Two Conferences of 16 teams. Two Divisions of 8 teams in each Conference. Two Groups of 4 teams in each Division...
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION
PAC NORTH GROUP- Calgary
- Edmonton
- Seattle
- Vancouver
PAC SOUTH GROUP- Anaheim
- Los Angeles
- San Jose
- Vegas
CENTRAL DIVISION
CEN NORTH GROUP- Chicago
- Minnesota
- St Louis
- Winnipeg
CEN SOUTH GROUP- Arizona
- Colorado
- Dallas
- Nashville
EASTERN CONFERENCE
GREAT LAKES DIVISION
GLA NORTH GROUP- Buffalo
- Montreal
- Ottawa
- Toronto
GLA SOUTH GROUP- Columbus
- Detroit
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
ATLANTIC DIVISION
ATL NORTH GROUP- Boston
- New Jersey
- NY Islanders
- NY Rangers
ATL SOUTH GROUP- Carolina
- Florida
- Tampa Bay
- Washington
For scheduling, you play:
- 1 Home / 1 Away vs all teams outside your own Division (2 x 24 = 48)
- 2 Home / 2 Away vs the other Group in your own Division (4 x 4 = 16)
- 3 Home / 3 Away vs your own Group (6 x 3 = 18)
48 + 16 + 18 = 82 game season
Playoffs:
- 24 of 32 teams make the playoffs
- Winner of each Group gets a bye to the second round
- 2nd & 3rd place teams in each Group play a Best-of-5 first round series
- Winner of first round series plays the Group winner in the second round
- Group series winners within each Division play in the third round
- Division series winners within each Conference play in the fourth round
- Conference series winners play in the Stanley Cup Final