2015-16 NHL season

The 2015–16 NHL season was the 99th season of operation (98th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). Thirty teams competed 82-game regular season schedules prior to the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. The regular season began on Wednesday, October 7, 2015, and ended on Saturday, April 10, 2016. The playoffs began on Wednesday, April 13, 2016 and ended on June 12 with the Pittsburgh Penguins winning their fourth Stanley Cup.
==Membership changes==
*The 2015-16 season marked the New York Islanders first season at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, after previously playing at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York
==Rule changes==
The league approved the following rule changes at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the AHL Board of Governors in late June.
*The overtime period was a five minute 3 on 3 sudden death period. There was a dry scrape of the entire ice prior to the start of the overtime period and the teams changed ends at the start of the overtime.  If the game is still tied a winner will be determined by a three player shoot out and if still tied sudden death shoot out.
*The coaches are now able to use a "coach's challenge" to initiate an official video review but only on items that are by rule reviewable (potential offside on a goal and goaltender interference).  The challenge must be issued prior to the resumption of play.  The must have a time out available as if the review does not result in the original call being overturned the team will be charged with a time out.
*For all face-offs (excluding center ice), the defending player shall place his stick on the ice first; for face-offs at center ice, the visiting player shall place his stick on the ice first.
==Outdoor Games==
The 2015-16 season featured 3 outdoor games:
Date 	Event 	Site 	Away Team 	Home Team 	Score	Attendance
January 1, 2016 	2016 Winter Classic	Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts,	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins 	5-1 	67,246
February 21, 2016	NHL Stadium Series 	TCF Bank Stadium,Minneapolis, Minnesota 	Chicago Blackhawks	Minnesota Wild 	1-6 	50,426
February 27, 2016	NHL Stadium Series 	Coors Field, Denver, Colorado 	Detroit Red Wings 	Colorado Avalanche	5-3 	50,095
==2016 NHL All-Star Game==
The 61st National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey game being played on Sunday, January 31, 2016. The game will be held in Nashville, Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators. This is Nashville's first time hosting the NHL All–Star Game.
The NHL announced a new format for the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Wednesday November 18th.
The game, on Sunday, Jan. 31, will be a 3-on-3 tournament pitting the four divisions against one another in a winner-take-all format. The Atlantic Division will face the Metropolitan Division in one semifinal and the Central Division will face the Pacific Division in the other semifinal. The winners play in the championship game.
Games will be 40 minutes in length, teams will switch goals after 10 minutes in each quarter, and will be decided by a shootout if tied after the 40 minutes in Semi-Finals. In the All-Star Game final, if tied after 40 minutes, 20 minutes of overtime with teams switch goals after 10 minutes in overtime, and if tied after 20 minutes, a shootout will be decided.
Each division's roster will have six forwards, three defenseman and two goalies. One player from each division will be voted onto the team by the fans and the other 40 players will be selected by the League's Hockey Operations Department. Each team will have at least one player from every team in their division.
==Teams==
The National Hockey League currently consists of 30 teams, 23 of which are based in the United States and 7 in Canada. 
The league divides the teams into two conferences. Each conference has two divisions, and each division has seven (Western) or eight (Eastern) teams. The newest team alignment happened in after the 2012-2013 season due to the move of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg. On December 5, 2011, the NHL Board of Governors proposed a relocation plan. The NHLPA rejected it and said to wait for the Draft to see if they would change their decision. In February 2013, they proposed the idea again. On March 7, 2013, the NHLPA approved the plan which would move the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets to the Eastern conference and the Winnipeg Jets to the Western conference. The realignment started in the 2013/2014 season. The current league organization divides the teams into two conferences, the Eastern and Western. Each conference has two divisions. The Eastern conference includes the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions. The Western conference includes the Pacific and Central divisions.
