the city of St. Paul, the capital of the state of Minnesota. The Wild are the only US professional league team based in St. Paul. Variants of club names include "Blue Ox", "Wild", "Freeze", "Voyageurs", "Northern Lights" and "White Bears". Polar bears), the “Savages” option was chosen. The name "Wild" symbolizes the harsh climate of Minnesota. The club's name was presented to the public in 1998, that is, two years before the team's debut in the NHL. The Minnesota Wild's mascot is Nordy, a mix between a bear and a fox with a green "M" on its head.

(Nashville Predators) - nicknames: “Predators”, “Smilodon”, “Sabertooth Tigers”, “Predators from Nashville”.

"Predators" is translated as "Predators". The team appeared in the NHL in 1998 and never changed its name. The name for the club was chosen by fan vote. In addition to the "Predators", which were proposed by the club owner Craig Leipold himself, there were also the options "Ice Tigers", "Fury" and "Attack". The name of the club is a reference to 1970, when the remains of a saber-toothed tiger (Smilodon) were found in a suburb of Nashville. By the way, it was originally planned that Nashville would receive an NBA franchise, but this was not possible, so the city received an NHL franchise. The Nashville Predators mascot is Gnash. Gnash is an anthropomorphic saber-toothed tiger.

(San Jose Sharks) - nicknames: “Sharks”, “Fish”, “Toothy”, “Sharks from San Jose”.

Brothers George and Gordon Gund, having sold the Minnesota North Stars in 1990, acquired the rights to a new club in the San Francisco Bay area. The club's management announced a competition to name the team. More than two thousand nicknames were submitted to the vote, in which more than five thousand people took part. In fact, "Sharks" could become "Blades" - this is the name that more people voted for. However, the Gund brothers decided to give the club the name "Sharks", which was the second most popular name. The name "Blades", according to the management, was associated with war, cruelty and violence. Names such as "Rubber Puckies", "Screaming Squids", "Salty Dogs" were also considered. It is interesting that the name “Shark” did not bother the brothers, although a shark is a predator, with powerful and razor-sharp teeth, a deadly and merciless creature. Matt Levin, vice president of marketing, said of the team name: "Sharks are very smart, fast, agile, determined and fearless creatures. We want our club to have all of these qualities." On top of that, the San Jose area is home to many different species of sharks, so the name was a perfect fit for the club. The San Jose Sharks mascot, S.J. Sharkie, is an anthropomorphic shark.

(St. Louis Blues) - nicknames: “Musicians”, “Bluesmen”, “Notes”, “Bluesmen of St. Louis”.

St. Louis entered the National Hockey League in 1967 and became a Second Six team. The options “Mercury” (Mercury) and “Apollo” (Apollo) were also considered as the name of the club, but they decided to settle on “Blues”. The team's name is the title of a William K. Handy song called "St. Louis Blues." Naturally, all the team's nicknames are related to the name. Many people call the St. Louis Blues simply “Notes,” because the club’s logo depicts a note. The St. Louis Blues mascot is Louie, a blue polar bear (since 2007). Louis loves hot dogs and plays the saxophone.

In the NHL regular season, each of the 30 teams plays 82 games, following which 8 teams from each conference make it to the NHL playoffs.

NHL games: who's playing who?

If we talk about NHL games, then 82 matches are divided into 41 home games and, accordingly, 41 away games. Once in the Stanley Cup playoffs, NHL clubs compete for the annual trophy, which is the most prestigious in world hockey - the Stanley Cup. At the same time, the team that scores the most points among all other teams in the regular season receives the NHL President's Cup.

In addition to two conferences, all teams in the National Hockey League are divided into four divisions, despite the fact that previously there were as many as six divisions. Thus, the NHL divisions in the modern format are divided into Metropolitan, Atlantic, Central and Pacific.

NHL Hockey: USA vs Canada

The flagship in terms of all world hockey tournaments taken together is, of course, the National Hockey League, or NHL for short.

Of course, NHL hockey is popular even in godforsaken places of our vast planet and, it is worth admitting that there is really something to see in this tournament. The National Hockey League is a sports organization that unites hockey teams from the United States and Canada.

A total of 30 teams participate in the NHL, 23 of which are North American and the other 7 represent Canada. By the way, at the moment, only one city represents 2 NHL teams at once - this is New York, from which the Rangers and Islanders compete. So, as you can see, American hockey can also have a derby.

This is such a special form of childhood.

You start skating at three or four years old, skate in the yard, play hockey with the neighborhood boys, after which you are entered into one of a thousand children's leagues. For the next 8-10 years you travel all over the country by bus, playing with your peers. Those who have ever driven along Canadian highways probably remember the countless number of buses running back and forth. These are, for the most part, carriers of children's teams. You're not only playing with peers from Ontario and Quebec, not at all, you're covering huge distances to get to the Northwest Territories, Nunavut or Yukon. This is your childhood, and it is dedicated to hockey - just as your whole life will be dedicated to it.

