2015–16 NHL season | |
League: | National Hockey League |
Sport: | Ice hockey |
Duration: | October 7, 2015 – June 12, 2016 |
No Of Games: | 82 |
No Of Teams: | 30 |
Tv: | CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada) NBCSN, NBC, CNBC, USA (United States) |
Draft: | Draft |
Draft Link: | 2015 NHL Entry Draft |
Top Pick Link: | List of first overall NHL draft picks |
Picked By: | Edmonton Oilers |
Season: | Regular season |
Season Champ Name: | Presidents' Trophy |
Season Champs: | Washington Capitals |
Mvp: | Patrick Kane (Blackhawks) |
Mvp Link: | Hart Memorial Trophy |
Top Scorer: | Patrick Kane (Blackhawks) |
Top Scorer Link: | Art Ross Trophy |
Playoffs: | Playoffs |
Playoffs Link: | 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs |
Finals: | Stanley Cup |
Finals Link: | 2016 Stanley Cup Finals |
Finals Champ: | Pittsburgh Penguins |
Finals Runner-Up: | San Jose Sharks |
Playoffs Mvp: | Sidney Crosby (Penguins) |
Playoffs Mvp Link: | Conn Smythe Trophy |
Nextseason Year: | 2016–17 |
Prevseason Year: | 2014–15 |
Seasonslist: | List of NHL seasons |
Seasonslistnames: | NHL |
The 2015–16 NHL season was the 99th season of operation (98th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). Thirty teams competed in 82-game regular season schedules from October 7, 2015 to April 10, 2016.
The 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs following the regular season began on April 13 and ended June 12, with the Pittsburgh Penguins defeating the San Jose Sharks in six games to win their fourth Stanley Cup. None of the seven Canadian-based teams qualified for the playoffs; this was the second season in league history that the playoff field consisted of only United States-based teams. The only other time in league history that no Canadian teams qualified for the postseason was in the 1969–70 season.[1] [2]
In December 2014, commissioner Gary Bettman told teams that he projected the salary cap to increase to at least US$73 million for the 2015–16 season, citing the fluctuating value of the Canadian dollar.[3] The cap was ultimately set at US$71.4 million.[4]
Rule changes approved by the NHL Board of Governors on June 24, 2015, include:[5]
The 2015 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26–27, 2015, at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida.[8] Connor McDavid was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers.
See main article: Potential National Hockey League expansion.
For the second time since 2000, the league ended a moratorium on potential expansion teams and began accepting bids for potential expansion teams that, if approved, would begin play in the 2017–18 season. During the 2015 offseason, two ownership groups offered bids: Quebecor, which planned on reviving the Quebec Nordiques at a new arena in Quebec City, Quebec, and Bill Foley's Black Knight Sports & Entertainment, which intended to place an expansion team at a new arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The league concluded the vetting process on September 4, 2015, with a final decision to follow in June 2016.[9]
On September 15, 2015, the NHL announced that Adidas would replace Reebok as the supplier of all team jerseys beginning in the 2017–18 season.[10]
Team | 2014–15 coach | 2015–16 coach | Story / Accomplishments |
---|---|---|---|
Buffalo Sabres | Ted Nolan | Dan Bylsma | Nolan was fired on April 12, 2015. In his second stint with the club, he compiled a record of 40–87–17 over the course of 1¾ seasons, both of which ended with the team in last place in the league.[11] On May 28, Bylsma succeeded after serving on the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2009 to 2014.[12] |
Detroit Red Wings | Jeff Blashill | Babcock's contract with the Red Wings was to expire July 1, 2015; the Red Wings granted his request to pursue employment elsewhere on May 8, after failing to come to terms on a contract.[13] In ten seasons with the Red Wings, Babcock accumulated a record of 458–223–15, made the playoffs every year, and won the Stanley Cup in 2008. Babcock was highly sought after on the open market, and on May 20, 2015, after several teams courted him, Babcock signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.[14] The Red Wings promoted Jeff Blashill, who coached the Red Wings' minor league affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins. Once the Griffins completed their playoff run, the Red Wings retained Blashill's rights and did not allow any NHL team to interview him for openings. | |
