2017–18 NHL season explained

2017–18 NHL season
League:	National Hockey League
Sport:	Ice hockey
Duration:	October 4, 2017 – June 7, 2018
No Of Games:	82
No Of Teams:	31
Tv:	CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports (Canada) NBCSN, NBC, CNBC, USA (United States)
Draft:	Draft
Draft Link:	2017 NHL Entry Draft
Top Pick Link:	List of first overall NHL draft picks
Top Pick:	Nico Hischier
Picked By:	New Jersey Devils
Season:	Regular season
Season Champ Name:	Presidents' Trophy
Season Champs:	Nashville Predators
Mvp:	Taylor Hall (Devils)
Mvp Link:	Hart Memorial Trophy
Top Scorer:	Connor McDavid (Oilers)
Top Scorer Link:	Art Ross Trophy
Playoffs:	Playoffs
Playoffs Link:	2018 Stanley Cup playoffs
Finals:	Stanley Cup
Finals Link:	2018 Stanley Cup Finals
Finals Champ:	Washington Capitals
Finals Runner-Up:	Vegas Golden Knights
Playoffs Mvp:	Alexander Ovechkin (Capitals)
Playoffs Mvp Link:	Conn Smythe Trophy
Seasonslist:	List of NHL seasons
Seasonslistnames:	NHL
Prevseason Year:	2016–17
Nextseason Year:	2018–19

The 2017–18 NHL season was the 101st season of operation (100th season of play) of the National Hockey League. With the addition of a new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular season began on October 4, 2017, and ended on April 8, 2018. The 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs began on April 11, 2018, and concluded on June 7, with the Washington Capitals winning their first Stanley Cup in the Finals over the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.^[1]

League business

Expansion

On June 22, 2016, the NHL confirmed that it had granted an expansion franchise in the city of Las Vegas to an ownership group led by Bill Foley,^[2] whose identity was revealed as the Vegas Golden Knights on November 22. The team plays in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference.^{[3] [4]} In June 2017, the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft was held to fill out the Golden Knights roster.

Olympics abstention and ban

On April 3, 2017, the NHL announced that, after five Olympic tournaments in which the NHL allowed its players to participate in the event, it would not do so for the men's hockey tournament at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Furthermore, the league did not include a break for the Olympics in its schedule, and scheduled its All-Star Game as usual for late-January shortly prior to the Olympics (historically, the All-Star Game was not played during Olympic years).^{[5] [6]} Each team's mandatory bye week, stipulated in the league's CBA, was also scattered throughout the month of January.^[7]

The restriction will apply to any player under NHL contract, including those in its affiliated minor leagues, but not to players signed to one-way contracts directly with the teams in those minor leagues nor players signed to entry-level contracts who are playing junior ice hockey.^{[8] [6]} Several players had vowed to participate anyway, most notably Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin.^[9] They did not wind up participating. The league had initially stated that minor league prospects would not be subject to the ban.^[10] As the league had little legal room to enforce a ban itself without running afoul of the National Hockey League Players' Association,^[11] the league instead colluded with the International Ice Hockey Federation, who agreed to establish a blacklist forbidding the national teams from offering invitations to players under NHL contracts.^[12]

Players with Olympic aspirations who were free agents, especially those whose NHL prospects were marginal, were advised not to sign NHL contracts and, if they wished to play professionally, sign directly with minor league clubs to maintain Olympic eligibility.^[8] Former Buffalo Sabres captain Brian Gionta and former Olympian Jarome Iginla were among those who opted not to sign NHL contracts for the season prior to the Olympics; Iginla, because of a lingering injury, would not go to the Olympics.^{[13] [14]}

Salary cap

On June 18, 2017, the National Hockey League Players' Association announced that the salary cap would be set at $75 million per team for the 2017–18 season.^{[15] [16]}

Rule changes

The NHL Board of Governors passed some new rules that take effect this season, including:^[17]

• coach's challenge of offside - the original rule was put in place after a series of highly blatant off-side calls had been missed. The rule soon became a huge time waster, often requested by coaches whose team had allowed a goal wanting a review of the exact millimeter that a skate and the puck pass the blue line. To reduce the number of coach's challenges, the league introduced a two-minute penalty for delay of game if a review does not overturn an offside.
• no timeouts after icing - as a team that causes an icing is not allowed to change the players on the ice, coaches took to calling their 30-second timeout to allow their players to rest, getting around the intent of the "no-changes" rule. This rule change eliminated that practice.
• touching high-sticked puck by power play team - previously, if a team on the man advantage played a puck after it was high-sticked, no matter where on the ice this happened, the play was stopped, and the faceoff came all the way back to their own zone. This was adjusted slightly so that, if the infraction happens in the short-handed team's zone, the faceoff would be moved back only to the neutral zone just outside the short-handed team's zone.

The Board of Governors also stated that existing rules be fully enforced in certain situations that had become "unofficially" ignored:^[17]

• enforcement of slashing rules - not a rule change as such, referees were newly expected to enforce the existing two-minute penalty for slashing when players chop at the wrists and hands of a puck carrier. This followed a series of injuries - including a partially chopped-off finger - for this common practice that was rarely being penalized.
• faceoff infractions - not a rule change as such, referees were newly expected to enforce the existing two-minute penalty for improper stance by a player taking a faceoff. This followed an extensive period where players were not standing with their feet properly placed within the limits of the markings by the dot, with their bodies square to the end boards.