===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 	First Niagara Center 	18,690 	1970
Atlantic 	Detroit Red Wings 	Detroit, Michigan 	Joe Louis Arena; New Detroit Arena 2017 (planned)	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
Metropolitan	Carolina Hurricanes 	Raleigh, North Carolina 	PNC Arena 	18,639 	1979
Metropolitan	Columbus Blue Jackets	Columbus, Ohio 	Nationwide Arena 	18,136 	2000
Metropolitan	New Jersey Devils 	Newark, New Jersey 	Prudential Center 	17,625 	1974
Metropolitan	New York Islanders 	Brooklyn, New York 	Barclays Center 	16,234 	1972
Metropolitan	New York Rangers 	New York, New York 	Madison Square Garden 	18,200 	1926
Metropolitan	Philadelphia Flyers 	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Wells Fargo Center 	19,500 	1967
Metropolitan	Pittsburgh Penguins 	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 	Consol Energy Center 	18,087 	1967
Metropolitan	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 	MTS Center 	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 	
Rexall Place (15-16);
Rogers Place (16-17)	
16,839
18,641	
1974
2016
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
==Standings==
===Eastern Conference===
====Metropolitan Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Washington Capitals	82	56	18	8 	52 	252	193	120
Pittsburgh Penguins	82	48	26	8 	44 	245	203	104
New York Rangers 	82	46	27	9 	43 	236	217	101
====Atlantic Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Florida Panthers 	82	47	26	9 	40 	239	203	103
Tampa Bay Lightning	82	46	31	5 	43 	227	201	97
Detroit Red Wings 	82	41	30	11	39 	211	224	93
====Eastern Conference Wild Card====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
New York Islanders 	82	45	27	10	40 	232	216	100
Philadelphia Flyers 	82	41	27	14	38 	214	218	96
Boston Bruins 	82	42	31	9 	38 	240	230	93
Carolina Hurricanes 	82	35	31	16	33 	198	226	86
Ottawa Senators 	82	38	35	9 	32 	236	247	85
New Jersey Devils 	82	38	36	8 	36 	184	208	84
Montreal Canadiens 	82	38	38	6 	33 	221	236	82
Buffalo Sabres 	82	35	36	11	33 	201	222	81
Columbus Blue Jackets	82	34	40	8 	28 	219	252	76
Toronto Maple Leafs 	82	29	42	11	23 	198	246	69
===Western Conference===
====Central Division Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Dallas Stars 	82	50	23	9 	48 	267	230	109
St. Louis Blues 	82	49	24	9 	44 	224	201	107
Chicago Blackhawks	82	47	26	9 	46 	235	209	103
====Pacific Division====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Anaheim Ducks 	82	46	25	11	43 	218	192	103
Los Angeles Kings	82	48	28	6 	46 	225	195	102
San Jose Sharks 	82	46	30	6 	42 	241	210	98
====Western Conference Wild Card====
Team 	GP	W 	L 	OL	ROW	GF 	GA 	Pts
Nashville Predators	82	41	27	14	37 	228	215	96
Minnesota Wild 	82	38	33	11	35 	216	206	87
Colorado Avalanche 	82	39	39	4 	35 	216	240	82
Arizona Coyotes 	82	35	39	8 	34 	209	245	78
Winnipeg Jets 	82	35	39	8 	32 	215	239	78
Calgary Flames 	82	35	40	7 	33 	231	260	77
Vancouver Canucks 	82	31	38	13	26 	191	243	75
Edmonton Oilers 	82	31	43	8 	27 	203	245	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.
===Bracket===
===Atlantic Division Semifinals===
*New York Islanders defeated Florida Panthers 4 games to 2 (5-4, 1-3, 4-3 (ot), 1-2, 2-1 (2ot), 2-1 (2ot))
*Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Detroit Red Wings 4 games to 1 (3-2, 5-2, 0-2, 3-2, 1-0)
===Metropolitan Division Semifinals===
*Washington Capitals defeated Philadelphia Flyers 4 games to 2 (2-0, 2-1, 6-1, 1-2, 0-2, 1-0)
*Pittsburgh Penguins defeated New York Rangers 4 games to 1 (5-2, 2-4, 3-1, 5-0, 6-3)
===Central Division Semifinals===
*Dallas Stars defeated Minnesota Wild 4 games to 2 (4-0, 2-1, 3-5, 3-2, 4-5 (ot), 5-4)
*St. Louis Blues defeated Chicago Blackhawks 4 games to 3 (1-0 (ot), 2-3, 3-2, 4-3, 3-4 (2ot), 3-6, 3-2)
===Pacific Division Semifinals===
*Nashville Predators defeated Anaheim Ducks 4 games to 3 (3-2, 3-2, 0-3, 1-4, 2-5, 3-1, 3-2)
*San Jose Sharks defeated Los Angeles Kings 4 games to 1 (4-3, 2-1, 1-2 (ot), 3-2, 6-3)
===Atlantic Division Final===
*Tampa Bay Lightning defeated New York Islanders 4 games to 1 (3-4, 4-1, 5-4 (ot), 2-1 (ot), 4-0)
===Metropolitan Division Final===
*Pittsburgh Penguins defeated Washington Capitals 4 games to 2 (3-4 (ot), 2-1, 3-2, 3-2 (ot), 1-3, 4-3 (ot))
===Central Division Final===
*St. Louis Blues defeated Dallas Stars 4 games to 3 (1-2, 4-3 (ot), 6-1, 2-3 (ot), 4-1, 2-3, 6-1)
===Pacific Division Final===
*San Jose Sharks defeated Nashville Predators 4 games to 3 (5-2, 3-2, 1-4, 3-4 (3ot), 5-1, 3-4 (ot), 5-0)
===Eastern Conference Final===
*Pittsburgh Penguins defeated Tampa Bay Lightning 4 games to 3 (1-3, 3-2 (ot), 4-2, 3-4, 3-4 (ot), 5-2, 2-1)
===Western Conference Final===
*San Jose Sharks defeated St. Louis Blues 4 games to 2 (1-2, 4-0, 3-0, 3-6, 6-3, 5-2)
===Stanley Cup Final===
*Pittsburgh Penguins defeated San Jose Sharks 4 games to 2 (3-2, 2-1 (ot), 1-2 (ot), 3-1, 2-4, 3-1)
The Pittsburgh Penguins win their 4th Stanley Cup championship.
Category:2016 in hockey
Category:National Hockey League
Category:National Hockey League seasons