Edmonton Oilers | Dallas Eakins, Todd Nelson* | Todd McLellan | Eakins, in 1½ seasons with the Oilers, compiled a record of 36–63–14 and was fired on December 15, 2014. Nelson completed the season with a record of 17–25–9, failing to reach the playoffs. On May 19, McLellan succeeded after serving seven seasons as a head coach with the San Jose Sharks.[15] |
New Jersey Devils | Peter DeBoer, Scott Stevens*, Adam Oates* | John Hynes | DeBoer, in 3½ seasons with the Devils, compiled a record of 114–93–41 before being fired on December 26, 2014. The Devils used interim head coaches Scott Stevens and Adam Oates for the remainder of the season. DeBoer joined the San Jose Sharks. On June 2, 2015, Hynes succeeds after serving on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League as a head coach from 2009 to 2010. With this hiring, he became the youngest coach in the NHL at the age of 40.[16] |
Philadelphia Flyers | Craig Berube | Dave Hakstol | Berube was fired on April 17, 2015, after accumulating a record of 75–58–28 in two seasons.[17] In his first season, he took the Flyers to the playoffs, where they lost in the First Round. The team missed the playoffs in Berube's second season at the helm. Hakstol, whom the Flyers hired on May 18, 2015, had been head coach of the University of North Dakota men's ice hockey team for the previous eleven years.[18] |
San Jose Sharks | Todd McLellan | Peter DeBoer | McLellan was San Jose's most successful coach to date and compiled a regular season record of 311–163–66 over seven seasons. However, the San Jose Sharks and Todd McLellan mutually agreed to part ways on April 20, 2015, after failing to make the playoffs for the first time in his tenure.[19] On May 28, 2015, the Sharks announced that they had hired Peter DeBoer.[20] |
Toronto Maple Leafs | Randy Carlyle, Peter Horachek* | Mike Babcock | Carlyle began the season as the head coach, but was fired on January 6, 2015, after posting a 21–16–3 record through 40 games. In 3½ seasons with the Leafs, he compiled a record of 91–78–19. Horachek finished the season with a record of 9–28–5 and was dismissed on April 12, 2015.[21] On May 20, 2015, the Maple Leafs signed Babcock to an eight-year, US$50,000,000 contract (the largest for a coach in NHL history). |
In-season | |||
Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach | Story / Accomplishments |
Columbus Blue Jackets | Todd Richards | John Tortorella | Richards was fired on October 21, 2015, after posting a 0–7–0 record through 7 games this season.[22] He had been named interim head coach on January 9, 2012, before being promoted to the franchise's sixth head coach on May 14, 2012. Richards posted a record of 127–112–21 in 260 games. The team made the postseason once under his tenure, going 2–4, including the team's first-ever postseason win on April 19, 2014. On October 21, 2015, the Blue Jackets signed Tortorella, previously head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, to become its next head coach.[23] |
Pittsburgh Penguins | Mike Johnston | Mike Sullivan | Johnston was fired on December 12, 2015, after posting a 15–10–3 record through 28 games this season.[24] He had served as the head coach since the start of the 2014–15 season. He left with a record of 58–37–15 in 110 games. The team made the postseason once under his tenure despite going 1–4. On December 12, Sullivan who was coaching the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League at the time, received the call for the head coaching vacancy with the main club.[25] |
Minnesota Wild | Mike Yeo | John Torchetti | Yeo was fired on February 13, 2016, after posting a 23–22–10 record through 55 games this season.[26] He had served as the head coach since the start of the 2011–12 season. He left with a record of 173–132–44 in 349 games and made the playoffs three times despite going 11–17. On February 13, Torchetti who was coaching the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League at the time, became the interim head coach for the main club.[27] |
(*) Indicates interim.
The regular season began on October 7, 2015, and ended on April 10, 2016. The playoffs began on Wednesday, April 13, 2016.
See main article: 2016 NHL Winter Classic. The 2016 NHL Winter Classic was held on January 1, 2016. The game, the eighth Winter Classic, saw the Montreal Canadiens defeat the Boston Bruins, 5–1, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, a significant event in one of the NHL's best-known rivalries. A Bruins and Canadiens alumni game was also played on December 31, 2015.[30] The Boston Pride women's professional hockey team played before the alumni game against Les Canadiennes of the Canadian Women's Hockey League to a 1–1 tie in the first ever Women's Winter Classic.[31]
See main article: 2016 NHL Stadium Series.