Centennial celebration

The NHL's centennial commemorations continued into the 2017–18 season, as its 100th season of play. On March 17, 2017, the NHL announced the NHL 100 Classic outdoor game in Ottawa between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens. Held on December 16, 2017, it marked the 100th anniversary of the first NHL games.^{[18] [19]} The game was played on a temporary rink at the TD Place Stadium football stadium, accompanied by a fan festival at the Aberdeen Pavilion and an outdoor alumni game at Parliament Hill.

The Toronto Maple Leafs also marked the centennial of the NHL's first games (one of which involved their predecessor, the Toronto Arenas) with a "Next Century Game" on December 19, 2017, against the Carolina Hurricanes. The team wore special Toronto Arenas jerseys, and season ticket holders were encouraged to donate their tickets to the MLSE Foundation to allow students to attend this matinee game.^{[20] [21]} Mayor of Toronto John Tory also declared December 19 "Toronto Maple Leafs Day".^[22]

Preseason games in China

On March 30, 2017, it was announced that the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks would play two preseason games in China; on September 21 at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai and September 23 at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center in Beijing.^[23] These were the first NHL games played in China.^[24]

Coaching changes

Off-season

Team	2016–17 coach	2017–18 coach	Story / accomplishments
Arizona Coyotes	Dave Tippett	Rick Tocchet	On June 22, 2017, through mutual agreement, Tippett left the head coach position of the Coyotes. He led the team to a 30–42–10 record during the 2016–17 season, and a 282–257–83 overall record in eight seasons with the team. The team made the playoffs three times, reaching the Western Conference Final in 2012.^[25] ^[26] On July 11, 2017, Tocchet was named as the new head coach of the Coyotes.^[27] He was the assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the last three seasons.
Buffalo Sabres	Dan Bylsma	Phil Housley	On April 20, 2017, the Sabres fired Bylsma after his team finished eighth in the Atlantic Division and failed to contend for the playoffs for the second consecutive season. He led the team to a 33–37–12 record during the 2016–17 season and a 68–73–23 overall record in two full seasons.^[28] On June 15, Housley was named the Sabres' new head coach.^[29] He had spent the previous four seasons as assistant coach for the Nashville Predators and previously played for the Sabres from 1982 to 1990.
Dallas Stars	Lindy Ruff	Ken Hitchcock	On April 9, 2017, the Stars announced that Ruff's contract would not be renewed for the 2017–18 season. Ruff led the team to a 34–37–11 record during the 2016–17 season as the Stars missed the playoffs and a 165–122–41 record since taking over in 2013.^[30] Ruff joined the New York Rangers as an assistant coach.^[31] On April 13, Hitchcock, most recently with the St. Louis Blues, was named the new head coach. He previously coached the Stars from 1996 to 2002.^[32]
Florida Panthers	Gerard Gallant Tom Rowe	Bob Boughner	Gallant, who compiled a record of 11–10–1 for the first part of the season (and a 96–65–25 record over his full 2¼-season tenure with the team, the highest win percentage of any coach in Panthers history), was fired on November 10, 2016. Rowe, the team's general manager, stepped into the position and compiled a 24–26–10 record. Gallant joined the Vegas Golden Knights, while Rowe, despite losing both the head coach and general manager titles, remained with the Panthers as an advisor.^[33] On June 12, Boughner was named the team's new head coach.^[34] He was the assistant coach of the San Jose Sharks before being hired by the Panthers.
Los Angeles Kings	Darryl Sutter	John Stevens	On April 10, 2017, the Kings fired Sutter after missing the playoffs for the second time in three years. He led the Kings to two Stanley Cup victories in 2012 and 2014. The Kings finished the season with a record of 39–35–8 and an overall record of 225–147–53 over six seasons with Sutter, which is the most wins for any coach in Kings' history.^[35] ^[36] On April 23, Stevens was named the new head coach. He had been the Kings' assistant coach since 2010 and was also an interim coach for four games during the 2011–12 season.^[37]
Vancouver Canucks	Willie Desjardins	Travis Green	On April 10, 2017, the Canucks fired Desjardins after his team failed to contend for the playoffs for the second consecutive year. He led the team to a 30–43–9 record during the 2016–17 season and a 109–110–27 overall record in three full seasons.^[38] Desjardins will coach the Canadian Olympic team for this season.^[39] On April 26, Green was named the new head coach. Prior to his hiring, Green was the head coach for the Canucks' AHL affiliate Utica Comets.^[40]
Vegas Golden Knights	Expansion team	Gerard Gallant	On April 13, 2017, the Golden Knights hired Gerard Gallant, previously head coach of the Florida Panthers, as the team's first head coach.^[41]	-	In-season
Team	Outgoing coach	Incoming coach	Story / accomplishments
			-->

This was the first NHL season since the 1966–67 season in which no coaching changes took place during the regular season.^[42]

