The 2014–15 NHL season was the
98th season of operation (97th season of play) of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL). The Phoenix Coyotes changed their name to the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
prior to the season.
The
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
became the first team to miss the playoffs after winning the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
the previous season since the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
in
2006–07.
The Boston Bruins also became the third defending
Presidents' Trophy winner to miss the playoffs (and the first since the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
missed the playoffs in
2007–08 after winning the Presidents' Trophy in 2007). The
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
clinched a playoff berth for the first time since the team's relocation from Atlanta in 2011.
The
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
' playoff streak ended at ten years. The
Ottawa Senators also became the first team in NHL history to make the postseason after trailing for the final playoff spot by 14 points. The playoffs ended with the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
defeating the
Tampa Bay Lightning in six games to win the Stanley Cup.
League business
Agreement with GoPro
Midway through the season, the league signed an agreement with
GoPro
GoPro, Inc. (marketed as GoPro and sometimes stylized as GoPRO) is an American technology company founded in 2002 by Nick Woodman. It manufactures action cameras and develops its own mobile apps and video editing software, video-editing software ...
to use the company's wearable cameras to record content for the league's television broadcasts and other video productions. They were first used by players in the
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
.
Entry draft
The NHL Board of Governors approved changes to the draft lottery format on June 24, 2014, starting with the 2015 Draft. Beginning in 2015, the odds of winning the first overall pick will be adjusted down for the first four lowest point-gaining teams, and adjusted up for the following ten. The change was made in order to "reflect the current state of competitive balance in the League." In 2016, the Draft Lottery will be used to choose the first three overall picks, not just the first.
The
2014 NHL entry draft was then held on June 27–28, 2014, at the
Wells Fargo Center in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
.
Aaron Ekblad was selected first overall by the
Florida Panthers.
Rule changes
The following rule changes were voted upon by the NHL Board of Governors in June, and were approved by the Players' Association in September 2014.
*The trapezoidal areas behind each net in which goaltenders are allowed to play the puck are to be made wider than their current width.
*The width of the hashmarks outside the faceoff circles will be extended from their current 3.5 feet to five feet, seven inches apart (international markings).
*Prior to any overtime period, both teams will change ends and the ice will be dry-scraped by an ice resurfacer. The league hopes that the "long line changes" and the better ice surfaces will increase scoring in overtime, and thus decrease shootouts.
*Coaches no longer have to submit a list of shootout participants as it begins. The coaches will be free as to who they will pick next.
*Teams that ice the puck can only use one center to take the ensuing faceoff. If that player attempts to get kicked out of the faceoff to buy his team time, he'll get a two-minute delay-of-game penalty.
*The NHL's "situation room" will have more latitude to conduct video reviews of goals that don't fall under the guidelines of what can be reviewed but that clearly weren't scored legally.
*The wording "embellishment" will be changed to allow an escalating scale of fines to repeat-offense players and coaches.
*The "
spin-o-rama" will no longer be allowed on penalty shots and during the shootout.
At the league's General Managers Meeting in November, it was decided to immediately end the dry-scrape prior to overtime, as it was felt that the average time of five minutes was too long and it seemed to have no significant difference. The GMs also voted to allow officials in the Situation Room to buzz the arena to have play immediately stopped for a video review without waiting for a whistle.
Uniforms
*The
Anaheim Ducks added a new away jersey to match the alternate "webbed D" as their new primary jerseys, replacing the old home/road jerseys that bore the "Anaheim Ducks" word mark on the crest.
*As part of the deal approved by the City of
Glendale to keep the team from relocating, the Phoenix Coyotes changed their name to the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
. There will also be a throwback alternate based on the Kachina-styled jerseys they wore from
1996 to
2003.
*The
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
NHL Winter Classic uniform was inspired by the 1957–58 jersey worn by the Chicago Blackhawks. This uniform is nearly identical to the road uniform that the Blackhawks currently wear. The main differences between this design and the current road design comes in the form of the lace up collar, the name/number block font (which is serifed), and the C-Tomahawk logo, which is mostly red, black, and white (with a tad bit of yellow) instead of being mostly red, yellow, green black and white.
