How Many Games in an NHL Hockey Season: A Complete Guide to Professional Hockey Scheduling
The National Hockey League (NHL) operates one of the most structured and comprehensive regular-season schedules in professional sports, with each team playing a substantial number of games throughout the hockey season. Understanding the intricacies of NHL scheduling, including how many games teams play, when seasons begin and end, and how the league has adapted its format over recent years, provides valuable insight into the world’s premier professional hockey organization.
The NHL regular season structure has evolved significantly since the league’s inception in 1917, with the current format representing decades of refinement aimed at maximizing competitive balance, revenue generation, and fan engagement. The league’s scheduling philosophy balances several key factors, including travel logistics, arena availability, television broadcast requirements, and player safety considerations, all while maintaining the integrity of competition across 32 franchises.
How Many Games in an NHL Season Per Team
Each NHL team plays exactly 82 games during the regular season, a number that has remained consistent since the 1995-96 season when the league expanded to its current format. This 82-game schedule represents a carefully calculated balance between providing sufficient games to determine playoff qualification while managing player fatigue and injury risk throughout the lengthy hockey season.
The 82-game regular season is distributed across approximately six months, typically running from early October through mid-April. This schedule allows teams to play an average of three to four games per week, with built-in rest periods and travel days that accommodate the demanding physical nature of professional hockey. The league’s scheduling committee works meticulously to ensure each team faces a balanced mix of opponents, including divisional rivals, conference opponents, and teams from the opposite conference.
Within the 82-game framework, teams play varying numbers of games against different opponents based on their divisional and conference alignment. Teams face divisional opponents more frequently than non-divisional teams, creating intense rivalries and ensuring that geographically proximate teams meet multiple times throughout the season. This scheduling approach enhances regional interest and reduces travel costs while maintaining competitive integrity.
The NHL’s current divisional structure, implemented during the 2013-14 season, divides the 32 teams into two conferences (Eastern and Western), each containing two divisions. The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions comprise the Eastern Conference, while the Central and Pacific divisions form the Western Conference. This alignment directly impacts how the 82-game schedule is distributed among opponents.
Each team’s 82-game schedule typically includes approximately 26 games against divisional opponents, 24 games against non-divisional conference opponents, and 32 games against teams from the opposite conference. This distribution ensures that fans in each market see a variety of teams and star players throughout the season while maintaining the competitive balance necessary for fair playoff qualification.
Hockey Season Start and End
The NHL regular season traditionally begins in early October and concludes in mid-April, spanning approximately six and a half months of intense competition. This timeline has remained relatively consistent for decades, with minor adjustments made occasionally to accommodate special events, labor negotiations, or extraordinary circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2024-25 NHL season commenced on October 4, 2024, with the traditional season-opening games featuring established rivalries and marquee matchups designed to generate maximum fan interest and television viewership. The league strategically schedules high-profile games during the opening week to capitalize on the excitement surrounding the return of professional hockey after the summer break.
Regular season play typically concludes during the second week of April, with all teams finishing their 82-game schedules within a few days of each other. This synchronized conclusion ensures fairness in playoff positioning and prevents teams from gaining advantages based on schedule completion timing. The final weeks of the regular season often feature intense competition as teams battle for playoff positions and seeding advantages.
Following the regular season’s conclusion, the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin immediately, typically starting in mid-April and potentially extending through early June. The playoff format includes four rounds of best-of-seven series, meaning the eventual Stanley Cup champion must win 16 games across potentially 28 total games to claim hockey’s ultimate prize.
The NHL’s season structure also accommodates several breaks and special events throughout the campaign. The most notable interruption is the All-Star break, typically occurring in late January or early February, which provides players with a mid-season rest period while showcasing the league’s top talent in various skills competitions and exhibition games. Additionally, the league may pause regular-season play to accommodate international competitions such as the Winter Olympics, depending on participation agreements with the International Olympic Committee.
How Many Games in an NHL Hockey Season 2021-22
The 2021-22 NHL season maintained the traditional 82-game regular season format, representing a return to normalcy following the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign. This season began on October 12, 2021, and concluded on April 29, 2022, spanning approximately six and a half months of regular-season competition across all 32 NHL franchises.
The 2021-22 season marked the first full 82-game campaign since the 2018-19 season, as the 2019-20 season was truncated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2020-21 season was significantly shortened to accommodate health and safety protocols. The return to the full schedule was welcomed by players, teams, and fans alike, as it restored the traditional rhythm and competitive balance that defines NHL hockey.
During the 2021-22 regular season, the league successfully navigated ongoing pandemic-related challenges while maintaining the complete 82-game schedule for each team. This achievement required significant coordination between the NHL, the NHL Players’ Association, team personnel, and public health authorities to ensure games could be played safely and consistently throughout the season.
The 2021-22 season also featured the return of full-capacity crowds in most NHL arenas, marking a significant step toward normalcy after limited or no fan attendance during much of the previous two seasons. This restoration of the complete fan experience, combined with the full 82-game schedule, helped reinvigorate the league’s atmosphere and financial stability.