Arena changes

• The Detroit Red Wings moved to Little Caesars Arena, replacing their longtime home, the Joe Louis Arena.^[43]
• The Vegas Golden Knights played their inaugural season at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
• The Washington Capitals' home arena was renamed from Verizon Center to Capital One Arena, as part of a new naming rights agreement with the bank Capital One.^[44]
• The Winnipeg Jets' home arena was renamed from MTS Centre to Bell MTS Place in observance of the BCE Inc. acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) earlier in the year.^[45]

Regular season

The regular season began on October 4, 2017, and ended on April 8, 2018. Each team received a five-day "bye week", all of which took place in mid-January.^[46]

International games

Two regular season games between the Colorado Avalanche and the Ottawa Senators were played at Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden on November 10 and 11, 2017, branded as the SAP NHL Global Series.^[47]

Outdoor games

• The NHL 100 Classic was held on December 16, 2017, at TD Place Stadium in Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, featuring the Montreal Canadiens against the Ottawa Senators.
• The Winter Classic was held on January 1, 2018, at Citi Field in Flushing, New York, with the New York Rangers playing the Buffalo Sabres.^{[48] [49]}
• A Stadium Series game was held on March 3, 2018, at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, featuring two of last season's playoff teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals.^{[50] [51]}

All–Star Game

See main article: 63rd National Hockey League All-Star Game. The 63rd National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in Tampa, Florida at Amalie Arena, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, on January 28, 2018. The format did not change, and followed the format used in two previous All-Star games.^[52]

Postponed game

The Florida Panthers – Boston Bruins game scheduled for January 4, 2018, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, was postponed due to the effects of the January 2018 nor'easter.^[53] The game was rescheduled for April 8, the day after the regular season was originally scheduled to end.^[54]

Standings

Western Conference

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 # 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

Playoffs

See main article: 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Bracket

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 the conference played against the division winner with the best record while the other wild card 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. Thereafter, it was awarded to the team that had the better regular season record.

Legend

• A1, A2, A3 – The first, second, and third place teams from the Atlantic Division, respectively
• M1, M2, M3 – The first, second, and third place teams from the Metropolitan Division, respectively
• C1, C2, C3 – The first, second, and third place teams from the Central Division, respectively
• P1, P2, P3 – The first, second, and third place teams from the Pacific Division, respectively
• WC – Wild Card teams

Statistics

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in regular season points at the conclusion of games played on April 7, 2018.^[55]

Player	Team					data-sort-type="number" style="width: 4em;"
		82	41	67	108	+20	26
		82	34	68	102	+28	20
		80	39	61	100	+15	42
		78	42	56	98	+16	87
		74	39	58	97	+11	55
		76	39	54	93	+14	34
		82	35	57	92	+21	20
		82	34	58	92	–4	36
		81	23	68	91	+13	52
		82	29	60	89	0	46

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders led the league in regular season goals against average at the conclusion of games played on April 8, 2018, while playing at least 1,800 minutes.^[56]

Player	Team
		47		21	17	6	97	3	.930	2.24
		46		29	13	4	100	4	.927	2.24
		59		42	13	4	134	8	.927	2.31
		35		15	10	3	73	3	.923	2.35
		67		44	11	9	156	6	.924	2.36
		54		34	14	5	125	3	.917	2.36
		64		33	28	3	147	5	.921	2.40
		65		37	22	6	158	5	.921	2.42
		60		31	18	7	139	4	.926	2.43
		35		18	11	2	81	3	.929	2.47

NHL awards

See also: List of 2017–18 NHL Three Star Awards. The league's awards were presented at the NHL Awards ceremony, that was held following the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs on June 20 at the Las Vegas Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.^[57] Finalists for voted awards were announced during the playoffs and winners were presented at the award ceremony. Voting concluded 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. For the first time, the Professional Hockey Writers' Association voted to release each voters' ballot to the public after the awards ceremony.^[58]

