2017-18 NHL season

The 2017–18 NHL season was the 101st season of operation (100th season of play) of the National Hockey League. With the addition of a new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular season began on October 4, 2017, and ended on April 7, 2018. The 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs began a few days afterwards, with the Stanley Cup Finals held in early June ending on June 7.
==Membership==
===Eastern Conference===
Division 	Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity	Joined NHL
Atlantic 	Boston Bruins 	Boston, Massachusetts 	TD Garden 	17,565 	1924
Atlantic 	Buffalo Sabres 	Buffalo, New York 	KeyBank Center 	18,690 	1970
Atlantic 	Detroit Red Wings 	Detroit, Michigan 	Little Caesars Arena 	20,066 	1926
Atlantic 	Florida Panthers 	Sunrise, Florida 	BB&T Center 	19,452 	1993
Atlantic 	Montreal Canadiens 	Montreal, Quebec 	Bell Centre 	21,273 	1917
Atlantic 	Ottawa Senators 	Ottawa, Ontario 	Canadian Tire Centre 	20,500 	1992
Atlantic 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	Tampa, Florida 	Amalie Arena 	19,500 	1992
Atlantic 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	Toronto, Ontario 	Air Canada Centre 	18,800 	1917
Metroplitan	Carolina Hurricanes 	Raleigh, North Carolina 	PNC Arena 	18,639 	1979
Metroplitan	Columbus Blue Jackets	Columbus, Ohio 	Nationwide Arena 	18,136 	2000
Metroplitan	New Jersey Devils 	Newark, New Jersey 	Prudential Center 	17,625 	1974
Metroplitan	New York Islanders 	Brooklyn, New York 	Barclays Center 	16,234 	1972
Metroplitan	New York Rangers 	New York, New York 	Madison Square Garden	18,200 	1926
Metroplitan	Philadelphia Flyers 	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Wells Fargo Center 	19,500 	1967
Metroplitan	Pittsburgh Penguins 	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 	PPG Paints Arena 	18,387 	1967
Metroplitan	Washington Capitals 	Washington, D.C. 	Verizon Center 	18,277 	1974
===Western Conference===
Division	Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity	Joined NHL
Central 	Chicago Blackhawks 	Chicago, Illinois 	United Center 	19,717 	1926
Central 	Colorado Avalanche 	Denver, Colorado 	Pepsi Center 	18,007 	1979
Central 	Dallas Stars 	Dallas, Texas 	American Airlines Center	18,500 	1967
Central 	Minnesota Wild 	St. Paul, Minnesota 	Xcel Energy Center 	18,568 	2000
Central 	Nashville Predators 	Nashville, Tennessee 	Bridgestone Arena 	17,113 	1998
Central 	St. Louis Blues 	St. Louis, Missouri 	Scottrade Center 	19,022 	1967
Central 	Winnipeg Jets 	Winnipeg, Manitoba 	Bell MTS Place 	18,750 	2011
Pacific 	Anaheim Ducks 	Anaheim, California 	Honda Center 	17,174 	1993
Pacific 	Arizona Coyotes 	Glendale, Arizona 	Gila River Arena 	18,000 	1979
Pacific 	Calgary Flames 	Calgary, Alberta 	Scotiabank Saddledome 	19,289 	1972
Pacific 	Edmonton Oilers 	Edmonton, Alberta 	Rogers Place 	18,641 	1979
Pacific 	Los Angeles Kings 	Los Angeles, California 	Staples Center 	18,118 	1967
Pacific 	San Jose Sharks 	San Jose, California 	SAP Center at San Jose 	17,496 	1991
Pacific 	Vancouver Canucks 	Vancouver, British Columbia	Rogers Arena 	18,630 	1970
Pacific 	Vegas Golden Knights	Las Vegas, Nevada 	T-Mobile Arena 	17,368 	2017
==League Business==
===Membership Changes===
*The Vegas Golden Knights are added to the league as an expansion team becoming the league's 31st member.
