Season structure of the NHL Season structure of the NHL The season structure of the National Hockey League (NHL) is divided into the regular season and the Stanley Cup playoffs. In the regular season, which generally runs from early October through early April, teams play 82 games which determine their standings. The three highest-placed teams in each division and two wild card teams per conference enter the playoff elimination tournament to determine the Stanley Cup champion. Since the 1995–96 season, each team in the NHL plays 82 regular season games, 41 each of home and road. In all, 1,271 games are scheduled (480 of them
Max Kaminsky Trophy winners from 1969–present, as most outstanding defenceman. List of Max Kaminsky Trophy winners from 1961–69, as most gentlemanly player. Max Kaminsky Trophy The Max Kaminsky Trophy is awarded annually by the Ontario Hockey League to the most outstanding defenceman. The award is named in honour of Max Kaminsky, who coached the St. Catharines Teepees to the Memorial Cup in 1960 and died shortly thereafter of cancer. The winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy is nominated for the CHL Defenceman of the Year. Prior to 1969, the Max Kaminsky Trophy was awarded to the most gentlemanly player in the league. The