2017–18 NHL awards

Award	Recipient(s)	Runner(s)-up/finalists
		Vegas Golden Knights
Presidents' Trophy (Best regular season record)		Winnipeg Jets
Prince of Wales Trophy (Eastern Conference playoff champion)		Tampa Bay Lightning
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl (Western Conference playoff champion)		Winnipeg Jets
Art Ross Trophy (Player with most points)	Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)	Claude Giroux (Philadelphia Flyers)
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication)	Brian Boyle (New Jersey Devils)	Roberto Luongo (Florida Panthers) Jordan Staal (Carolina Hurricanes)^[59]
Calder Memorial Trophy (Best first-year player)	Mathew Barzal (New York Islanders)	Brock Boeser (Vancouver Canucks) Clayton Keller (Arizona Coyotes)^[60]
Conn Smythe Trophy (Most valuable player, playoffs)	Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)	Evgeny Kuznetsov (Washington Capitals)
Frank J. Selke Trophy (Defensive forward)	Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings)	Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins) Sean Couturier (Philadelphia Flyers)^[61]
Hart Memorial Trophy (Most valuable player, regular season)	Taylor Hall (New Jersey Devils)	Anze Kopitar (Los Angeles Kings) Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)^[62]
Jack Adams Award (Best coach)	Gerard Gallant (Vegas Golden Knights)	Jared Bednar (Colorado Avalanche) Bruce Cassidy (Boston Bruins)^[63]
James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best defenceman)	Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning)	Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings) P. K. Subban (Nashville Predators)^[64]
King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and humanitarian contribution)	Daniel and Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks)	P. K. Subban (Nashville Predators) Jason Zucker (Minnesota Wild)^[65]
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship and excellence)	William Karlsson (Vegas Golden Knights)	Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers) Ryan O'Reilly (Buffalo Sabres)^[66]
Ted Lindsay Award (Outstanding player)	Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)	Taylor Hall (New Jersey Devils) Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche)^[67]
Mark Messier Leadership Award (Leadership and community activities)	Deryk Engelland (Vegas Golden Knights)	Wayne Simmonds (Philadelphia Flyers) Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets)^[68]
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (Top goal-scorer)	Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals)	Patrik Laine (Winnipeg Jets)
NHL General Manager of the Year Award (Top general manager)	George McPhee (Vegas Golden Knights)	Kevin Cheveldayoff (Winnipeg Jets) Steve Yzerman (Tampa Bay Lightning)^[69]
Vezina Trophy (Best goaltender)	Pekka Rinne (Nashville Predators)	Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) Andrei Vasilevskiy (Tampa Bay Lightning)^[70]
William M. Jennings Trophy (Goaltender(s) of team with fewest goals against)	Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings)	Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators)

All-Star teams

Position	First Team	Second Team	Position	All-Rookie
G	Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators	Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets	G	Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
D	Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings	Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets	D	Will Butcher, New Jersey Devils
D	Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning	P. K. Subban, Nashville Predators	D	Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
C	Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers	Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche	F	Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
RW	Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning	Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets	F	Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
LW	Taylor Hall, New Jersey Devils	Claude Giroux, Philadelphia Flyers	F	Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes

Milestones

First games

The following is a list of notable players who played their first NHL game during the 2017–18 season, listed with their first team.

Player	Team	Notability
Scott Foster^[71]		Recreational goaltender who received playing time
Nico Hischier^[72]		First overall pick in the 2017 Draft, one-time NHL All-Star
		Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy winner
		One-time NHL All-Star team selection, NHL All-Rookie Team selection
Nathan Walker^[73]		First Australian to play in the NHL

Last games

The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2017–18, listed with their team:

Player	Team	Notability
Mike Fisher^[74]		Over 1,100 games played
		Three-time NHL All-Star, one-time NHL All-Star team, over 1,000 games played
Brian Gionta^[75]		Over 1,000 games played
Scott Hartnell^[76]	Nashville Predators	Over 1,200 games played
Rick Nash^[77]	Boston Bruins	Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner, NHL Foundation Player Award winner, over 1,000 games played, six-time NHL All-Star
Daniel Sedin^[78]		Art Ross Trophy winner, Ted Lindsay Award winner, King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner, over 1,300 games played, two-time NHL All-Star team selection, three-time NHL All-Star
	Vancouver Canucks	Art Ross Trophy winner, Hart Memorial Trophy winner, King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner, over 1,300 games played, two-time NHL All-Star team selection, three-time NHL All-Star
Patrick Sharp^[79]		Over 1,000 games played
Matt Stajan^[80]		Over 1,000 games played
Antoine Vermette^[81]		Over 1,000 games played
Radim Vrbata^[82]		Over 1,000 games played
Henrik Zetterberg^[83]		Conn Smythe Trophy winner, King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner, NHL Foundation Player Award winner, NHL All-Star team selection, over 1,000 games played