*The
Columbus Blue Jackets wore a special patch to commemorate hosting the
60th National Hockey League All-Star Game.
*The
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
wore alternate throwbacks based on their inaugural
1967 gold uniforms, instead of the purple ones they have been wearing since
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
. The Kings'
2015 NHL Stadium Series featured the top half of the jersey in silver, bottom half white, a black horizontal stripe runs through the middle of the jersey behind the team crest. On the collar are two crowns, one for each Stanley Cup "crown" the team has won throughout their franchise history. On the white pants is a large "LA" logo as seen on the jersey. The numbers on the back and sleeves were enlarged.
* On December 5,
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
added a number 4 patch to their jerseys on the upper-right corner in memory of their former captain,
Jean Beliveau, who died on December 2 at the age of 83, for the remainder of the season.
*The
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
wore a special shoulder patch during their final season playing inside
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and replaced their black third jerseys with the jerseys they wore in the 2014 NHL Stadium Series. The venue has served the franchise for 43 years.
*The
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
wore their
2012 Winter Classic jersey as a full-time third jersey during the season.
*The
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
wore a throwback alternate jersey, featuring the shade of gold the team wore on the uniforms from
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...
to
2002 (the color has been recently referred to as "Pittsburgh gold") instead of Vegas Gold, which the team has been wearing in its primary home and road uniforms since
2002. The jersey was revealed via the club's Twitter page on September 19, and they resemble the black (road) jerseys the team wore during the two seasons it won its two first Stanley Cups,
1991 and
1992
1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General.
* January 6
** The Republ ...
.
*The
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
' Stadium Series uniform featured the top half in teal, bottom half in black, with a horizontal white stripe separating the two. Centred on the white stripe is the San Jose Sharks logo. The entire back of the jersey is teal with large player numbers in white (extremely large on the sleeve). On the shoulder is a new logo paying homage to San Jose's Northern California fans, a star placed in the location of San Jose. The numbers on the back and sleeves have been enlarged.
*The
St. Louis Blues had new home and away jerseys; the alternate remained along with the new set. The uniforms reflect a modernized version of the classic traditional look worn by the team from
1997 to
2007. The uniform leaves the long-lasting, iconic Blue Note unchanged, symbolizing the club's pride and history. The team is not the first to move from a jersey design that was modernized by Reebok when the league started using the new Edge jersey template in the
2007–08 season, to a cleaner, more traditional look. The change removes the irregular curves on the cuff stripes and the apron string piping.
*The
Tampa Bay Lightning replaced the alternate jersey they wore with the "BOLTS" script on the front from
2008 until
2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
with a new black alternate. The new third jersey is black and features the popular BOLTS logo from previous seasons across the front, with white trim and has blue and gray as secondary colors. The club also wore a black version of their signature lightning bolt pants and black gloves as part of their new third jersey system.
*On November 26, the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
added a patch decal "PQ" in memory of
Pat Quinn to their helmets for the remainder of the season. Quinn died on November 23 at the age of 71.
*The
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
NHL Winter Classic uniform was vintage deep red to symbolize hockey's deep roots in Washington. The stripes on the shoulders, waist and legs bring in elements of Washington professional hockey jerseys from the 1930s, predating the Capitals' formation in the 1970s. A large "W" on the front of the jersey, offset in blue to contrast the white Capitals wordmark, offered a unique look never seen before on Capitals jerseys. A large "W" on the front of the jersey is offset in blue to contrast the white Capitals wordmark and features a silhouette of the Washington Monument. They also wore special patches to commemorate their 40th NHL season.
*For the
2015 NHL All-Star Game, the two teams wore black/neon green jerseys, a far cry from any other jersey that has been used for the special game.
Arena changes
* The renamed
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
' home arena, Jobing.com Arena, was renamed
Gila River Arena as part of a new naming rights agreement with
Gila River Casinos.
* The
Tampa Bay Lightning's home arena, the Tampa Bay Times Forum, was renamed
Amalie Arena as part of a new naming rights agreement with
Amalie Oil Company.