The regular season concluded with the Colorado Avalanche capturing the Presidents’ Trophy as the team with the best regular-season record, accumulating 119 points across their 82 games. The Avalanche’s dominant regular season performance translated into playoff success, as they ultimately won the Stanley Cup championship, demonstrating the correlation between regular season excellence and postseason achievement.
How Many Games in an NHL Hockey Season 2020-21
The 2020-21 NHL season represented one of the most unique and challenging campaigns in league history, with each team playing only 56 games instead of the traditional 82-game schedule. This significant reduction was implemented to accommodate the extensive health and safety protocols required during the COVID-19 pandemic while maintaining competitive integrity and financial viability for the league.
The shortened 56-game format was carefully designed to preserve the competitive balance and playoff structure that defines NHL hockey. The league’s scheduling committee worked extensively to create a format that would allow for meaningful regular-season competition while minimizing travel and potential virus exposure among players, coaches, and staff members.
The 2020-21 season began on January 13, 2021, representing a delayed start compared to the traditional October opening. This delay allowed the league additional time to develop and implement comprehensive health and safety protocols, including regular testing, modified travel procedures, and revised arena operations to ensure player and staff safety throughout the campaign.
One of the most significant modifications during the 2020-21 season was the creation of temporary divisional realignments designed to minimize cross-border travel between the United States and Canada. The league established four divisions: the East, Central, West, and North (all-Canadian) divisions, with teams playing exclusively within their assigned division during the regular season.
This divisional play format meant that teams faced the same opponents multiple times throughout the 56-game schedule, creating intensified rivalries and reducing the variety typically seen in NHL scheduling. While this approach limited the diversity of matchups, it proved essential for maintaining league operations during unprecedented circumstances.
The 56-game regular season concluded on May 8, 2021, with the Colorado Avalanche again earning the Presidents’ Trophy with 82 points. The shortened season demonstrated the league’s ability to adapt to extraordinary circumstances while maintaining the competitive spirit and entertainment value that define professional hockey.
How Many Games in an NHL Hockey Season 2021
The reference to the “2021” NHL season typically encompasses the 2020-21 campaign, which was one of the most dramatically altered seasons in NHL history due to the global pandemic. As previously detailed, this season featured a reduced 56-game regular season schedule, representing a 32% reduction from the traditional 82-game format.
The 2020-21 season’s unique characteristics extended beyond the reduced game count to include significant operational modifications that affected every aspect of league operations. Teams were required to implement extensive testing protocols, with players and staff undergoing regular COVID-19 testing to ensure safe participation in games and practices.
Arena operations were similarly modified, with most venues operating at significantly reduced capacity or, in many cases, with no spectators allowed. This dramatic change in atmosphere represented one of the most visible differences between the 2020-21 season and traditional NHL campaigns, as the absence of fan energy created a markedly different playing environment.
The league also implemented modified playoff formats to accommodate the shortened regular season and health protocols. The first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs featured several series played in modified “bubble” environments to minimize travel and potential virus exposure, though these restrictions were gradually relaxed as the playoffs progressed.
Despite these challenges, the 2020-21 season maintained the competitive integrity and excitement that characterize NHL hockey. The Tampa Bay Lightning successfully defended their Stanley Cup championship, defeating the Montreal Canadiens in the final to capture their second consecutive title, demonstrating that exceptional teams could excel regardless of the modified format.
NHL Season Statistics Comparison
| Season | Games Per Team | Start Date | End Date | Special Circumstances |
| 2020-21 | 56 games | January 13, 2021 | May 8, 2021 | COVID-shortened season, divisional play only |
| 2021-22 | 82 games | October 12, 2021 | April 29, 2022 | Return to full schedule post-pandemic |
| 2022-23 | 82 games | October 7, 2022 | April 13, 2023 | Standard season format |
| 2023-24 | 82 games | October 10, 2023 | April 18, 2024 | Standard season format |
| 2024-25 | 82 games | October 4, 2024 | April 17, 2025 | Current season format |
How Many Games in an NBA Season
The National Basketball Association (NBA) operates a regular season schedule consisting of 82 games per team, identical to the NHL’s current format. This similarity between the two major professional sports leagues is not coincidental, as both organizations have determined that 82 games provide an optimal balance between competitive determination and player health considerations.
The NBA’s 82-game regular season typically runs from mid-October through mid-April, spanning approximately six months of competition. This timeline closely mirrors the NHL’s schedule, though the sports are played simultaneously during the winter months, creating competition for fan attention and television viewership in many markets.
The NBA’s scheduling approach differs from the NHL’s in several key aspects, primarily due to the different nature of basketball competition and arena sharing arrangements. NBA teams typically play three to four games per week, with games usually scheduled on specific days to maximize television audience and arena utilization. The league’s scheduling committee must coordinate with NHL teams that share arenas, ensuring both sports can operate simultaneously without conflicts.