Major milestones reached

• On October 18, 2017, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Patrick Marleau played his 1,500th NHL game, becoming the 18th player to do so.^[84]
• On October 26, 2017, New York Rangers forward Rick Nash played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 314th player to reach the mark.^[85]
• On November 2, 2017, San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton scored his 1,400th career point, becoming the 20th player in league history to reach this milestone.^[86]
• On November 4, 2017, Anaheim Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano played his 800th consecutive game, becoming the 4th player in league history to reach this milestone.^[87]
• On November 15, 2017, Anaheim Ducks forward Antoine Vermette played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 315th player to reach the mark.^[88]
• On November 30, 2017, Vancouver Canucks forward Daniel Sedin became the 87th player in league history to score 1,000 points.^[89]
• On December 12, 2017, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward recorded his 300th win, becoming the 32nd goaltender to reach the mark.^[90]
• On December 13, 2017, Dallas Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen recorded his 300th win, becoming the 33rd goaltender to reach the mark.^[91]
• On December 15, 2017, Los Angeles Kings forward Marian Gaborik played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 316th player to reach the mark.^[92]
• On December 18, 2017, Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Strome scored the 10,000th goal in Oilers history.^[93]
• On December 19, 2017, Toronto Maple Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk scored the 20,000th goal in Maple Leafs history.^[94]
• On December 21, 2017, Dallas Stars head coach Ken Hitchcock became the 3rd coach in league history to reach 800th wins.^[95]
• On December 21, 2017, Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 317th player to reach the mark and the 30th to play 1,000 games with one franchise.^[96]
• On December 30, 2017, Detroit Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen recorded his 47th shootout goal, making him the all-time leader in shootout goals.^[97]
• On January 16, 2018, New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist became the first goaltender to win 20 games in 13 consecutive NHL seasons.^[98]
• On January 17, 2018, Dallas Stars head coach Ken Hitchcock became the fourth coach in league history to coach 1,500 games.
• On January 30, 2018, Dallas Stars defenceman Dan Hamhuis played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 318th player to reach the mark.
• On February 2, 2018, Minnesota Wild defenceman Ryan Suter recorded his 400th assist.
• On February 9, 2018, NHL Linesman Ryan Galloway officiated his 1,000th NHL game.^[99]
• On February 17, 2018, Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz became the fifth coach in league history to coach 1,500 games.
• On February 22, 2018, Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne reached his 300th win, becoming the 34th goaltender to reach the mark.
• On March 1, 2018, Nashville Predators general manager David Poile won his 1,320th game as a general manager, surpassing Glen Sather for most career wins as a general manager.^[100]
• On March 12, 2018, Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin scored his 600th goal, became the 20th player in league history to reach the mark.
• On March 12, 2018, Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury recorded his 400th win, becoming the 13th goaltender to reach the mark.
• On March 21, 2018, Calgary Flames forward Matt Stajan played in his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 319th player to reach the mark.^[101]
• On March 29, 2018, Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Brent Seabrook played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 320th player to reach the mark.
• On April 1, 2018, Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin played in his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 321st player to reach the mark.^[102]
• On April 5, 2018, Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo played his 1,000 NHL game, becoming the 322nd player and 3rd goaltender to reach the mark.
• On April 18, 2018, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby recorded his 173rd career playoff point, passing Mario Lemieux as the Penguins' all-time leading playoff scorer.^[103]

Uniforms

• Adidas became the official apparel provider of the NHL beginning with the 2017–18 season.^{[104] [105]} New or otherwise refreshed jerseys for all teams were unveiled on June 20, 2017.^[106]
• The Ottawa Senators wore helmet stickers honouring former general manager Bryan Murray, who died in August 2017.^[107]
• All jerseys continued to have patches of the NHL's centennial emblem, located above or below the numbers on their right sleeves, for at least up to mid-December and the playing of the NHL 100 Classic.^[108]
• The Toronto Maple Leafs wore Toronto Arenas throwback jerseys during their game on December 19, 2017.^{[109] [110]}
• The Buffalo Sabres introduced a new third jersey at the 2018 NHL Winter Classic, wearing the uniform for three additional games later in the season.^{[111] [112]}

Broadcast rights

This was the seventh season under the NHL's ten-year U.S. rights deal with NBC Sports, and the fourth season of its twelve-year Canadian rights deals with Sportsnet and TVA Sports. On December 19, 2017, Rogers Media renewed its sub-licensing agreement with CBC Television for Hockey Night in Canada (which was to expire after this season) through the remainder of its tenure as national rightsholder.^[113]

Since CBC and NBC also hold the rights to air the Olympics in their respective countries, Rogers did not schedule any HNIC games on CBC during those Saturdays nights, only airing games on City and Sportsnet. NBC originally decided not to air any NHL games at all during the Olympics, but later reversed course, and added three Sunday afternoon telecasts during the Olympics.^[114]

AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (which, along with AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, the regional broadcaster of the Pittsburgh Penguins, re-branded from Root Sports over the off-season) was the inaugural regional television rightsholder for the Vegas Golden Knights.^[115] TSN re-gained regional English-language rights to the Montreal Canadiens, and extended its radio contract for co-owned CKGM.^{[116] [117]} Rogers Media acquired the radio rights to the Vancouver Canucks for newly acquired 650 CISL.^[118]

See also

• 2017–18 NHL transactions
• 2017–18 NHL suspensions and fines
• List of 2017–18 NHL Three Star Awards
• 2017 in sports
• 2018 in sports