There were two Stadium Series games planned. The first one featured the Chicago Blackhawks and the Minnesota Wild at TCF Bank Stadium on Sunday, February 21, 2016, where the Wild defeated the Blackhawks 6–1. The other game was the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field on Saturday, February 27, 2016, where the Red Wings defeated the Avalanche 5–3.
See main article: 61st National Hockey League All-Star Game. The 61st National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in Nashville, Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators, on January 31, 2016. The All-Star Game adopted a new, three-on-three tournament format; there were three 20-minute games, with four All-Star teams based on the league's four divisions. The Atlantic Division All-Stars faced the Metropolitan Division All-Stars, while the Central Division All-Stars played against the Pacific Division All-Stars. The winners of these two games then met in an All-Star Game Final. Had a tie remained after 20 minutes, then it would have immediately gone to a shootout to determine the winner; there would be no standard overtime.[32] The Pacific Division All-Stars, led by fan-voted captain and MVP John Scott, won the tournament, beating the Atlantic All-Stars in the finals
Three games were postponed due to the January 2016 United States blizzard: the Anaheim Ducks–Washington Capitals game originally scheduled for January 22, the Philadelphia Flyers–New York Islanders game originally scheduled for January 23, and the Pittsburgh Penguins–Washington Capitals game originally scheduled for January 24.[33] [34] The Penguins–Capitals game was rescheduled for March 1, while the Ducks–Capitals and Flyers–Islanders games were rescheduled for April 10.[35]
Tie Breakers:
1. Fewer number of games played.
2. Greater Regulation + OT Wins (ROW)
3. Greatest number of points earned in head-to-head play (If teams played an unequal No. of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded.)
4. Greater Goal differential
The following players led the league in regular season points at the conclusion of games played on April 10, 2016.[36]
Player | Team | data-sort-type="number" style="width: 4em;" | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
82 | 46 | 60 | 106 | +17 | 30 | |||
82 | 41 | 48 | 89 | +7 | 64 | |||
80 | 36 | 49 | 85 | +19 | 42 | |||
82 | 19 | 63 | 82 | +25 | 54 | |||
82 | 16 | 66 | 82 | –2 | 50 | |||
82 | 38 | 40 | 78 | +25 | 30 | |||
79 | 30 | 48 | 78 | +4 | 20 | |||
82 | 26 | 52 | 78 | +8 | 49 | |||
80 | 30 | 47 | 77 | +8 | 32 | |||
82 | 20 | 57 | 77 | +27 | 32 |
The following goaltenders led the league in regular season goals against average at the conclusion of games played on April 10, 2016, while playing at least 1800 minutes.[37]
Player | Team | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
61 | 35 | 21 | 4 | 123 | 6 | .926 | 2.06 | ||||
42 | 23 | 8 | 6 | 78 | 4 | .930 | 2.07 | ||||
40 | 21 | 13 | 4 | 79 | 4 | .920 | 2.07 | ||||
58 | 27 | 25 | 6 | 122 | 4 | .924 | 2.15 | ||||
66 | 48 | 9 | 7 | 141 | 3 | .922 | 2.20 | ||||
68 | 40 | 23 | 5 | 149 | 5 | .918 | 2.22 | ||||
32 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 69 | 3 | .924 | 2.27 | ||||
65 | 37 | 23 | 4 | 143 | 6 | .918 | 2.27 | ||||
58 | 35 | 17 | 6 | 132 | 5 | .921 | 2.29 | ||||
43 | 22 | 9 | 7 | 88 | 3 | .919 | 2.30 | ||||
36 | 18 | 13 | 4 | 80 | 3 | .919 | 2.30 |
See main article: 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs.
In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series following a 2–2–1–1–1 format (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series). The team with home ice advantage played at home for games one and two (and games five and seven, if necessary), and the other team was at home for games three and four (and game six, if necessary). The top three teams in each division made the playoffs, along with two wild cards in each conference, for a total of eight teams from each conference.
