2011–12 NHL season
Encyclopedia
The 2011–12 NHL season is the 95th season of operation (94th season of play) of the National Hockey League
(NHL). It is the fifth consecutive season that opens in Europe
with NHL Premiere games. As with the previous season, three events are scheduled: two games will be held in Stockholm
, Sweden
; one game in Helsinki
, Finland
; and one game in Berlin
, Germany
. The season began on October 6, 2011 with the final regular season game on April 7, 2012. The 59th All-Star Game
will be held at Scotiabank Place
in Ottawa, Ontario, the home arena of the Ottawa Senators
, on January 29, 2012.
During the off-season, the Atlanta Thrashers
relocated to Winnipeg
, Manitoba
to become the Winnipeg Jets
. It was the first NHL team relocation since the 1997–98 NHL season when the Hartford Whalers
relocated to become the Carolina Hurricanes
. The league did not change its divisional structure to accommodate the move, and the Jets take the place of the Thrashers in the Southeast Division. Three 'enforcer'-type players died during the off-season: Derek Boogaard
, Rick Rypien
, and Wade Belak
, leading to speculation about the effect of fighting on the mental health of players. Several former NHL players died in the September 7, 2011 plane crash
involving the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
hockey team in Russia
. Among the notables who perished in the plane crash included longtime NHL player and assistant coach Brad McCrimmon
, former NHL players Alexander Karpovtsev
and Igor Korolev
, NHL All-Star Pavol Demitra
, and NHL veterans Karel Rachunek
, Ruslan Salei
, Karlis Skrastins
and Josef Vasicek
.
, which previously owned the Atlanta Thrashers
, sold the team to True North Sports and Entertainment. True North has announced that the team will be relocated to True North-owned MTS Centre
in Winnipeg, Manitoba and renamed the Winnipeg Jets
, after a previous NHL team in the market. Winnipeg will take Atlanta's place in the Southeast Division for 2011-12; the league decided to delay any possible re-alignment until 2012 at the earliest.
The Edmonton Oilers
unveiled a new away uniform parallel to their 'retro' home uniform used from 1979 to 1996 (blue) & 1979 to 1997 (white).
The Nashville Predators
unveiled new home and away uniforms on June 22, complete with the updated saber-toothed cat
logo. Their use of gold as the home colors marked the first time since 1998 that an NHL team wore gold in their home uniforms.
The Florida Panthers
made minor changes to their home uniform, using red as the primary and relegating navy blue as a trim color.
The Los Angeles Kings
returned to the silver and black motif they used from 1988 to 1998, by designating their alternate home black and silver uniform as a regular uniform and unveiling a new white away uniform with black and silver trim.
The Ottawa Senators
unveiled a new alternate home uniform based on the original Senators
barber pole design. The uniform does not use the Roman centurion logo, instead using an outlined 'O' on stripes. The Senators' uniform will also have an All-Star Game patch.
The Pittsburgh Penguins
promoted their dark blue uniforms, worn during the 2011 NHL Winter Classic
, as the home alternates, replacing the 2008 NHL Winter Classic alternates.
The Tampa Bay Lightning
unveiled new home and road uniforms, featuring the simplified lightning logo. Originally the uniforms were simply blue and white, but by popular demand, black was added as a trim color to the uniform numbers, and added the lightning bolt to the pants. The 'Bolts' alternate home uniform was retained.
The Toronto Maple Leafs
unveiled a new alternate home uniform based on the Leafs uniforms worn during their run to the 1967 Stanley Cup title
, including the 11-point maple leaf
logo.
The Washington Capitals
also promoted their 2011 NHL Winter Classic retro uniforms as their road alternates.
The new Winnipeg Jets
unveiled uniforms consisting of navy with silver and light blue trim, containing a logo based on the roundel
of the Royal Canadian Air Force
; these were significantly different from, but in a similar color scheme to, the original Jets uniforms.
The New York Islanders
unveiled a new black alternate uniform, featuring the team name above the player's number, a similar template the Dallas Stars
' uniforms currently use. Speaking of the Stars, they officially retired their alternate away jersey featuring the team crest, instead using their regular away jerseys with the city name and number in front for all 41 road games.
The New York Rangers
and Philadelphia Flyers
will wear special commemorative uniforms for the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
. The Flyers unveiled theirs on November 21, and is in a classic sweater design in orange featuring black numbers and different striping patterns on the yoke. The Rangers unveiled theirs on November 28, and features a mix of designs used from previous jerseys. The shield logo in front is a variation of the logos used during the 1930s-1940s, while the shoulder, arm and tail striping was taken from the current jersey. The jersey is in vintage white.
In addition several teams will sport memorial patches throughout the season; unless specified, the patches will be seen on the team helmets:
Furthermore, a new league-wide rule required that player numbers be displayed on the front of their helmets, as well as on the back.
Even though the New Jersey Devils
and the Phoenix Coyotes
unveiled anniversary logos commemorating their 30th and 15th anniversaries of their respective relocations from Colorado
and Winnipeg, they opted not to use them on their uniforms or helmets.