External links

• 2017–18 NHL season schedule

Notes and References

1. Web site: Capitals capture 1st Stanley Cup with 4-3 win over Golden Knights . abc7.com . June 8, 2018 . June 7, 2018.
2. News: Rosen. Dan. Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise. National Hockey League. June 22, 2016. June 22, 2016.
3. Web site: Coppinger. Mike. Las Vegas NHL expansion team will be named the 'Golden Knights'. USA Today. November 23, 2016.
4. Web site: Gretz. Adam. November 22, 2016. Say hello to the Vegas Golden Knights. NBC Sports. November 23, 2016. But the important thing here is the name, as well as the logo which works the letter "V" (for Vegas, obviously) into the knight's mask..
5. Web site: NHL will not participate in 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games. Sportsnet.ca. Rogers Media. April 3, 2017.
6. News: Iced out: The lowdown on NHL's Olympic boycott. ESPN.com. August 9, 2017.
7. Web site: NHL schedule: Bye weeks for 2018-19 season. NHL.com.
8. News: Confused outrage over NHL Olympics boycott. Greg. Wyshynski. Yahoo! Sports. August 9, 2017.
9. News: Ovechkin on Olympics: 'I don't care, I just go'. ESPN.com. August 9, 2017.
10. News: NHL to allow AHL players to compete at Olympic Games. CBC Sports. July 23, 2017.
11. Web site: Seravalli. Frank. How the NHL can prevent players from going to Olympics. TSN.ca. April 4, 2017.
12. News: Capitals' Ovechkin says Olympic decision out of his hands. Stephen. Whyno. Associated Press. September 15, 2017. September 15, 2017.
13. Web site: Gionta to skate with Amerks, prepare for international competition . Nick . Filipowski . WIVB-TV . October 9, 2017 . October 9, 2017 .
14. Web site: 31 Thoughts: Tensions running high for slow starters. Elliotte. Friedman. Sportsnet.ca. October 18, 2017. October 18, 2017. Watch for Team Canada to extend an invitation for Jarome Iginla at the Karjala Cup. (...) It will give us a first look at potential Canadian Olympians..
15. Web site: NHL, NHLPA announce team payroll range for 2017–18. www.nhlpa.com. June 20, 2017. June 18, 2017.
16. Web site: Hine. Chris. NHL salary cap to increase to $75 million. chicagotribune.com. June 20, 2017. June 18, 2017.
17. News: NHL 2017-18 Season Primer: Rule changes, key dates and info to know . Boylen . Rory . . September 19, 2017 . September 20, 2017.
18. Web site: Senators to host Canadiens in outdoor NHL game Dec. 16 at TD Place. CBC News Ottawa. March 18, 2017.
19. Web site: Senators Dec. 16 outdoor game against Canadiens caps off big anniversary year. Ottawa Citizen. Postmedia Network. March 18, 2017.
20. News: Maple Leafs to celebrate birthday with Tuesday matinee game Dec. 19. McGran. Kevin. September 12, 2017. The Toronto Star. December 19, 2017. 0319-0781.
21. Web site: Leafs to open 2017-18 season in Winnipeg. Toronto Star. June 22, 2017.
22. News: Tory proclaims Dec. 19 Toronto Maple Leafs Day. September 12, 2017. Toronto Sun. December 19, 2017.
23. Web site: Dillman. Lisa. Kings, Canucks will play preseason games in China. NHL.com. April 26, 2017. March 30, 2017.
24. Web site: Kings defeat Canucks in first NHL game played in China. Associated Press. latimes.com.
25. News: Coyotes, Tippett mutually part ways . . June 22, 2017 . June 23, 2017.
26. Web site: Coyotes and Tippett Part Ways. NHL.com. June 23, 2017. June 22, 2017.
27. Web site: Vest. Dave. Tocchet Likes Fit with Coyotes. NHL.com. July 13, 2017. July 11, 2017.
28. Web site: Tim Murray, Dan Bylsma fired by Sabres. NHL Enterprise, L.P.. April 20, 2017. NHL.com. April 20, 2017.
29. Web site: Phil Housley named head coach of Buffalo Sabres. NHL.com. June 15, 2017. June 15, 2017.
30. Web site: Stars announce Lindy Ruff won't return as head coach. NHL.com. April 10, 2017. April 9, 2017.
31. Web site: Rangers Name Lindy Ruff Assistant Coach. NHL.com. July 11, 2017. July 10, 2017.
32. Web site: Dallas Stars name Ken Hitchcock as head coach. NHL.com. April 13, 2017. April 13, 2017.
33. Web site: Dale Tallon Named Panthers General Manager. NHL.com. April 10, 2017. April 10, 2017.
34. Web site: Florida Panthers Name Bob Boughner Head Coach. NHL.com. June 13, 2017. June 13, 2017.
35. Web site: AEG Announces Front Office Changes for LA Kings. NHL.com. April 11, 2017. April 10, 2017.
36. Web site: Kings fire Darryl Sutter. Sportsnet.ca. April 10, 2017. April 10, 2017.
37. Web site: John Stevens is the New Head Coach of the LA Kings. NHL Enterprise, L.P.. April 23, 2017. NHL.com. April 23, 2017.
38. Web site: Canucks relieve Willie Desjardins of duties. NHL.com. April 10, 2017. April 10, 2017.
39. News: Harrison. Doug. Willie Desjardins fronts Canadian Olympic hockey coaching staff. July 25, 2017. CBC Sports. July 25, 2017.
40. Web site: Travis Green named Canucks head coach. NHL.com. April 26, 2017. April 26, 2017.
41. Web site: Golden Knights Name Gerard Gallant Head Coach. NHL.com. April 13, 2017. April 13, 2017.
