The 2018-19 NHL season is the 102nd season of operation (101st season of play) of the National Hockey League. 31 teams will be competing in an 82-game regular season. The regular season began on October 3, 2018, and will end on April 6, 2019. The 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs will then begin a few days afterwards, with the Stanley Cup Finals held in late May to early June.
Video 2018-19 NHL season
League business
Collective Bargaining Agreement
The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is in its seventh season. The NHL can chose to opt out of the CBA on September 1, 2019, or the NHLPA can choose to opt out of the CBA on September 19, 2019.
Salary cap
On June 21, 2018, the National Hockey League Players' Association announced that the salary cap would be set at $79.5 million per team for the 2018-19 season.
Rule changes
No major rule changes have been implemented this season.
On ice ads in the rink corners
After a trial during the 2018 All-Star Game and China games, the NHL began to allow teams to sell on-ice advertising placements in the corners of the rink. NHL chief revenue officer Keith Wachtel estimated that these new placements could provide up to $10 million in additional revenue to teams per-season. During the playoffs, these advertising areas will be controlled by the league.
Media rights
This is the eighth season under the NHL's ten year U.S. rights deal with NBC Sports and fifth season of its twelve year Canadian rights deals with Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
On December 20, 2017, CBC Television and Rogers Communications struck an agreement to renew its sublicensing agreement for Hockey Night in Canada through the end of Rogers's current broadcast contract. The two sides had previously reached an agreement to extend its original four-year agreement by an additional year. Rogers announced that long-time commentator Bob Cole will retire from Hockey Night after calling a limited schedule of 10 games.
Several teams have shifted their radio broadcast rights exclusively to internet radio, including the Los Angeles Kings (who now stream exclusively on iHeartRadio), and New Jersey Devils (Radio.com). The New York Islanders' New York City rightsholder WFAN announced that it would move most of its broadcasts (simulcast from team flagship WRHU) to Radio.com as well; selected games between the Islanders and Devils will be simulcast by WFAN. All three deals also include the production of exclusive ancillary programming for their respective platforms.
Draft
The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was held June 22 and 23, 2018. The Buffalo Sabres, by virtue of winning the draft lottery on April 28, held the first overall selection, using it to select defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
Preseason games in China
Two preseason games were played in China. The Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins played one game (Calgary as home team) at the Shenzhen Universiade Sports Center in Shenzhen on September 15, 2018, and played another (Boston as home team) at Cadillac Arena in Beijing on September 19, 2018.
Preseason games in Europe
Two preseason games were scheduled to be played in Europe. The New Jersey Devils played against SC Bern at PostFinance Arena in Bern, Switzerland, on October 1, 2018. The Edmonton Oilers played against Kölner Haie at Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, on October 3, 2018.
Maps 2018-19 NHL season
Coaching changes
Front office changes
Arena changes
- The New York Islanders will move half of their home schedule back to their previous home, the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, after the Barclays Center proved to be unsuitable as a full-time NHL venue. The Islanders will continue to play the remaining half of their home schedule at the Barclays Center, an arrangement that will last until 2021, when Belmont Park Arena is scheduled to open.
- The St. Louis Blues' home arena was renamed from Scottrade Center to Enterprise Center on July 1, 2018.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs' home arena was renamed from the Air Canada Centre to Scotiabank Arena on July 1, 2018.
Regular season
The regular season began on October 3, 2018, and will end on April 6, 2019. Each team will receive a five-day "bye week", all of which will take place in mid-January. The regular season schedule was released on June 21.
International games
Three regular season games, branded as the NHL Global Series, will be played in Europe. The Edmonton Oilers will play against the New Jersey Devils at Scandinavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, on October 6, 2018. The Florida Panthers and Winnipeg Jets will play two games at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland, on November 1 and 2, 2018.
Outdoor games
- The Winter Classic will be held on January 1, 2019, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, and will feature the Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins.
- The NHL Stadium Series will be held on February 23, 2019, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and will feature the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers.
All-Star Game
The 2019 National Hockey League All-Star Game will be held in San Jose, California, at SAP Center, home of the San Jose Sharks, on January 26, 2019, the first time it will be held on a Saturday after many years of the All-Star game being played on a Sunday.
Standings
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
Statistics
Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in regular season points at the conclusion of games played on October 6, 2018.
Leading goaltenders
The following goaltenders led the league in regular season goals against average at the conclusion of games played on October 6, 2018, while playing at least 60 minutes.
Milestones
First games
Last games
Major milestones reached
- On October 3, 2018, Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom scored his 800th point.
- On October 3, 2018, Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi became the first player born in the 2000s to play in NHL and the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada.
- On October 6, 2018, Dallas Stars forward Jamie Benn scored his 600th point.
Uniforms
- The Anaheim Ducks will wear a new third jersey inspired by the uniforms from their years as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim from 1993 to 2006.
- The Arizona Coyotes will wear the "Kachina" jersey as the team's new third uniform. They previously used this design for road games from 1996 to 2003.
- The Calgary Flames will wear their 2009-2013 and 2016-17 third jersey, which is a throwback to their red jersey used from 1980 to 1994.
- The Carolina Hurricanes will wear a new black third jersey, which was inspired by the third uniform used from 2008 to 2017. Additionally, the team announced that they will wear a heritage uniform on two occasions, which was inspired by the jerseys worn by their predecessor, the Hartford Whalers, from 1985 to 1989 and during the 1990-91 season.
- The Colorado Avalanche will wear a new third jersey, which was inspired by the third uniform used during the 2015-16 season.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets will wear a third jersey, which was worn from 2010 to 2017.
- The Edmonton Oilers will wear their 2010-2017 home jerseys as their alternate uniform this season dubbed the "retro jersey". It will be used four times this season.
- The New Jersey Devils will wear third jerseys for the first time in franchise history with new white throwback uniforms similar to those worn from 1982 to 1992.
- The New York Islanders will wear new blue third jerseys, partially inspired by their third jersey from the 2014-15 season.
- The Philadelphia Flyers will wear black third jerseys, which were worn in the 2017 Stadium Series.
- The San Jose Sharks will wear new black third jerseys, dubbed the "Stealth" jersey, during select home games.
- The St. Louis Blues will wear third jerseys, which are based on the uniforms worn during the 2017 Winter Classic.
- The Washington Capitals will wear third jerseys, which are based on the uniforms worn from 1974 to 1995.
- The Winnipeg Jets will wear a new third jersey inspired by the uniforms worn by the original Winnipeg Jets from 1990 to 1996.
See also
- 2018-19 NHL transactions
- 2018-19 NHL suspensions and fines
- List of 2018-19 NHL Three Star Awards
- 2018 in sports
- 2019 in sports
References
External links
- 2018-19 NHL season schedule
Source of article : Wikipedia
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