In 2013, one of the famous North American personal growth motivators held a series of meetings with young players from minor leagues. He offered to take a simple test - you had to write on a piece of paper your 5 main goals in life. It's easy, right? However, there was only one condition - you couldn’t enter anything related to hockey, family or friends.

Most hockey players sat with blank sheets of paper until the end of the test.

Hockey is incredibly popular in Canada. They talk about hockey at work, in diners, even on first dates, to avoid awkward silence, they start talking about hockey specifically - fortunately, everyone watches it. Hockey is the oldest and most deeply ingrained Canadian disease. But why are the rich Canadian clubs, which the entire population of the country supports, in such a deplorable sporting situation?

Where the Canadian teams (all seven) did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs were considered. It was about the sports component of this minor process. But besides this, there are also reasons for everyday life, so to speak, things that are not too commonly discussed: in general, Canadian clubs are less attractive to NHL players (regardless of nationality) than American ones.

Why is this happening?

There are three main reasons.

1. Winternipeg instead of the Big Apple.

In 2015, thanks to the efforts of ESPN, agents compiled a list of the most undesirable clubs for hockey players in the League. There were 4 Canadian clubs in the top five (according to the ranking: 1. Edmonton, 2. Winnipeg, 4-5. Ottawa and Toronto), and all seven were in the top ten. To sign a free agent, Edmonton or Winnipeg will have to overpay significantly, and the player will demand a completely different amount than, for example, from the conditional Rangers.

Canada is a beautiful country with amazing nature, clean air, the highest quality of life and the highest paid middle class on the globe. But small (compared to American) Canadian cities aren't very attractive if you're in your 20s or 30s, like the vast majority of NHL players, and want some adventure. Player Shaw is not middle class, and the calm, measured life in the country of the maple leaf, by and large, annoys him. All hockey players love to stay in New York or Los Angeles, but no one would ever dream of spending an extra night in Winnipeg.

On top of that, some Canadian cities are too specific. Montreal is located in the province of Quebec, and there is a completely different mentality and way of life - mostly European, not North American. Coming to Montreal, a hockey player not only has to restructure himself, but also get used to the French language. Okay, Montreal, they at least communicate more or less in English, but what if Quebec joins the NHL? A city where no one wanted to go before, except true Francophones.

In general, Winnipeg is small and has a terrible climate, Edmonton is a real hellish wilderness, there is absolutely nothing to do in Calgary in your spare time, and Ottawa is too close to Toronto: each has its drawbacks.

1. Pressure.

Canada lives by hockey, and stick masters in this country are treated like gods who, due to some misunderstanding, came to earth. But this sick form of adoration also has its dark side - the level of expectations is always very high, as a result of which any Canadian team is subject to intense pressure. If we rate the level of pressure in American teams as equal to one on a scale of ten (Boston and Detroit can reach three in a good season), then in Canadian clubs it will be at least five, in Montreal eight (and nine, if the Habs woke up and became a contender), and in Toronto - a top ten, independent of anything - neither the coach, nor the GM, nor the roster.

Canada lives by hockey, everyone knows the players by sight, so they are constantly under pressure. Going to a bar with club partners is a common occurrence in large US cities, where there are many sports clubs and hockey is not the most popular game. But in Canada, everything is different: the same trip to the bar the next day will end in defeat in the media with a detailed report: how much the hockey player drank, how much he paid for it, how he was rowdy, who he hooked up with, and at the end there will also be a note of moralizing - but I thought is he talking about the club and its fans, drinking with a girl on his lap and bawling songs at karaoke? And this applies to all Canadian cities - both small and large, the player must always take care of himself, relaxation is like death.

The press presses all the time. If in the USA after a match a hockey player answers ten usual questions with cliches (“Why did you lose today?” - “The opponent was good, they beat us, but we will pull ourselves together and fight in the next game”) and goes home, then in Canada these questions there are much more, and they are much deeper; you can’t get away with simple excuses from local journalists. The unspoken code of communication with journalists was first adopted by Canadian clubs (“Don’t be rude; don’t dare hurt someone’s feelings; try to remember the name of the journalist and address him by name, this will increase your level of trust; never lie, even if the question inconvenient, it’s better to just remain silent; never speak on behalf of the club; don’t raise your voice,” etc.), and hockey players should never violate it.

Pressure only from an everyday point of view seems to be an insignificant reason, but it runs like a red line through the entire life of a professional athlete living in Canada. Your neighbors are filming your departure for training, you can’t go to the store, you are always the number one target, because you are a hockey player in the most hockey country.

