List of NHL seasons


This is a list of seasons of the National Hockey League, a professional ice hockey league, since its inception in 1917. The list also includes the seasons of the National Hockey Association, the predecessor organization of the NHL, which had several teams that would continue play in the NHL.
Only two franchises, Montreal and Toronto, still exist from the founding of the league. The Quebec Bulldogs, which suspended after the last NHA season, returned to play in the third NHL season, although they were considered founding members of the NHL. The team would be moved by the league to Hamilton, and eventually dissolved by the league in 1925. The original Ottawa Senators would continue in the league until 1935, where, after one season in St. Louis as the St. Louis Eagles, the franchise was dissolved by the league. The current Ottawa Senators franchise does recognize the history of the original Senators.
The list is sub-divided using the same eras as the series of articles on the History of the National Hockey League.

Championship format

Like predecessor leagues, the champion of the NHA league since its founding was the team with the best regular season record, with a playoff only used if more than one team had the best win-loss record. This changed in 1917 with the invention of the split-season, whereby the champion became the winner of the annual playoff. The NHL continued the split-season and playoff format upon the winding up of the NHA organization. Except for the 1919–20 season, where there was no playoff because Ottawa won both halves of the season, the champion of the NHL has been the playoff champion.
The NHA champion was awarded the O'Brien Cup. This was continued by the NHL. Until 1927, the NHL champion was awarded the O'Brien Cup, supplemented by the Prince of Wales Trophy, starting in 1925. To win the Stanley Cup, the NHL champion had to play off in a "world's series" with the champion of the Pacific Coast or Western hockey leagues. After 1927, the NHL playoff champion was awarded the Stanley Cup, while the O'Brien Cup and Prince of Wales Trophy were reused as division championship and playoff runner-up awards.

National Hockey Association

Hockey seasons traditionally started in January and ended in March until the 1910–11 season which was the first to start before the new year. The 1911–12 season saw the elimination of the rover position, reducing number of skaters per side to six. The 1916–17 season saw the introduction of the split schedule, an innovation attributed to Toronto NHA owner Eddie Livingstone. To symbolize the league championship, the NHA champion was awarded the O'Brien Cup, donated by the O'Brien family, owners of silver mines, owners of several of the NHA franchises, and original owner of the Montreal Canadiens.
SeasonFinal No. of
Teams		Reg. season
games		Start
Finish
Top recordChampion
19101910712January 5March 15Montreal Wanderers Montreal Wanderers
1910–111911516December 31March 10Ottawa Hockey Club Ottawa Hockey Club
1911–121912418December 30March 5Quebec Bulldogs Quebec Bulldogs
1912–131913620December 25March 5Quebec Bulldogs Quebec Bulldogs
1913–141914620December 27March 11Toronto Blueshirts, Montreal Canadiens Toronto Blueshirts
1914–151915620December 26March 13Ottawa Senators Vancouver Millionaires
1915–161916524December 18March 18Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
1916–1719176/4 20December 27March 10Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators 		Montreal Canadiens

;Notes
1. All champion teams are also Stanley Cup champions unless marked.

2. The league did not use tiebreakers to determine the top record. The two teams played off to determine the championship.

3. Toronto and Battalion did not participate in the second half.

4a. No Finals prior to 1914; Stanley Cup awarded to league winners and defended on a challenge basis.

4b. Finals in 1915 and 1916 contested between top two teams of regular season.

4c. Finals from 1917 through 1921 contested between qualifier from first half-season and qualifier from second half-season.