===2018 Winter Olympics===
The NHL decided on April 3, 2017 that the league will not change its schedule to accommodated players being able to play in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.  The NHL had shut down the league for the previous five Olympic games. Several players have vowed to participate anyway, most notably Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin; provided the teams that hold their contracts do not object to each player's participation, the options the league has for stopping players from participating without running afoul of the National Hockey League Players' Association are limited, and the league has not yet prescribed any potential punishment for such a scenario.
===All Star Game===
The 63rd National Hockey League All-Star Game will be held in Tampa, Florida at Amalie Arena, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, on January 28, 2018. The format will not change and will follow the format used in two previous All-Star games.
===Salary cap===
On June 18, 2017, the National Hockey League Players' Association announced that the salary cap would be set at $75 million for the 2017–18 season.
===Centennial celebration===
The NHL's centennial commemorations will continue into the 2017–18 season, as its 100th season of play. On March 17, 2017, the NHL announced that it would hold an outdoor game between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens on December 16, 2017 to mark the 100th anniversary of their inaugural NHL game. The Toronto Maple Leafs will host the Carolina Hurricanes on December 19 at the start time of 2 p.m. to mark the 100th anniversary of the first NHL game played by their predecessor franchise, the Toronto Arenas.
===Pre-season games in China===
On March 30, 2017, it was announced that the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks would play two pre-season games in China on September 21 and 23 called the 2017 NHL China Games. These were the first NHL games played in China. 
===International games===
Two regular season games will be played in Stockholm, Sweden as part of the 2017 SAP NHL Global Series, the league announced on March 24, 2017. The games will be played between the Colorado Avalanche and the Ottawa Senators at the Ericsson Globe on November 10 and 11, 2017. This is the first NHL game to be held outside North America since the 2011 NHL Premiere contest.
===Outdoor games===
* The 100 Classic will be held on December 16, 2017 at TD Place Stadium in Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, featuring the Montreal Canadiens against the Ottawa Senators.
* The Winter Classic will be held on January 1, 2018 at Citi Field in Flushing, New York, with the New York Rangers playing the Buffalo Sabres.
* The Stadium Series will be held on March 3, 2018 at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, featuring two of last seasons playoff teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals.
==Arena changes==
* The Detroit Red Wings will move to Little Caesars Arena, replacing their longtime home, the Joe Louis Arena.
* The Vegas Golden Knights will play their inaugural season at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
* The Winnipeg Jets home arena was renamed from MTS Centre to Bell MTS Place following Bell Mobility's acquisition of previous rights holders, Manitoba Telecom Services.
==Standings==
===Eastern Conference===
====Metropolitan Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Washington Capitals	82	49	26	7 	46 	259	239	105
Pittsburgh Penguins	82	47	29	6 	45 	272	250	100
Philadelphia Flyers	82	42	26	14	40 	251	243	98
====Atlantic Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Tampa Bay Lightning	82	54	23	5 	48 	296	236	113
Boston Bruins 	82	50	20	12	47 	270	214	112
Toronto Maple Leafs	82	49	26	7 	42 	277	232	105
====Eastern Conference Wild Card====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Columbus Blue Jackets	82	45	30	7 	39 	242	230	97
New Jersey Devils 	82	44	29	9 	39 	248	244	97
Florida Panthers 	82	44	30	8 	41 	248	246	96
Carolina Hurricanes 	82	36	35	11	33 	228	256	83
New York Islanders 	82	35	37	10	32 	264	296	80
New York Rangers 	82	34	39	9 	31 	231	268	77
Detroit Red Wings 	82	30	39	13	25 	217	255	73