Canadian hockey players who grew up with posters of Toronto and Montreal players on their walls will never directly say that they do not want to go to their dream clubs. But they understand too well what awaits them there.

As a result, a situation often arises when a player comes to a Canadian club after an American one, and after only one season in the country of the maple leaf asks to be traded with the only wording: “Just let it not be a Canadian team!”

1. Taxes and other financial components.

We live in a mercantile world in which a person can endure a lot - Zimnipeg with its two bars and the eternal cold, and the French language, and the pressure of the press - but only if they pay very well for it. However, from this side, Canada is less attractive for living. The country has three levels of taxes (!!!) - federal, provincial or territorial, and local. The primary tax rate for hockey players starts at 29%, and that's just the beginning. Together with all required fees at the expense of the state and depending on the province in which the player lives, the amount of tax deductions reaches 54.2% (the province of British Columbia, where Vancouver is located) - this is a normal figure for Western Europe, for example, but much more than in the USA. In Canada you have to pay for everything - income tax, sales tax, income tax, excise taxes, social security, registration and licensing fees, only health insurance is free, and it would still be paid with such and such taxation. It is the government tax system that helps Canada maintain a stable economic environment and put the urban middle class on a pedestal, but what is good for the middle class is not always good for those with a lot of money. And hockey players usually have a lot of them. But how much will remain on the card after paying all taxes and the traditional NHL 18% escrow (this 18% can come back at the end of the season, which is far from a fact)?

Among other things, if in the USA, for example, the purchase of real estate is encouraged - there is an immediate tax break - then Canadian legislation does not provide for such a scheme. Food is more expensive, clothing is more expensive, Montreal is more expensive than New York in everything except luxury restaurants, all real estate transactions are more expensive, especially after housing prices collapsed in the American market in 2009. A conventional million in the USA and Canada are different things.

Any Canadian boy dreams of playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs or Montreal Canadiens, clubs with great history and traditions, but life takes its toll, and in the end it turns out that he will simply have more money in a modest team from the USA.

Of course, for any hockey player, the main thing is not money, but titles. If the clubs in the country of the maple leaf were true contenders, then they would still want to go to them, as was the case in the eighties with the Oilers: Gretzky played there, which means there was always a chance to win the Stanley Cup, and it doesn’t matter that the city of Edmonton is a hole - hole, and the legislation is bothering you like crazy. But the fact is that the last time the Stanley Cup came to Canada was 23 years ago (1993, Habs), and now the situation with Canadian clubs is like a vicious circle. Hockey players do not want to go to Canada for all of the above reasons, as a result of which clubs are forced to develop, in fact, only through the draft, and not by signing free agents and making high-profile trades. Draft development is a complex and long journey, and if you don't believe me, then ask the Edmonton Oilers, a team that has a huge number of first picks, but is consistently at the bottom.

The words of the Canadian anthem do not lie - it truly is “The True North, strong and free!”

But it doesn’t say how difficult it is for hockey players to build their lives in the cold house of the True Northwoman.

Basketball).

The National Hockey League was founded on November 26, 1917, initially consisting of only five teams (all Canadian), two of which play in NHL from the creation of the league to the present day ( Montreal Canadiens And Toronto Maple Leafs). The NHL was not the first North American professional hockey organization, and in its early years, it was not the only one. First, the Pacific Coast Hockey Association competed with it for the title of the strongest league ( The Pacific Coast Hockey Association, PCHA), and then the "Western Canada Hockey League" ( The Western Canada Hockey League, WCHL).

The first American team to join the NHL was in 1924 Boston Bruins, and two years later there were already ten teams playing in the league. By this time, the "competitors" of the National Hockey League had disbanded and NHL remains the only major league in American hockey.

Montreal Canadiens in the early thirties of the XX century

The Great Depression and later World War II led to a decline in NHL. By 1942, only six teams remained in the league, becoming known as the "Original Six": Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers And Toronto Maple Leafs. The NHL existed with this composition until the end of the sixties.

In 1958, the first black player appeared in the National Hockey League, Willie O'Ree, who received the nickname "Jackie Robinson of hockey" (named after the famous athlete who "broke" the racial barrier in baseball).

In 1967, the "expansion period" began NHL, the number of teams in the league doubled that season and continued to grow in the following decades (reaching the modern thirty in 2001).

At the end of the last century and the beginning of this century, the National Hockey League experienced a series of shocks (strikes and lockouts) caused by labor disputes between the players' union and team owners. The 2004-05 season was completely missed due to these conflicts. However, hockey remains one of the most popular sports in the United States and Canada, and the NHL is one of the most popular sports leagues.