Early years

The NHL started with three of the six NHA clubs and a Toronto franchise run by the Toronto Arena Co., which leased the players of the Toronto Blueshirts. Almost immediately after starting the season, the Wanderers folded, leaving three teams to complete the season. The same three teams returned for 1918–19 before Quebec 'returned' for 1919–20, moving to Hamilton the following year. The same four-team configuration lasted until 1924–25 when the Montreal Maroons and the Boston Bruins joined the league. Expansion into other cities followed, lasting until the 1930s, when several teams folded.
The new NHL did not have a championship trophy at first. The O'Brien Cup was revived in November 1921, and served as the league championship trophy until 1927. The new Prince of Wales Trophy, donated in 1925, was also given to the league champion until 1927. Henceforth, the trophies were designated for divisional championships, and the Stanley Cup became the de facto league championship trophy.
No.SeasonPlayoffsStanley Cup
Finals 		No. of
teams		Reg. season
games		Start
Finish
Top recordChampion
11917–181918 19184/322December 19March 13Montreal Canadiens
Toronto Hockey Club 		Toronto Hockey Club
21918–1919191919318December 19March 6Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators 		Montreal Canadiens
31919–2019201920424December 23March 10 Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators 		Ottawa Senators
41920–2119211921424December 22March 15Ottawa Senators
Toronto St. Pats 		Ottawa Senators
51921–2219221922424December 17March 13Ottawa Senators Toronto St. Pats
61922–2319231923424December 16March 9Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators
71923–2419241924424December 15March 11Ottawa Senators Montreal Canadiens
81924–2519251925630November 29March 13Hamilton Tigers Montreal Canadiens
91925–2619261926736November 28March 27Ottawa Senators Montreal Maroons
101926–27192719271044November 18April 13Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators
111927–28192819281044November 15April 14Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers
121928–29192919291044November 15March 29Montreal Canadiens Boston Bruins
131929–30193019301044November 14April 3Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens
141930–31193119311044November 11April 14Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens
151931–3219321932848November 12April 9Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs
161932–3319331933948November 10April 13Boston Bruins New York Rangers
171933–3419341934948November 9April 10Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Black Hawks
181934–3519351935948November 8April 9Toronto Maple Leafs Montreal Maroons
191935–3619361936848November 7April 11Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings
201936–3719371937848November 5April 15Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings
211937–3819381938848November 4April 12Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks
221938–3919391939748November 3April 16Boston Bruins Boston Bruins
231939–4019401940748November 2April 13Boston Bruins New York Rangers
241940–4119411941748November 3April 12Boston Bruins Boston Bruins
251941–4219421942748November 1April 18New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs

;Notes

Original Six era

Prior to the 1942–43 season, the New York Americans suspended operations. This reduced the number of teams to six, starting the 'Original Six' era. During the Original Six era, the NHL played in a single six-team division. Each season, four of the six teams qualified for the playoffs to determine the Stanley Cup and NHL champion.
No.SeasonPlayoffsFinalsReg. season
games		Start
Finish
Top recordChampion
261942–431943194350October 31April 8Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings
271943–441944194450October 30April 13Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
281944–451945194550October 28April 22Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs
291945–461946194650October 24April 9Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
301946–471947194760October 16April 19Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs
311947–481948194860October 15April 14Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs
321948–491949194960October 13April 16Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs
331949–501950195070October 12April 23Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings
341950–511951195170October 11April 21Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs
351951–521952195270October 11April 15Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings
361952–531953195370October 9April 16Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens
371953–541954195470October 8April 16Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings
381954–551955195570October 7April 14Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings
391955–561956195670October 6April 10Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
401956–571957195770October 11April 16Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens
411957–581958195870October 8April 20Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
421958–591959195970October 8April 18Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
431959–601960196070October 7April 14Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
441960–611961196170October 5April 16Montreal Canadiens Chicago Black Hawks
451961–621962196270October 11April 22Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs
461962–631963196370October 12April 18Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs
471963–641964196470October 8April 25Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs
481964–651965196570October 12May 1Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens
491965–661966196670October 23May 5Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
501966–671967196770October 19May 2Chicago Black Hawks Toronto Maple Leafs