Montreal Canadiens 	82	29	40	13	27 	209	264	71
Ottawa Senators 	82	28	43	11	26 	221	291	67
Buffalo Sabres 	82	25	45	12	24 	199	280	62
===Western Conference===
====Central Division Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Nashville Predators	82	53	18	11	47 	267	211	117
Winnipeg Jets 	82	52	20	10	48 	277	218	114
Minnesota Wild 	82	45	26	11	42 	253	232	101
====Pacific Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Vegas Golden Knights	82	51	24	7 	47 	272	228	109
Anaheim Ducks 	82	44	25	13	40 	235	216	101
San Jose Sharks 	82	45	27	10	40 	252	229	100
====Western Conference Wild Card====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Los Angeles Kings 	82	45	29	8 	43 	239	203	98
Colorado Avalanche	82	43	30	9 	41 	257	237	95
St. Louis Blues 	82	44	32	6 	41 	226	222	94
Dallas Stars 	82	42	32	8 	37 	235	225	92
Calgary Flames 	82	37	35	10	34 	218	248	84
Edmonton Oilers 	82	36	40	6 	31 	234	263	78
Chicago Blackhawks	82	33	39	10	32 	229	256	76
Vancouver Canucks 	82	31	40	11	31 	218	264	73
Arizona Coyotes 	82	29	41	12	27 	208	256	70
==Stanley Cup Playoffs==
===Format===
The top three teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. The next two best records in each conference also qualify as wildcard teams. The wild card team with the fewer points plays the team with the best record in the conference regardless of division. The other wild card team plays the other division winner. The wild card team then stays in that division's playoffs. The division semifinal winners meet in the division finals. The two division winners in each conference meet in the conference finals. The two conference winners meet in the Stanley Cup final. All series are best-of-seven.
===Atlantic Division Semifinals===
*Tampa Bay Lightning defeated New Jersey Devils 4 games to 1
*Boston Bruins defeated Toronto Maple Leafs 4 games to 3
In game 7, the Boston Bruins became the first team in NHL history to over come three one goal deficits in a game 7 and win the game in the deciding game with the Maple Leafs
===Metropolitan Division Semifinals===
*Washington Capitals defeated Columbus Blue Jackets 4 games to 2
*Pittsburgh Hornets defeated Philadelphia Flyers 4 games to 2
===Central Division Semifinals===
*Nashville Predators defeated Colorado Avalanche 4 games to 2
*Winnipeg Jets defeated Minnesota Wild 4 games to 1
===Pacific Division Semifinals===
*Vegas Golden Knights defeated Los Angeles Kings 4 games to none
*San Jose Sharks defeated Anaheim Ducks 4 games to none
===Atlantic Division Final===
*Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Boston Bruins 4 games to 1
===Metropolitan Division Final===
*Washington Capitals defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4 games to 2
===Central Division Final===
*Winnipeg Jets defeated Nashville Predators 4 games to 3
In game 7 Pekka Rinne became the faster goaltender pulled in a game 7 in NHL history when he was pulled at 10:31 of the first period after allowing 2 goals. Also in the series Mark Scheifele of the Jets scored 7 goals on the road which was the most road goals scored in any single playoff series since the 1926-27 season.
===Pacific Division Final===
*Vegas Golden Knights defeated San Jose Sharks 4 games to 2
With winning this series the Golden Knights become the third team to win two playoff series in their first season in the league following the 1917-18 NHL season when the Toronto Arenas won the Stanley Cup in the first NHL season and the St. Louis Blues reached the 1968 Stanley Cup Finals in an all expansion team Western Conference.
===Eastern Conference Final===
*Washington Capitals defeated Tampa Bay Lightning 4 games to 3
===Western Conference Final===
*Vegas Golden Knights defeated Winnipeg Jets 4 games to 1
With winning this series the Golden Knights become the first team ever to win three series in their first season in the NHL.
===Stanley Cup Final===
*Washington Capitals defeated Vegas Golden Knights 4 games to 1
The Washington Capitals win their first Stanley Cup. Alexander Ovechkin was named Conn Smythe Trophy winner as Stanley Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player
==References==
Category:2018 in hockey
Category:National Hockey League seasons