Pittsburgh Penguins And Toronto Maple Leafs

The modern NHL includes thirty teams, divided into two conferences: Eastern ( Eastern Conference) and Western ( Western Conference). In turn, the conferences are divided into two divisions each: Atlantic ( Atlantic) and Stolichny ( Metropolitan) in the Eastern (eight teams each), Pacific ( Pacific) and Central ( Central) in Western (seven teams).

The annual National Hockey League championship consists of two parts: the regular season ( regular season) and a series of knockout games ( playoffs, playoffs). "Regular" NHL begins in October and lasts until April, during these six months each team participates in eighty-two matches.

Around the middle of the season, the NHL All-Star Game is held ( National Hockey League All-Star Game), which features the best players in North American hockey. Once every four years, instead of the All-Star Game, the league championship takes a break, giving hockey players the opportunity to take part in the Winter Olympics.

At the end of the regular season, the sixteen strongest teams continue to fight for the championship title. The top three (with the most points) teams from each division “automatically” qualify for the playoffs. In addition, two more teams in each conference from among those who did not take “prize” places in the divisions, but showed the best results (the so-called “wild cards”, qualify for the final part of the competition wild card). In a series of games, first the conference champions and then the strongest team in the National Hockey League are determined.

The winners receive the main trophy NHL- Stanley Cup ( Stanley Cup). This award, the oldest in North American professional sports, was established back in 1892 by the Governor General of Canada, Lord Stanley Preston, and has since been the most prestigious prize for any hockey player.

In addition to the Stanley Cup, several more honorary trophies are awarded to NHL teams every year, including the Prince of Wales Trophy ( Prince of Wales Trophy, awarded to the winning team in the Eastern Conference), the Clarence Campbell Cup ( Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, awarded to the Western Conference champion team), "President's Trophy" ( Presidents" Trophy, awarded to the team that scores the most points during the regular season).

At the end of the season, the best players (as well as coaches and managers) in the league receive awards. Among the most honorable ones is the Hart Prize ( Hart Memorial Trophy), which is awarded to the most useful (that is, the one who made the greatest contribution to the game of his team) player in the league; "Art Ross Prize" ( Art Ross Trophy) - award for the best striker; "James Norris Prize" ( James Norris Memorial Trophy) - best defenseman, "Vezina Trophy" ( Vezina Trophy) - the best goalkeeper; "Calder Prize" ( Calder Memorial Trophy) - the best newcomer; "Ted Lindsay Award" ( Ted Lindsay Award) - the best player according to the players themselves and others.

Hockey players Boston Bruins with the Stanley Cup

Division	Team logo	Team	Year creation teams	Year attached dinyeniya to the league	Home stadium, city (nearest major city), state (province), country
		Eastern Conference ( Eastern Conference)
Atlantic (Atlantic)		Boston Bruins (Boston Bruins)	1924		TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
		Buffalo Sabers (Buffalo Sabres)	1970		First Niagara Center, Buffalo, New York, USA
		Detroit Red Wings (Detroit Red Wings)	1926		Joe Louis Arena, Detroit, Michigan, USA
		Florida Panthers (Florida Panthers)	1993		BB&T Center, Sunrise (Miami), Florida, USA
		Montreal Canadiens (Montreal Canadiens)	1909	1917	Bell Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
		Ottawa Senators (Ottawa Senators)	1992		Canadian Tire Center, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
		Tampa Bay Lightning (Tampa Bay Lightning)	1992		Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa, Florida, USA
		Toronto Maple Leafs (Toronto Maple Leafs)	1917		Air Canada Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Metropolitan (Metropolitan)		Carolina Hurricanes (Carolina Hurricanes)	1972	1979	PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
		Columbus Blue Jackets (Columbus Blue Jackets)	2000		Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio, USA
		New Jersey Devils (New Jersey Devils)	1974		Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA
		New York Islanders (New York Islanders)	1972		Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale (New York City), New York, USA
		New York Rangers (New York Rangers)	1926		Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, USA
		Philadelphia Flyers (Philadelphia Flyers)	1967		Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
		Pittsburgh Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)	1967		Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
		Washington Capitals (Washington Capitals)	1974		Verizon Center, Washington, DC, USA
		Western Conference ( Western Conference)
Pacific (Pacific)		Anaheim Ducks (Anaheim Ducks)	1993		Honda Center, Anaheim, California, USA
		Calgary Flames (Calgary Flames)	1972		Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
		Edmonton Oilers (Edmonton Oilers)	1972	1979	Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
		Los Angeles Kings (Los Angeles Kings)	1967		Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
		Phoenix Coyotes (Phoenix Coyotes)	1972	1979	Jobing.com Arena, Glendale (Phoenix),