Unlike the NHL’s divisional emphasis, the NBA’s 82-game schedule is distributed more evenly across conference opponents, with teams playing each team in their conference multiple times and facing each team from the opposite conference twice during the regular season. This format provides greater variety in matchups while maintaining competitive balance within conferences.
The NBA has experimented with different regular season lengths throughout its history, including a 50-game season during the 1998-99 lockout-shortened campaign and a 72-game season during the 2020-21 COVID-affected season. However, the league has consistently returned to the 82-game format, indicating its effectiveness for determining playoff qualification and maintaining fan engagement.
How Many Games in the MLB Season
Major League Baseball (MLB) operates the longest regular season among major North American professional sports, with each team playing 162 games during the regular season. This schedule is exactly double the length of the NHL and NBA seasons, reflecting baseball’s different competitive requirements and historical traditions.
The MLB regular season typically begins in late March or early April and concludes in late September or early October, spanning approximately six months but with games played nearly every day. This intensive schedule requires teams to play six or seven games per week, with occasional days off built into the schedule for travel and rest.
Baseball’s 162-game schedule has remained relatively stable since 1961-62, when the American League expanded to ten teams. The National League adopted the same 162-game format when it expanded to ten teams in 1962, creating the current standard that has persisted for over six decades.
The extensive MLB schedule reflects baseball’s statistical nature and the sport’s emphasis on sample size for determining true talent levels. Baseball’s day-to-day variability means that a larger number of games is necessary to separate good teams from bad teams and to provide meaningful statistical comparisons between players and teams.
MLB’s scheduling philosophy emphasizes divisional play, with teams playing significantly more games against divisional opponents than non-divisional teams. This approach intensifies regional rivalries and reduces travel costs while ensuring that teams competing for the same playoff spots face similar strength of schedule challenges.
The length of the MLB season creates unique challenges for player health and roster management, as teams must navigate injuries, fatigue, and performance fluctuations across nearly six months of daily competition. This demanding schedule has led to increased emphasis on player development, depth, and strategic roster construction to maintain competitiveness throughout the extended campaign.
When Does the NHL Season Start in 2025
The 2024-25 NHL season began on October 4, 2024, following the league’s traditional early October start date that has been maintained for decades. The season opening featured carefully selected matchups designed to maximize fan interest and television viewership, including several rivalry games and marquee matchups between star players and successful franchises.
Looking ahead to the 2025-26 NHL season, the league typically announces its schedule during the summer preceding each campaign, with the season expected to begin in early October 2025. The exact start date will depend on various factors, including arena availability, television broadcast requirements, and any potential schedule modifications related to international competitions or special events.
The NHL’s scheduling process begins months in advance, with the league’s scheduling committee working closely with teams, broadcast partners, and arena operators to create a balanced and competitive schedule. This process must accommodate numerous constraints, including arena sharing arrangements with NBA teams, concert and event bookings, and the complex logistics of organizing travel for 32 teams across North America.
The 2025-26 season will likely maintain the current 82-game format unless extraordinary circumstances require modifications. The league has demonstrated its commitment to this schedule length through its consistent return to 82 games following any disruptions, indicating that this format provides the optimal balance of competitive determination and practical considerations.
Fans and teams can expect the 2025-26 season to begin during the first or second week of October 2025, with the exact date to be announced during the summer of 2025. The league typically releases its complete schedule several months before the season begins, allowing teams and fans to plan accordingly for the upcoming campaign.
Key Factors Influencing NHL Season Structure
Several critical factors influence the NHL’s season structure and scheduling decisions, each playing a vital role in determining how the league organizes its 82-game regular season format. These considerations reflect the complex balance between competitive integrity, financial viability, player safety, and fan engagement that must be maintained throughout each campaign.
Arena sharing arrangements represent one of the most significant scheduling challenges facing the NHL. Many NHL teams share their home venues with NBA franchises, requiring careful coordination to ensure both leagues can operate simultaneously without conflicts. This constraint often dictates specific dates when teams can and cannot play home games, creating a complex puzzle for the league’s scheduling committee to solve while maintaining competitive balance.
Television broadcast requirements also play a crucial role in determining game scheduling and timing. The NHL’s partnerships with national and regional broadcast networks require the league to schedule games at specific times and on particular days to maximize viewership and advertising revenue.
Player safety and fatigue management have become increasingly important factors in modern NHL scheduling. The league has implemented guidelines regarding back-to-back games, travel scheduling, and rest periods to minimize injury risk and maintain competitive quality throughout the season. These considerations sometimes require schedule modifications that prioritize player health over other logistical preferences.
International competition and special events occasionally require schedule adjustments that can affect the regular season format. The NHL has historically paused its season to accommodate Winter Olympic participation, though recent disagreements have prevented this cooperation. The league also schedules special events such as outdoor games and international series that may require schedule modifications.
The combination of these factors creates a complex scheduling environment that requires extensive planning and coordination to execute successfully. The NHL’s ability to maintain a consistent 82-game schedule while accommodating these various constraints demonstrates the organization’s sophisticated approach to league operations and its commitment to providing a competitive and entertaining product for fans worldwide.
