2024-25 NHL Season

The 2024–25 NHL season is the upcoming 108th season of operation (107th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). Following concerns about an indefinite timeframe on a new arena, the Arizona Coyotes franchise was deactivated and their players and personnel were transferred to a new expansion team in Utah. The regular season is planned to begin on October 4, 2024, when the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils are scheduled to play the first of two games in Prague, Czech Republic, as a part of the 2024 NHL Global Series. The Stanley Cup playoffs are then planned to begin in April 2025, ending with the Stanley Cup Finals in June.
==League Business==
===Entry draft===
The 2024 NHL Entry Draft is scheduled for June 28–29, 2024, at the Sphere in Paradise, Nevada.
==Regular season==
The regular season is planned from October 2024 to April 2025.
===International games===
The Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils are scheduled to play their first two regular season games against each other on October 4 and 5, 2024, at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. Then, the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers are scheduled to play two games on November 1 and 2, at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland.
===Outdoor games===
The league has scheduled the following outdoor games:
*The 2025 NHL Winter Classic will be held on December 31, 2024, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, with the Chicago Blackhawks hosting the St. Louis Blues.
*One NHL Stadium Series game will be held on March 1, 2025, at Ohio Stadium on the campus of the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, with the Columbus Blue Jackets hosting the Detroit Red Wings.
==Coaching changes==
Coaching changes
Off–season 	Off–season 	Off–season 	Off–season
Team 	2023–24 coach 	2024–25 coach 	Notes
Buffalo Sabres 	Don Granato 	Lindy Ruff 	On April 16, 2024, one day after the conclusion of their season, the Sabres fired Granato. In just over three-and-a-half seasons with Buffalo, Granato totaled a 122–125–27 record, with no playoff appearances. Ruff, who had previously coached Buffalo from 1997 to 2013, and most recently served as head coach of the New Jersey Devils from 2020 to 2024, was named head coach on April 22.
Columbus Blue Jackets	Pascal Vincent 	TBD 	On June 17, 2024, two months after the conclusion of the Blue Jackets' season, Vincent was fired by Columbus. In his single season as head coach, the Blue Jackets posted a 27–43–12 record, finishing last in the Metropolitan Division.
Los Angeles Kings 	Todd McLellanJim Hiller* 	Jim Hiller 	McLellan was fired on February 2, 2024, with the Kings holding a record of 23–15–10; despite a 20–7–4 start to the season, the team went 3–8–6 in the 17 games preceding his dismissal. In four and a half seasons with Los Angeles, McLellan posted a 164–130–44 record, reaching the playoffs twice but failing to advance past the first round. Hiller, an assistant coach, was promoted to interim head coach, before being named full-time head coach on May 22, 2024.
New Jersey Devils 	Lindy RuffTravis Green* 	Sheldon Keefe 	Ruff was fired on March 4, 2024, after the Devils started 30–27–4. In just over three-and-a-half seasons with New Jersey, Ruff totaled a 128–125–28 record, with one playoff appearance. Green, the associate coach, and previously head coach of the Vancouver Canucks from 2017 to 2021, was promoted to interim head coach the same day. Green finished out the season 8–12–1, failing to make the playoffs, and was subsequently hired by the Ottawa Senators following the season. Keefe, most recently the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2019 to 2024, was named head coach on May 23, 2024.
Ottawa Senators 	D. J. SmithJacques Martin* 	Travis Green 	Smith was fired on December 18, 2023, after the Senators started the season 11–15–0. In just over four seasons with Ottawa, Smith compiled a 131–154–32 record, with no playoff appearances. Martin, a senior advisor to the coaching staff who previously served as the team's head coach from 1996 to 2004, and most recently served as head coach of the Montreal Canadiens from 2009 to 2011, was promoted to interim head coach. Martin subsequently finished out the season 26–26–4, failing to reach the playoffs. Green, most recently the interim head coach of the New Jersey Devils, and previously head coach of the Vancouver Canucks from 2017 to 2021, was named head coach on May 7, 2024.
San Jose Sharks 	David Quinn 	Ryan Warsofsky	On April 24, 2024, one week after the conclusion of their season, the Sharks fired Quinn. In two seasons with San Jose, Quinn posted a 41–98–25 record, with no playoff appearances. Warsofsky, an assistant coach, was promoted to head coach on June 13, 2024.
Seattle Kraken 	Dave Hakstol 	Dan Bylsma 	Hakstol was fired on April 29, 2024, a week and a half after the conclusion of Seattle's season. The franchise's first head coach, Hakstol recorded a 107–112–27 record in three seasons with the Kraken, leading the franchise to its first playoff appearance in 2023. Bylsma, most recently head coach of Seattle's AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, and previously head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres, was promoted to head coach on May 28, 2024.
St. Louis Blues 	Craig BerubeDrew Bannister*	Drew Bannister	Berube was fired on December 12, 2023, after the Blues started the season 13–14–1. In parts of six seasons with St. Louis, Berube compiled a 206–132–44 record with four playoff appearances, leading the franchise to its first Stanley Cup championship in 2019. Bannister, previously the head coach of the Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, was promoted to interim head coach, before signing a two-year contract to become the full-time head coach on May 7, 2024.
