Standings In The National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL) is the premier professional ice hockey league in North America. Founded in 1917, the NHL has grown into a league with 31 teams based in the United States and Canada. The regular season runs from October to April, where teams compete for a chance to make the playoffs and eventually compete for the Stanley Cup.
Divisions and Conferences
The NHL is divided into two conferences, the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference is made up of two divisions, totaling eight divisions in the league overall.
The Eastern Conference is made up of the Atlantic Division and the Metropolitan Division. The Atlantic Division includes the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Metropolitan Division consists of the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals.
The Western Conference consists of the Central Division and the Pacific Division. The Central Division includes the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets. The Pacific Division consists of the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, and Vancouver Canucks.
Points System
The NHL uses a points system to determine the standings of each team. During the regular season, teams earn two points for a win and one point for a loss in overtime or a shootout. If a game ends in a tie, both teams receive one point.
The team with the most points in each division qualifies for the playoffs. The next two teams in each conference with the highest point totals also qualify as wild-card teams.
Standings
The NHL standings are updated daily during the regular season and can be found on the NHL's official website. The standings page displays each team's rankings within their respective divisions and conferences, as well as their number of games played, wins, losses, overtime losses, points, and point percentage.
During the playoffs, the standings determine the matchups for each round. The team with the higher seed will have home-ice advantage for the series.
Conclusion
In conclusion, following the standings in the National Hockey League can be an exciting way to keep track of your favorite team's progress throughout the season. Understanding how the points system works and how the league is divided can help you navigate the standings page and keep up with the latest news and updates.