Regular season
The regular season began on October 8, 2014, and ended on April 11, 2015. Both the first Saturday (October 11) and the last day (April 11) of the regular season featured 15 games (all 30 teams).
Coaching changes
(*) indicates interim.
Winter Classic
The 2015
NHL Winter Classic, the annual regular season outdoor game was held on January 1 at
Nationals Park,
Washington, D.C. The game, the seventh Winter Classic, featured the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
and the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
.
Stadium Series
Only one regular season outdoor game in the
NHL Stadium Series was scheduled this season: The
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
hosted the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
on February 21 at
Levi's Stadium in
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "Clare of Assisi, Saint Clare") is a city in Santa Clara County, California. The city's population was 127,647 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities and towns i ...
.
All-Star Game
The 60th
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
was an
exhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within a cultural or educational setting such as a museum, art gallery, park, library, exhibiti ...
ice hockey game played on January 25, 2015. The game was held in
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...
, at
Nationwide Arena, home of the
Columbus Blue Jackets. This was Columbus's first time hosting the NHL All-Star Game.
This was originally scheduled to take place on January 27, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. It was canceled as a result of the ongoing
2012–13 NHL lockout. There was no
all-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
last season due to the
2014 Winter Olympics in
Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Сочи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg, from – ''seaside'') is the largest Resort town, resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi (river), Sochi River, along the Black Sea in the North Caucasus of Souther ...
,
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
.
Postponed games
The
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
–
Ottawa Senators game originally scheduled for October 22 was postponed due to the
2014 shootings at Parliament Hill, Ottawa. The game was rescheduled for November 9.
The
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
–
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
game originally scheduled for November 21 was postponed due to the
winter weather-related difficulties in the area. The game was rescheduled for February 20, 2015, displacing a Sabres home game with the Senators that was originally scheduled for the same day. That game was moved to December 15, 2014, as a result of the rescheduling of the Rangers–Sabres game.
League-wide mumps outbreak
The 2014–15 NHL season saw an unprecedented outbreak of
mumps
MUMPS ("Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System"), or M, is an imperative, high-level programming language with an integrated transaction processing key–value database. It was originally developed at Massachusetts Gen ...
at the beginning of the season among many players on multiple different teams. Infected players included
Corey Perry and
Francois Beauchemin of the
Anaheim Ducks,
Derick Brassard and two other players on the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
,
Sidney Crosby and four other players on the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
, four players on the
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
and five players on the
Minnesota Wild. The league, teams and players then implemented several sanitary procedures, and the last reported mumps case occurred on January 11.
Standings
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Tie Breakers:
1. Fewer number of games played.
2. Greater Regulation + OT Wins (ROW)
3. Greater 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
*Washington was given the higher Metropolitan division seed than NY Islanders due to higher goal differential (39 to 22)
Player statistics
Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in regular season points at the conclusion of games played on April 11, 2015.
Leading goaltenders
The following goaltenders led the league in regular season
goals against average at the conclusion of games played on April 11, 2015, while playing at least 1800 minutes.
Playoffs
Bracket
In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series following a 2–2–1–1–1 format (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series). The team with
home ice advantage played at home for games one and two (and games five and seven, if necessary), and the other team was at home for games three and four (and game six, if necessary). The top three teams in each division made the playoffs, along with two
wild cards
''Wild Cards'' is a series of science fiction superhero shared universe anthologies, mosaic novels, and solo novels. They are written by a collection of more than forty authors (referred to as the "Wild Cards Trust") and are edited by George R. ...
in each conference, for a total of eight teams from each conference. The
Wild Card seeded in the
Western Conference is
Central 1 vs
Wild Card 1 and
Pacific
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the cont ...
1 vs
Wild Card 2 in the and in
Eastern Conference is
Atlantc 1 vs
Wild Card 1 and
Metropolitan 1 vs
Wild Card 2.
In the first round, the lower
seeded wild card in each conference was played against the division winner with the best record while the other wild card was played against the other division winner, and both wild cards were
de facto #4 seeds. The other series matched the second and third-place teams from the divisions. In the first two rounds, home ice advantage was awarded to the team with the better seed. In the conference finals and Stanley Cup Finals, home ice advantage was awarded to the team with the better regular season record.