In the first round, the lower seeded wild card in each conference was played against the division winner with the best record while the other wild card was played against the other division winner, and both wild cards were de facto #4 seeds. The other series matched the second and third-place teams from the divisions. In the first two rounds, home ice advantage was awarded to the team with the better seed. In the conference finals and Stanley Cup Finals, home ice advantage was awarded to the team with the better regular season record.
See also: List of 2015–16 NHL Three Star Awards. Awards were presented at the NHL Awards ceremony, to be held following the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. Finalists for voted awards are announced during the playoffs and winners are presented at the award ceremony. Voting will conclude immediately after the end of the regular season. The Presidents' Trophy, the Prince of Wales Trophy and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl are not presented at the awards ceremony.
Award | Recipient(s) | Runner(s)-up/Finalists | |
---|---|---|---|
San Jose Sharks | |||
Presidents' Trophy (Best regular season record) | Dallas Stars | ||
Prince of Wales Trophy (Eastern Conference playoff champion) | Tampa Bay Lightning | ||
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl (Western Conference playoff champion) | St. Louis Blues | ||
Art Ross Trophy (Player with most points) | Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) | Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars) | |
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication) | Jaromir Jagr (Florida Panthers) | Pascal Dupuis (Pittsburgh Penguins) Jaromir Jagr (Florida Panthers) Mats Zuccarello (New York Rangers) | |
Calder Memorial Trophy (Best first-year player) | Artemi Panarin (Chicago Blackhawks) | Shayne Gostisbehere (Philadelphia Flyers) Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) Artemi Panarin (Chicago Blackhawks) | |
Conn Smythe Trophy (Most valuable player, playoffs) | Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) | Phil Kessel (Pittsburgh Penguins) | |
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Defensive forward) | Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) | Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins) Ryan Kesler (Anaheim Ducks) Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) | |
Hart Memorial Trophy (Most valuable player, regular season) | Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) | Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars) Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) | |
Jack Adams Award (Best coach) | Barry Trotz (Washington Capitals) | Gerard Gallant (Florida Panthers) Lindy Ruff (Dallas Stars) Barry Trotz (Washington Capitals) | |
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best defenceman) | Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings) | Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks) Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings) Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators) | |
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and humanitarian contribution) | Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks) | ||
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship and excellence) | Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) | Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers) Loui Eriksson (Boston Bruins) Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) | |
Ted Lindsay Award (Outstanding player) | Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) | Jamie Benn (Dallas Stars) Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) | |
Mark Messier Leadership Award (Leadership and community activities) | Shea Weber (Nashville Predators) | Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) John Tavares (New York Islanders) Shea Weber (Nashville Predators) | |
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (Top goal-scorer) | Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals) | Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) | |
NHL Foundation Player Award (Award for community enrichment) | Mark Giordano (Calgary Flames) | Mark Giordano (Calgary Flames) Matt Martin (New York Islanders) P. K. Subban (Montreal Canadiens) | |
NHL General Manager of the Year Award (Top general manager) | Jim Rutherford (Pittsburgh Penguins) | Brian MacLellan (Washington Capitals) Jim Nill (Dallas Stars) Jim Rutherford (Pittsburgh Penguins) | |
Vezina Trophy (Best goaltender) | Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) | Ben Bishop (Tampa Bay Lightning) Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings) | |
William M. Jennings Trophy (Goaltender(s) of team with fewest goals against) | Frederik Andersen and John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks) | Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) |
Position | First Team | Second Team | Position | All-Rookie | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
align=center | G | Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals | Ben Bishop, Tampa Bay Lightning | align=center | G | John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks |
align=center | D | Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators | Kris Letang, Pittsburgh Penguins | align=center | D | Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers |
align=center | D | Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings | Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks | align=center | D | Colton Parayko, St. Louis Blues |
align=center | C | Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins | Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks | align=center | F | Artemi Panarin, Chicago Blackhawks |
align=center | RW | Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks | Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues | align=center | F | Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers |
align=center | LW | Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars | Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals | align=center | F | Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres |
The following is a list of notable players who played their first NHL game during the 2015–16 season, listed with their first team.