42. Web site: Are any NHL coaches on hot seat? Looking at a half-season without a firing . Boylen . Rory . Sportsnet . January 9, 2018 . April 21, 2018.
43. Web site: Red Wings' new home: Little Caesars Arena. NHL.com. March 21, 2017. April 28, 2016.
44. Web site: Steinberg. Dan. Verizon Center to become Capital One Arena, starting now. Washington Post. August 9, 2017. August 9, 2017.
45. Web site: MTS Centre, Iceplex renamed following Bell takeover of MTS. CBC News. The Canadian Press. June 1, 2017. May 30, 2017.
46. News: Bye week schedule for all 31 NHL teams. ESPN. January 8, 2018.
47. Senators, Avalanche to play two games in Sweden. NHL. March 24, 2017. April 2, 2017 .
48. Web site: NHL Winter Classic to feature Rangers, Sabres at Citi Field. NHL.com. May 10, 2017. May 9, 2017.
49. News: Benjamin. Cody. Sabres 'hosting' 2018 Winter Classic vs. Rangers reportedly saves MSG $40M. CBSSports.com. May 12, 2017. May 15, 2017.
50. Web site: Gulitti. Tom. Maple Leafs, Capitals to play in Stadium Series at U.S. Naval Academy. NHL.com. May 30, 2017. May 29, 2017.
51. Web site: Capitals expected to play in outdoor game at Naval Academy next season. Washington Post. May 28, 2017.
52. Web site: 2018 NHL All-Star Game to be played at Tampa Bay. NHL.com. June 9, 2017. May 30, 2017.
53. News: Cole . Mike . Bruins-Panthers Game Postponed Due To Snow; Makeup Date To Be Announced . . January 4, 2018 . January 5, 2018.
54. Web site: Panthers-Bruins game rescheduled to April 8 in Boston. NHL.com. January 12, 2018. January 11, 2018.
55. Web site: Player Stats: 2017–2018 Regular season: All Skaters– Total Points . National Hockey League .
56. Web site: Player Stats: 2017–2018 Regular season: Leading Goalies . National Hockey League.
57. News: McLaren. Ian. NHL Awards set for June 20; finalists named starting April 17. theScore Inc.. April 17, 2018. April 17, 2018.
58. News: Sportsnet Staff. PHWA to release all voting ballots after NHL Awards ceremony. Sportsnet. March 16, 2018. April 8, 2018.
59. Web site: Masterton Trophy finalists unveiled. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. April 21, 2018. April 21, 2018.
60. Web site: Calder Trophy finalists unveiled. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. April 23, 2018. April 22, 2018.
61. Web site: Selke Trophy finalists unveiled. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. April 18, 2018. April 18, 2018.
62. Web site: Hart Trophy finalists unveiled. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. April 27, 2017.
63. Web site: Jack Adams Award finalists unveiled . NHL.com . NHL Enterprises, L.P. . April 26, 2018 . April 25, 2018.
64. Web site: Norris Trophy finalists unveiled. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. April 20, 2018. April 19, 2018.
65. Web site: King Clancy Trophy finalists unveiled. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. May 3, 2018. May 2, 2018.
66. Web site: Lady Byng Trophy finalists unveiled. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. April 20, 2018. April 20, 2018.
67. Web site: Ted Lindsay finalists unveiled . NHL.com . NHL Enterprises, L.P. . April 27, 2018 . April 26, 2018.
68. Web site: WAYNE SIMMONDS NAMED FINALIST FOR MARK MESSIER NHL LEADERSHIP AWARD. ESPN.com. April 25, 2018. April 25, 2018.
69. Web site: NHL General Manager of the Year finalists unveiled . NHL.com . NHL Enterprises, L.P. . May 17, 2018 . May 16, 2018.
70. Web site: Vezina Trophy finalists unveiled. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. April 17, 2018. April 17, 2018.
71. News: Blackhawks win with accountant-turned-goalie. ESPN.com. March 30, 2018.
72. Web site: Morreale. Mike. Devils rookies Butcher, Hischier, Bratt impress in NHL debut. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. October 17, 2017. October 7, 2017.
73. Web site: Dulaney. Michael. Nathan Walker becomes first Australian in NHL, scores debut goal for Washington Capitals. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. October 8, 2017.
74. Web site: Mike Fisher retires again: 'I've milked this cow as long as it'll go'. ESPN.com. May 13, 2018. May 12, 2018.
75. Web site: Brian Gionta announces retirement after 16 NHL seasons . Sportsnet.ca . September 25, 2018 . September 24, 2018.
76. Web site: Bratten . Brooks . Former Preds Forward Hartnell Announces Retirement . NHL.com . October 2, 2018 . October 1, 2018.
77. Web site: Nash announces retirement after 15 NHL seasons . TSN.ca . January 12, 2019 . January 11, 2019.
78. News: Sedins to retire from NHL after 17 seasons with Canucks. NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.. April 8, 2018. April 3, 2018.
79. News: Blackhawks Q&A: Patrick Sharp looked back — and ahead — after the final game of his NHL career. Chicago Tribune. April 8, 2019. Campbell. Rich. August 28, 2019.
80. News: Austin . Daniel . 'A true leader on and off the ice': Former Flames forward Matt Stajan retires . Calgary Sun . December 4, 2019 . December 3, 2019.