NHL awards
Awards were presented at the NHL Awards ceremony, to be held following the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. Finalists for voted awards are announced during the playoffs and winners are presented at the award ceremony. Voting will conclude immediately after the end of the regular season. The
Presidents' Trophy, the
Prince of Wales Trophy and
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl are not presented at the awards ceremony.
All-Star teams
Milestones
First games
The following is a list of notable players who played their first NHL game during the 2014–15 season, listed with their first team:
Last games
The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2014–15, listed with their team:
Major milestones reached
*On October 14, 2014,
referee Mike Leggo worked his 1,000th game against the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.
*On October 14, 2014,
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
defenceman
Scott Hannan participated in his
1,000th NHL game.
*On October 14, 2014,
Darryl Sutter became the fastest
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
coach to reach 100 wins. Sutter reached the milestone in his 183rd game. Former Kings coach
Terry Murray got his 100th win in his 197th game.
*On October 23, 2014,
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
goaltender
Jonathan Quick has set a new franchise record with his 33rd career shutout, surpassing
Rogie Vachon.
*On October 26, 2014,
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
goaltender
Scott Darling made his NHL debut on October 26, 2014, starting in goal against the
Ottawa Senators, making 32 saves in the 2–1 win. Darling became the first former
Southern Professional Hockey League
The SPHL (formerly the Southern Professional Hockey League) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league based in Huntersville, North Carolina, with teams located primarily in the southeastern United States as well as Illinois and Indian ...
player to play in an NHL game.
*On October 28, 2014,
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
goaltender
Ryan Miller earned his 300th win, becoming the 30th goaltender in league history to reach this milestone.
*On October 30, 2014,
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
forward
Marian Hossa scored his
1,000th career point with a goal against the team that originally drafted him back in 1997, the Ottawa Senators. Hossa became the 80th player in NHL history to reach the milestone. This game was also the 1,100th game of his National Hockey League career.
*On November 4, 2014,
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
forward
Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin (, ; born 17September 1985) is a Russian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger and Captain (ice hockey), captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "the ...
became the franchise's leading scorer with his 826th point which came in the first-period on an assist against the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
, surpassing
Peter Bondra.
*On November 11, 2014,
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
head coach
Dave Tippett became the longest tenured head coach in franchise history when he reached 391 games, surpassing
Bobby Francis.
*On November 16, 2014,
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
forward
Brad Richards participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
*On November 21, 2014,
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
goaltender
Cory Schneider broke
Martin Brodeur's franchise record when he started in his 20th consecutive game to start the season.
*On November 23, 2014,
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
forward
Daniel Sedin participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
*On November 24, 2014,
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
goaltender
Marc-Andre Fleury earned his 300th win. With 300 wins in 547 NHL games, Fleury is the fourth-fastest NHL goaltender to reach this milestone.
*On November 28, 2014
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
forward
Martin St. Louis recorded a goal and an assist against the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
to reach 1,000 points in his career. He became the sixth undrafted player in NHL history to reach the milestone.
*On November 29, 2014,
Ottawa Senators forward
David Legwand participated in his 1,000th career game. He would score the lone goal for the Senators in a 4–1 loss to the Lightning in Tampa Bay.
*On December 5, 2014,
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
head coach
Bob Hartley reached 400 wins. He previously coached the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
(from 1998 to 2002) and
Atlanta Thrashers (from 2002 to 2007). With the victory he became just the 33rd coach in NHL history to win 400 regular season games.
*On December 6, 2014,
Detroit Red Wings head coach
Mike Babcock reached 500 wins, making him the second fastest to reach the milestone. He pulled off the feat in 895 games over 12 seasons between Anaheim and Detroit.
*On December 9, 2014,
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
forward
Jaromir Jagr played his 1,500th career game, scoring a goal and an assist in a 2–1 win over the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
, while passing Marcel Dionne into 5th on the career points list.