Expansion years

Since 1967, the league re-organized several times as it grew. In 1967, the league played in two divisions, with the playoff winner of each division playing off for the NHL championship. As the league grew the league changed its championship format to allow cross-over seeding, then changed to a division-based championship, leading to conference-based championship, with conference champions playing off for the Stanley Cup. In 1985, the Presidents' Trophy was inaugurated to reward the team with the top regular season record, irrespective of division or conference.
No.SeasonPlayoffsFinalsNo. of
teams		Reg. season
games		Start
Finish
Top recordChampion
511967–6819681274October 11May 11Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
521968–6919691276October 11May 4Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
531969–7019701276October 11May 10Chicago Black Hawks Boston Bruins
541970–7119711478October 9May 18Boston Bruins Montreal Canadiens
551971–7219721478October 8May 11Boston Bruins Boston Bruins
561972–7319731678October 7May 10Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
571973–7419741678October 10May 19Boston Bruins Philadelphia Flyers
581974–7519751880October 9May 27Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers
591975–7619761880October 7May 16Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
601976–7719771880October 5May 14Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
611977–7819781880October 12May 25Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens
621978–7919791780October 11May 21New York Islanders Montreal Canadiens
631979–8019802180October 9May 24Philadelphia Flyers New York Islanders
641980–8119812180October 9May 21New York Islanders New York Islanders
651981–8219822180October 6May 16New York Islanders New York Islanders
661982–8319832180October 5May 17Boston Bruins New York Islanders
671983–8419842180October 4May 19Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers
681984–8519852180October 11May 30Philadelphia Flyers Edmonton Oilers
691985–8619862180October 10May 24Edmonton Oilers Montreal Canadiens
701986–8719872180October 9May 31Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers
711987–8819882180October 8May 26Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers
721988–8919892180October 6May 25Calgary Flames Calgary Flames
731989–9019902180October 5May 24Boston Bruins Edmonton Oilers
741990–9119912180October 4May 25Chicago Blackhawks Pittsburgh Penguins
751991–9219922280October 3June 1New York Rangers Pittsburgh Penguins

;Notes

Current era

In 1993, coinciding with the naming of Gary Bettman as commissioner, the league re-organized into the Eastern and Western Conferences, with two divisions each, organized along geographical lines. The playoff format was changed to provide conference champions without divisional playoff champions. A new round of expansion began. By 2000–01, the number of teams increased to 30 and the number of divisions increased to six. This era has seen four seasons where the seasons were changed, three due to labour disputes between the NHL and the players' union, and one due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 1994–95 and 2012–13 seasons were shortened to 48 intraconference games, and the 2004–05 season's games were cancelled entirely. The 2019–20 season was stopped at 68–71 games due to the COVID–19 pandemic, and resulted in a one-time playoff format change involving 24 teams. According to the 2011 NHL Guide and Record Book, the NHL includes the 2004–05 season in its count of seasons. For example, the 2011 NHL Guide lists the Tampa Bay Lightning as entering their 19th 'NHL Season', although a count of the Lightning's seasons of play would determine the 2010–11 season to be their 18th season of play.
;Notes

All-time top regular season record holders

This table lists the number of times that NHL/NHA teams had the top record in the regular season. The Presidents' Trophy is the current award for the team with the best regular season record, which began being awarded starting with the NHL season. From 1938 to 1967 the Prince of Wales Trophy was the award for the team with the best record in the regular season. Following the expansion of no award was giving until the inception of the Presidents' Trophy.
TotalTeamMost recent
23Montreal Canadiens 1977–78
18Detroit Red Wings2007–08
13Boston Bruins2013–14
9Ottawa Senators 1927–28
6Toronto Maple Leafs1962–63
4Chicago Blackhawks2012–13
4New York Rangers2014–15
3Edmonton Oilers1986–87
3New York Islanders1981–82
3Philadelphia Flyers1984–85
3Washington Capitals2016–17
2Colorado Avalanche2000–01
2Calgary Flames1988–89
2Dallas Stars1998–99
2Vancouver Canucks2011–12
2Quebec Bulldogs 1912–13
1Buffalo Sabres2006–07
1Hamilton Tigers1924–25
1Montreal Wanderers 1910
1Nashville Predators2017–18
1Ottawa Senators2002–03
1Pittsburgh Penguins1992–93
1San Jose Sharks2008–09
1St. Louis Blues1999–00
1Tampa Bay Lightning2018–19
1Toronto Blueshirts 1913–14

;Notes