Toronto Maple Leafs 	Sheldon Keefe 	Craig Berube 	On May 9, 2024, five days following Toronto's first-round elimination from the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Keefe was fired after four-and-a-half seasons with the team. Under Keefe, the team went 212–97–40, winning the North Division title in 2021 and making the playoffs every season, but only reaching the second round once. Berube, most recently head coach of the St. Louis Blues from 2018 to 2023, and who played for the Maple Leafs during the 1991–92 season, was named head coach on May 17.
Winnipeg Jets 	Rick Bowness 	Scott Arniel 	Bowness announced his retirement from coaching on May 6, 2024. In two seasons with Winnipeg, Bowness compiled a 98–57–9 record, with two playoff appearances. Arniel, an associate coach, and formerly head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2010 to 2012, was promoted to head coach on May 24.
(*) Indicates interim
==Front office changes==
General managers
Off–season 	Off–season 	Off–season 	Off–season
Team 	2023–24 general manager 	2024–25 general manager	Notes
Carolina Hurricanes 	Don Waddell 	Eric Tulsky*Cody Taylor	Waddell announced his resignation on May 24, 2024, eight days after Carolina's elimination from the playoffs. Having joined the Hurricanes' organization in 2014 and serving as general manager since 2018, Waddell oversaw six consecutive playoff appearances, three division championships, and two trips to the Eastern Conference finals. Tulsky, the assistant GM, was named interim general manager. Cody Taylor, an relative unknown, was eventually made general manager on 17 June 2024.
Columbus Blue Jackets	Jarmo KekalainenJohn Davidson*	Don Waddell 	Kekalainen was fired on February 15, 2024, after the Blue Jackets began the season 16–26–10. Kekalainen had served as general manager of the Blue Jackets since 2013, overseeing five playoff appearances, including the franchise's first playoff series win in 2019. Davidson, the president of hockey operations, was named interim general manager. Waddell, most recently general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes from 2018 to 2024, and who had resigned from the Hurricanes four days prior, was named general manager on May 28, 2024, also assuming the roles of president of hockey operations and alternate governor.
(*) Indicates interim
==Uniforms==
This will be the first season for Fanatics as the official apparel provider of the NHL under a ten-year contract, replacing Adidas, which was the official apparel provider on a seven-year contract from the 2017–18 season.
==Media==
===Canada===
This will be the eleventh season of the twelve-year Canadian national broadcast rights deal with Sportsnet. This includes Sportsnet's sub-licensing agreements to air Saturday Hockey Night in Canada games on CBC Television and French-language broadcasts on TVA Sports. Games will be streamed on Sportsnet+, with national games available on the Standard level, out-of-market games on the Premium tier, and via authenticated streaming on participating teams. This will be the first season of a two-year sub-license for Amazon Prime Video to air Prime Monday Night Hockey, replacing Rogers Monday Night Hockey on Sportsnet. The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers both begin an 11-year extension with Sportsnet West through the 2034–35 season. Additionally, Prime Monday Night Hockey will feature a new broadcast team, to be announced at a later date.
===United States===
This will be the fourth season of the league's seven-year U.S. national broadcast rights deals with the ESPN family of networks and TNT Sports. ESPN's contract allows at least 25 exclusive games per season on ABC or ESPN (including ABC Hockey Saturday on selected Saturdays), up to 75 exclusive games streamed on ESPN+ (also simulcast on Hulu), out-of-market games streamed on ESPN+ (under the NHL Power Play branding), exclusive rights to the opening night games and the Stadium Series, and simulcasts/alternate broadcasts on other ESPN networks. TNT Sports' contract allows for up to 72 games per season (some may be non-exclusive broadcasts and thus blacked out in local markets), including Wednesday night games, selected Sunday games, the Winter Classic, simulcasts/alternate broadcasts on TBS and TruTV, and the rights to stream its games on Max. While ESPN and ABC would normally televise the All-Star skills competition and the All-Star Game, respectively, the eight-day 4 Nations Face-Off tournament will be split by ABC, ESPN, and TNT. As per the rotation, TNT will hold rights to the Stanley Cup Finals this season.
Bally Sports will be rebranded before the start of the season. The Chicago Blackhawks, the NBA's Chicago Bulls, MLB's Chicago White Sox, and Standard Media will launch the Chicago Sports Network, replacing NBC Sports Chicago as their regional broadcaster. The Seattle Kraken will begin a multi-year agreement with Tegna to start airing games on Tegna's Seattle broadcast stations KING and KONG, replacing Root Sports Northwest as the Kraken's regional broadcaster, and syndicate the telecasts to other stations across the team's broadcast territory. Amazon Prime Video will also stream Tegna's Kraken games within the team's territory. As part of the asset transfer, the Utah expansion team received the Arizona Coyotes' existing broadcasting contract with Scripps Sports. KUPX-TV in Salt Lake City, which had been televising Coyotes and Vegas Golden Knights games, will become the Utah team's new flagship station. The Florida Panthers will also begin a multi-year agreement with Scripps Sports to broadcast games on three Scripps-owned stations: WSFL-TV in Miami/Fort Lauderdale, WHDT in West Palm Beach and a yet-to-be-announced station in Fort Myers. They will replace Bally Sports Florida as their broadcaster. In July 2024, Diamond Sports Group requested the termination of its contract with between the Dallas Stars and Bally Sports Southwest. The Stars subsequently announced a new digital platform known as Victory+ as part of a partnership with A Parent Media Co., which will carry the team's ancillary video content, and stream regionally-televised games in-market for free.
==References==