*On December 16, 2014, the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
and
Florida Panthers went to 20-rounds in the shootout breaking the previous record for longest shootout of 15-rounds set on November 26, 2005, between the Washington Capitals and
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
.
*On December 18, 2014,
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
defenceman
Brad Stuart participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
*On December 28, 2014,
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
forward
Scott Gomez participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
*On December 31, 2014, Colorado Avalanche forward
Borna Rendulic became the first Croatian-born player to score a goal in the NHL.
*On January 3, 2015,
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
forward
Jaromir Jagr become the oldest player to score a hat trick (42 years, 322 days against the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team play ...
) eclipsing
Gordie Howe (41 years, Nov. 2, 1969 against the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
).
*On January 6, 2015, New Jersey Devils forward
Patrik Elias became the 82nd player in NHL history to record 1,000 career points. He recorded one goal and two assists in the contest.
*On January 12, 2015, Washington Capitals forward
Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Mikhailovich Ovechkin (, ; born 17September 1985) is a Russian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger and Captain (ice hockey), captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "the ...
scored his 74th game-winning goal against the Colorado Avalanche, surpassing
Peter Bondra for the all-time franchise lead in game-winning goals.
*On January 13, 2015,
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
head coach
Paul Maurice won his 500th game.
*On February 5, 2015, Ottawa Senators defenceman
Chris Phillips became the all-time franchise leader in games played with 1,179, surpassing
Daniel Alfredsson.
*On February 9, 2015, Columbus Blue Jackets forward
Scott Hartnell participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
*On February 14, 2015,
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
head coach
Alain Vigneault became the 21st coach in NHL history to reach 500 wins.
*On March 4, 2015,
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
defenceman
Dan Boyle participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
*On March 4, 2015, Colorado Avalanche forward
Alex Tanguay participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
*On March 9, 2015, Evgeny Romasko became the first Russian referee to officiate an NHL game, working the contest against the Edmonton Oilers and the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena.
*On March 12, 2015,
St. Louis Blues head coach
Ken Hitchcock won his 700th game, becoming the fourth coach in league history to reach this milestone.
*On March 17, 2015, St. Louis Blues goaltender
Brian Elliott set a franchise record as he recorded his 21st shutout, surpassing
Jaroslav Halak.
*On March 19, 2015,
Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr passed Phil Esposito for fifth on the NHL all-time goals list when he scored his 718th against the
Detroit Red Wings.
*On March 21, 2015,
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
defenceman
Eric Brewer participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
*On March 23, 2015,
Ottawa Senators goaltender
Andrew Hammond became the first goaltender in league history to help his team earn at least a point in each of his first 15 starts, going 14–0–1 in that stretch.
*On March 29, 2015, referee
Kevin Pollock worked his 1,000th game against the San Jose Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the CONSOL Energy Center.
*On March 31, 2015, referee Brad Meier worked his 1,000th game against the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center.
*On March 31, 2015, Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin scored his
50th goal of the season. This is the sixth time in his career that he has scored at least 50 goals in a season and becomes the sixth player in NHL history to achieve this feat. He joins
Wayne Gretzky and
Mike Bossy, who have done this nine times and
Mario Lemieux,
Guy Lafleur and
Marcel Dionne who also have done it six times.
*On April 9, 2015,
Florida Panthers forward
Jaromir Jagr become the fourth player to score 1,800 points in his career, earning two assists in a 4–2 win over the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
, and taking sole possession of fourth on the career points list. He started the season tied with Steve Yzerman for seventh in the all-time list, and passed him, Marcel Dionne, and Ron Francis over the course of the season.
*On April 11, 2015,
Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr overtook
Adam Oates for sole possession of sixth on the career assists list with 1,080. He had started the year in eighth and had overtaken Steve Yzerman earlier in the season. He later added a power-play goal to tie Gretzky for 14th all-time and extend his career record for game-winning goals to 129. He ended the season with his 1,550th regular season game, moving into 11th on the all-time list.
