What Does NHL Stand For?
The NHL is an abbreviation for National Hockey League, with its headquarters located in New York City, USA.
What Is The NHL
National Hockey League (NHL) is the world’s premier professional ice hockey league, consisting of 32 member clubs: 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. Founded in 1917, the NHL is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded to the NHL playoff champion at the end of each season.
The NHL is divided into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference has three divisions: Atlantic, Metropolitan, and Central. The top three teams in each division qualify for the playoffs, and two wild card teams from each conference (for a total of eight playoff teams from each conference). The Stanley Cup Playoffs are a best-of-seven tournament.
Schedule
The regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs, while the next two teams in each conference are determined by wild card. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament that culminates in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Popular Players
The most famous players in NHL history include Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, and Mario Lemieux. Gretzky is considered the greatest player of all time, while Howe and Lemieux are two of the most dominant players in league history. Current stars include Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, and Patrick Kane.
Global Sport
The NHL is truly a global sport, with players coming from all over the world to compete at the highest level. Many of the game’s greatest players have come from countries outside North America, including Russia, Sweden, Finland, and the Czech Republic.