81. News: Faceoff ace Vermette retires after 14 NHL seasons. Associated Press. January 31, 2019. Whyno. Stephen. January 31, 2019.
82. News: For the Sabres: "That's all, folks!". Associated Press. April 7, 2018. April 7, 2018. NOTES: Retiring Panthers F Radim Vrbata played his last game. Vrbata played 1,057 career games, including 42 with the Panthers..
83. Web site: Henrik Zetterberg, at ease in retirement, reveals details of injury. Detroit News.
84. Web site: Cicerella. Kyle. Leafs forward Patrick Marleau plays in his 1,500th career NHL game. National Post. October 19, 2017. October 18, 2017.
85. Web site: Rangers' Rick Nash: Gearing up for 1,000th game. cbssports.com. October 26, 2017. October 26, 2017.
86. Web site: Joe Thornton Earns 1,400th NHL Point. NHL.com. November 6, 2017. November 2, 2017.
87. Web site: Recap: Ducks Earn Point in 2-1 Shootout Loss on Milestone Evening . NHL.com. November 5, 2017. November 5, 2017.
88. Web site: Anaheim Ducks game report . 12 April 2019.
89. Web site: Daniel Sedin of Canucks gets 1,000th NHL point. NHL.com. December 1, 2017. November 30, 2017.
90. Web site: Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward wins 300th game in Vegas shootout victory . newsobserver . 12 April 2019 . en.
91. Web site: Dallas Stars: Kari Lehtonen Becomes 33rd Goalie To Reach 300 Wins . Puck Prose . 12 April 2019 . 13 December 2017.
92. Web site: Kings' Marian Gaborik plays in milestone 1,000th game . Daily News . 12 April 2019 . 15 December 2017.
93. Web site: BLOG: Strome scores 10,000th goal in Oilers history . NHL.com . 12 April 2019.
94. Web site: Maple Leafs score franchise's 20,000th goal . NHL.com . 12 April 2019.
95. Web site: Shapiro. Sean. Stars give Hitchcock 800th win with shutout against Blackhawks. NHL.com. December 22, 2017. December 21, 2017.
96. Web site: LA Kings Celebrate Dustin Brown Reaching 1,000 Game Milestone . NHL.com . 12 April 2019.
97. Web site: Nielsen nets shootout winner as Wings top Rangers. espn.co.uk. March 16, 2018. December 30, 2017.
98. Web site: Rangers rout Flyers behind Nash's 2 goals. ESPN.com. January 17, 2018. January 16, 2018.
99. Web site: Islanders, Barzal stage historic rally. NHL.com. February 13, 2018. February 10, 2018. NHL Linesman Ryan Galloway officiated his 1,000th NHL game at home in his native Winnipeg on Friday..
100. Web site: Poile Collects 1,320th Victory to Become Winningest GM in NHL History. NHL.com. en-US. March 9, 2018.
101. Web site: Johnson. George. MOMENTOUS OCCASION. NHL.com. March 22, 2018. March 21, 2018.
102. Web site: Ovechkin to Play in His 1,000th Career NHL Game Tonight at Pittsburgh. NHL.com. April 1, 2018. April 1, 2018.
103. Web site: Sidney Crosby passes Mario Lemieux as Penguins' all-time playoff points leader. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
104. Web site: Rosen. Dan. Adidas to become official NHL outfitter in 2017-18. NHL.com. May 9, 2017. September 16, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160827021800/https://www.nhl.com/news/adidas-to-become-official-nhl-outfitter-in-2017-18/c-779133. August 27, 2016.
105. Web site: News Report: No Alternative Jerseys next Season as Adidas takes over NHL Uniforms. Clinton. Jared. TVA Group. January 9, 2017. TheHockeyNews.com. June 14, 2017.
106. Web site: Kennedy. Ryan. The Good, the Bad and the Vegas: A look at the new NHL jerseys. The Hockey News. October 6, 2017. June 21, 2017.
107. Web site: Garrioch. Bruce. Ottawa Senators unveil helmet sticker to honour Bryan Murray. Ottawa Citizen. October 6, 2017. October 3, 2017.
108. Web site: Pics: Centennial Patches Added to All NHL Teams. Creamer. Chris. January 2, 2017. SportsLogos.net. June 14, 2017.
109. Web site: Maple Leafs commemorating NHL's 100-year history in Toronto. NHL.com. December 19, 2017.
110. News: Maple Leafs unveil 'Next Century Game' jerseys. Pension Plan Puppets (SB Nation). December 19, 2017.
111. Web site: Sabres unveil 2018 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic uniform . NHL.com . 7 April 2019.
112. Web site: Sabres Winter Classic jersey returns for 3 games . WKBW . 7 April 2019 . en . 10 January 2018.
113. News: Rogers and CBC sign new 7-year deal for Hockey Night in Canada. Sportsnet.ca. 2017-12-20. en-US.
114. News: NBC adjusts Olympics schedule to add three NHL telecasts . Pete . Dougherty . . January 1, 2018 . January 29, 2018.
115. Web site: Golden Knights officially announce TV deal with ROOT SPORTS. Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 23, 2017.
116. Web site: TSN becomes official English-language regional broadcaster for Habs. TSN.ca. Bell Media. June 13, 2017.
117. Web site: Canadiens English language regional telecasts moving to TSN. Montreal Gazette. May 31, 2017.
118. Web site: Sportsnet launching all-sports radio station in Vancouver. The Province. Postmedia. April 25, 2017.