Broadcast rights
Canada
The 2014–15 season brought a significant realignment for NHL broadcast rights in Canada, as it marked the first year of
Rogers Communications' 12-year,
CA$5.2 billion contract for exclusive national television and digital media rights to the league. The networks of
Sportsnet
Sportsnet is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language Discretionary service, discretionary sports broadcasting, sports specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. It was established in 1998 as CTV Sportsnet, a joint venture betw ...
(including the
Sportsnet regional channels,
Sportsnet One
Sportsnet One (SN1 or SN One) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language Discretionary service, discretionary digital cable and satellite television, satellite specialty channel owned by Rogers Media, Rogers Sports & Media; it operates ...
, and
Sportsnet 360) replaced
TSN as the English-language cable broadcasters of the league. National French-language rights were sub-licensed by Rogers to
Quebecor Media, with
TVA Sports replacing
RDS as the national French-language television broadcaster of the NHL in Canada.
[
]CBC Television
CBC Television (also known as CBC TV, or simply CBC) is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language terrestrial television, broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcasting, p ...
, the previous over-the-air television broadcaster of the NHL, continues to participate in coverage to an extent: Rogers reached a deal with CBC to license the '' Hockey Night in Canada'' brand and maintain the network's traditional Saturday night games, along with postseason coverage and exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final. ''HNIC'' began to air across CBC, City
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
, the Sportsnet
Sportsnet is a Television in Canada, Canadian English-language Discretionary service, discretionary sports broadcasting, sports specialty channel owned by Rogers Sports & Media. It was established in 1998 as CTV Sportsnet, a joint venture betw ...
networks, and FX Canada (typically an all-U.S. game). As part of the arrangement, CBC did not pay a rights fee to either Rogers or the NHL, but all the telecasts are brokered and produced by Sportsnet. CBC is allotted advertising time during the games to promote its own programming, but Rogers receives all ad revenue from the telecasts. City also introduced a new primetime game of the week on Sunday nights, known as ''Rogers Hometown Hockey'', which was hosted on-location from various cities by Ron MacLean. Similarly to TSN under the previous contract, Sportsnet also has a flagship, national Wednesday night game.
With the loss of national cable rights, TSN expanded its regional coverage of the NHL using its new TSN3, TSN4 and TSN5 channels. The three channels broadcast regional Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
, Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
, and Ottawa Senators games respectively.[ Regional rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs were split between TSN4 and Sportsnet Ontario beginning this season, with TSN4 airing 26 of these games (Bell and Rogers own a joint majority stake in the team's parent company Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment).] TSN5 began airing regional Senators games as part of a new 12-year deal between the team and TSN's parent company Bell Media
Bell Media Inc. (Canadian French, French: ) is a Canadian media conglomerate that is the mass media subsidiary of BCE Inc. (also known as Bell Canada Enterprises, the owner of telecommunications company Bell Canada). Its operations include nati ...
(which also included French-language regional rights for RDS, and an extension of CFGO's radio rights), replacing Sportsnet East. The Senators were replaced on Sportsnet East by the Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
under a new three-year deal with Rogers.
TVA Sports' national French-language coverage consisted of themed games on selected nights of the week; its flagship telecasts, ''La super soirée LNH'', primarily aired the Montreal Canadiens' Saturday night games, along with the All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
, Winter Classic, and Stanley Cup playoffs. RDS continued its long-standing relationship with the Montreal Canadiens for French-language television coverage under a new, 12-year regional contract. As such, French-language broadcasts of the Canadiens on RDS are now blacked out for viewers outside of the team's home market of Quebec and eastern Canada.
United States
This was the fourth season under the NHL's ten-year U.S. rights deal with NBC Sports
NBC Sports is an American programming division for NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, that is responsible for sports broadcasts on their broadcast network NBC, the Cable television, cable channels NBC owns, and on Peacock (streaming service) ...
. NBC began airing selected Stanley Cup playoff games on the USA Network
USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
, marking the first time that the channel televised NHL games since 1985.
See also
* 2014–15 NHL suspensions and fines
* 2014–15 NHL transactions
* Lester Patrick Trophy
References
External links
2014–15 NHL season Schedule
{{DEFAULTSORT:2014-15 Nhl Season
1
1