Player | Team | Notability | |
---|---|---|---|
Four-time NHL All-Star, Stanley Cup champion, NHL All-Rookie Team selection | |||
Two-time Vezina Trophy winner, William M. Jennings Trophy winner, three-time NHL All-Star team selection, four-time NHL All-Star | |||
Three-time NHL All-Star, record holder NHL All-Star Skills Competition fastest skater | |||
First overall pick in the 2015 Draft, three-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner, four-time Ted Lindsay Award winner, five-time Art Ross Trophy winner, Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, six-time NHL All-Star team selection, seven-time NHL All-Star, NHL All-Rookie Team selection | |||
Calder Memorial Trophy winner, four-time NHL All-Star team selection, two-time NHL All-Star, NHL All-Rookie Team selection | |||
One-time NHL All-Star team selection, two-time NHL All-Star, Stanley Cup champion | |||
Two-time Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner, one-time NHL All-Star | |||
Vezina Trophy winner, William M. Jennings Trophy winner, one-time NHL All-Star team selection, one-time NHL All-Star |
The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2015–16, listed with their team:
Player | Team | Notability | |
---|---|---|---|
Niklas Backstrom[38] | Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award winner, William M. Jennings Trophy winner | ||
Dan Boyle[39] | Over 1,000 games played | ||
Pavel Datsyuk[40] | 9-time NHL All Star, 4-time Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner, 3-time Frank J. Selke Trophy winner | ||
Patrik Elias[41] | Over 1,200 games played | ||
Andrew Ference[42] | King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner | ||
Scott Gomez[43] | Calder Memorial Trophy winner, over 1,000 games played | ||
Shawn Horcoff[44] | Over 1,000 games played | ||
Barret Jackman[45] | Calder Memorial Trophy winner | ||
Vincent Lecavalier[46] | Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner, King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner, over 1,200 games played | ||
David Legwand[47] | Over 1,100 games played | ||
Brad Richards[48] | Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, over 1,100 games played | ||
Alex Tanguay[49] | Over 1,000 games played | ||
Dainius Zubrus[50] | Over 1,200 games played |
This was the fifth season under the NHL's ten-year U.S. rights deal with NBC Sports, and the second season of its twelve-year Canadian rights deals with Rogers Media to show games on Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Television, and TVA Sports.
In August 2015, the league announced a six-year deal with MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM) to take over the technical operations of the NHL's in-house digital properties. Under the agreement, MLBAM took over the operations of the NHL's websites, apps, streaming services, and other digital properties starting in January 2016. MLBAM also took over international distribution of the league's digital out-of-market streaming services outside of Canada and Scandinavia. The NHL also took an equity stake of up to 10 percent in BAM Tech, a spin-off of MLBAM's streaming media business.[86] [87] [88] As an aspect of the deal, the U.S. version of NHL Network was also relocated to the facilities of MLB Network.[86] The Canadian version of NHL Network was shut down August 31, 2015.[89]
The re-launch of the league's digital properties under MLBAM occurred in February 2016, with the launch of the new NHL.com website and mobile app following the 2016 NHL All-Star Game.[90] The re-launched NHL GameCenter Live service outside of Canada was re-branded as NHL.tv, while the Canadian service remains branded as Rogers NHL GameCentre Live. Both services were upgraded to utilize a new client on MLBAM architecture with support for 60 FPS streaming.[91] The re-launch of the services, however, was marred by technical issues caused by a malfunctioning content delivery network.[92]
As the result of a lawsuit settlement, the NHL agreed to offer single-team packages for its out-of-market services in the United States.[93] The updated NHL app also offers a downsized out-of-market subscription service known as NHL Premium, which streams the conclusion of each game (final five minutes, plus overtime/shootouts if needed).[90]
In Canada, the Sunday-night Hometown Hockey game of the week on City was moved to Sportsnet.[94] [95] Both Sportsnet and TSN announced plans to produce telecasts of selected national and regional games in 4K ultra high-definition television.[96] [97]
On March 10, 2016, the NHL announced a deal with Yahoo! Sports, in which it will offer free online streaming in the U.S. of up to four out-of-market games per-week. The site will also feature additional NHL content, such as condensed games and highlight showcases. The deal expands upon an ongoing relationship with U.S. rightsholder NBC, as well as a relationship with Major League Baseball to host the MLB.tv Game of the Day stream.[98] [99]
On May 5, 2016, NBC Sports announced that it would provide national radio broadcasts of the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals via NBC Sports Radio.[100] NHL Radio broadcasts had not been heard continent-wide since 2008.