Eastern Conference (NHL)
The Eastern Conference is one of the two Conferences in the highest North American Hockey League, the National Hockey League. It contains a total of 16 of the 30 teams in the NHL and is further divided into two divisions: in the Atlantic Division and the Metropolitan Division.
The Eastern Conference has existed since the 1993/94 season under its current name, which was given to it to (eg NBA) to equalize the NHL at the geographical name system other U.S. sports leagues. The Eastern Conference is the successor of the Prince of Wales Conference, which was established in 1974 /75 as the NHL after progressive expansion was too big for two divisions.
By 1998 there were only two divisions and a division -based playoff mode where the four best teams of a division to win the division and then the two winners playing for the conference title. With further expansion of NHL that was no longer possible. Thus, the Southeast Division in the 1998/99 season was added and the introduced another playoff mode, in which the three division winners are set directly and the remaining five seats were filled with the highest point totals in all divisions.
With the start of the 2013/14 season the existing concept was changed again. Through the addition of new teams such as the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets as well as the relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg, the new geographical distribution made a reorganization necessary. For this, the Southeast Division was dissolved and the Atlantic in Metropolitan Division renamed while the former Atlantic Division Northeast Division now called; also changed the Detroit Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference, while the Winnipeg Jets exchanged in the opposite direction. This results in 16 teams in the Eastern Conference, which were divided into eight teams on the two remaining divisions (Atlantic and Metropolitan ).
This restructuring also changed the allocation of the play-off places. In the now two divisions, the first three teams qualify directly after the conclusion of the regular season for the play- offs, while the remaining two places are filled with the most points from the two divisions. Thus, it is also possible that a Division provides five teams for the play-offs and the other three. The winner of the play-offs of the Eastern Conference receives the Prince of Wales Trophy and plays against the winner of the Western Conference for the Stanley Cup.
Team
Atlantic Division:
- Boston Bruins
- Buffalo Sabres
- Detroit Red Wings
- Florida Panthers
- Canadiens de Montréal
- Ottawa Senators
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division:
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Rangers
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Washington Capitals