NHL Standings
The NHL standings rank the teams in the National Hockey League (NHL) based on their performance during the regular season. The standings are used to determine which teams qualify for the playoffs.
The standings are divided into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference is further divided into two divisions: the Metropolitan Division and the Atlantic Division in the East, and the Central Division and the Pacific Division in the West.
Teams earn points for wins, overtime wins, and shootout wins. They lose points for regulation losses and overtime losses. The team with the most points at the end of the regular season wins the Presidents’ Trophy.
The top three teams in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs. The remaining four teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs through wild-card berths.
The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament. The top-seeded team in each conference plays the lowest-seeded team that qualified through a wild-card berth. The second-seeded team plays the second-lowest-seeded wild-card team, and so on.
The playoffs culminate in the Stanley Cup Finals, a best-of-seven series between the Eastern Conference champion and the Western Conference champion. The team that wins the Stanley Cup Finals is crowned the NHL champion.
Recent Trends
The NHL standings have been in a state of flux in recent years. The Boston Bruins, who were the Presidents’ Trophy winners in 2013-14, have struggled in recent seasons. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the Stanley Cup in 2016, have also struggled in recent seasons.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have emerged as a powerhouse in recent years. They have won the Presidents’ Trophy in each of the past two seasons and have reached the Stanley Cup Finals in each of the past two years.
The Colorado Avalanche are another team that has emerged as a contender in recent years. They won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2021-22 and reached the Stanley Cup Finals that year.
Outlook for the 2023-24 Season
The 2023-24 NHL season is expected to be another competitive one. The Tampa Bay Lightning are the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, but there are a number of other teams that could challenge them.
The Colorado Avalanche, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Edmonton Oilers are all legitimate contenders. The Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins could also be in the mix if they can get back to their old form.
The NHL standings are always changing, so it will be interesting to see how the 2023-24 season plays out.
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
Please search for “nhl standings” which is rapidly rising on Google Trends CA-NL and explain in detail. Answers should be in English.
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