, Los Angeles Kings
and New York Rangers
made their second trip to Europe while the Buffalo Sabres
made its first trip. On October 7, Anaheim played Buffalo at Hartwall Areena
in Helsinki
, Finland
and Los Angeles faced New York at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm
, Sweden
. All four teams played again on October 8 with Los Angeles against Buffalo at the O2 World Arena in Berlin
, Germany
and Anaheim against New York in Stockholm.
in 2011. The game, which was sponsored by Discover
, featured the Boston Bruins
(who have traditionally hosted Black Friday
matinees since 1990) hosting the Detroit Red Wings
, with Detroit winning the game in a shootout, 3–2.
will be held at the Citizens Bank Park
baseball
stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
on Monday, January 2, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. This season, the Philadelphia Flyers
are hosting the New York Rangers
. It will be the first Winter Classic game for the Rangers and the second for the Flyers. Philadelphia last played in the 2010 NHL Winter Classic
against the Boston Bruins
at Fenway Park
in Boston
, Massachusetts
. The Bruins won that game in overtime by a score of 2–1 on a goal scored by Marco Sturm
.
This is the first time that the Winter Classic will not be played on New Year's Day
, which falls on a Sunday in 2012. If the Winter Classic was held on New Years' Day, it would have conflicted with the final game of the National Football League
season
(in which the Philadelphia Eagles
are scheduled to host the Washington Redskins
at nearby Lincoln Financial Field
at 1pm EST) and the annual Mummers Parade
in downtown Philadelphia. The Flyers–Rangers rivalry is one of the NHL's most frequently televised on major television networks, and one that was televised three times on NBC in 2011, including the inaugural Hockey Day in America.
No Heritage Classic
is going to be played this season, but it may be played next season, according to reports.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
at the end of games played on November 30 while playing at least 480 minutes.
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage
; GAA = Goals against average
Mike Grier, Buffalo Sabres
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). It is the fifth consecutive season that opens in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with NHL Premiere games. As with the previous season, three events are scheduled: two games will be held in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
; one game in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
; and one game in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The season began on October 6, 2011 with the final regular season game on April 7, 2012. The 59th All-Star Game
59th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 59th National Hockey League All-Star Game, also known as the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL® All-Star Game is scheduled for January 29, 2012 at Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada...
will be held at Scotiabank Place
Scotiabank Place
Scotiabank Place is a multi-purpose arena, located in Kanata, a suburban district of Ottawa, Ontario. It is home to the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. It has also hosted the Canadian University Men's Basketball Championship...
in Ottawa, Ontario, the home arena of the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, on January 29, 2012.
During the off-season, the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
relocated to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
to become the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
. It was the first NHL team relocation since the 1997–98 NHL season when the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
relocated to become the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
. The league did not change its divisional structure to accommodate the move, and the Jets take the place of the Thrashers in the Southeast Division. Three 'enforcer'-type players died during the off-season: Derek Boogaard
Derek Boogaard
Derek Leendert Boogaard was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He was of Flemish descent. Known primarily as a fighter and enforcer, his nicknames included "Boogeyman" and "The Mountie"...
, Rick Rypien
Rick Rypien
Rick Joseph Rypien was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who spent parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks. After a major junior career of four years with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, he was signed by the minor professional Manitoba...
, and Wade Belak
Wade Belak
Wade Belak was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and defenceman. He was drafted 12th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...
, leading to speculation about the effect of fighting on the mental health of players. Several former NHL players died in the September 7, 2011 plane crash
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash
The Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash occurred at 16:05 MT on Wednesday, 7 September 2011, when a Yak-Service Yakovlev Yak-42, carrying the players and coaching staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional ice hockey team, crashed near the Russian city of Yaroslavl...
involving the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Hockey Club Lokomotiv , also known as Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, is a Russian professional ice hockey team based in Yaroslavl. The name of the team is derived from its owner, Russian Railways, the national railroad operator....
hockey team in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Among the notables who perished in the plane crash included longtime NHL player and assistant coach Brad McCrimmon
Brad McCrimmon
Byron Brad McCrimmon from Plenty, Saskatchewan, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. McCrimmon played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1979 and 1997. From 1997 to his death, he was a coach, ultimately with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League...
, former NHL players Alexander Karpovtsev
Alexander Karpovtsev
Alexander Karpovtsev was a Russian ice hockey player and later an assistant coach for Ak Bars Kazan and Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League...
and Igor Korolev
Igor Korolev
Igor Borisovich Korolev was a Russian/Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Korolev played over 700 games in the National Hockey League from 1992 until 2004. Korolev returned to Russia, and played a further seven seasons in the Russian Super League and the Kontinental Hockey League ...
, NHL All-Star Pavol Demitra
Pavol Demitra
Pavol Demitra was a Slovak professional ice hockey player. He played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League , two in the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League /Slovak Extraliga and one in the Kontinental Hockey League . Known as an offensive player, Demitra was a first- or second-line...
, and NHL veterans Karel Rachunek
Karel Rachunek
Karel Rachůnek was a Czech professional ice hockey player. Rachunek was the captain of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League when the team's plane crashed on September 7, 2011. He played eight seasons in North America in the National Hockey League...
, Ruslan Salei
Ruslan Salei
Ruslan Albertovich "Rusty" Salei was a Belarusian professional ice hockey player. Salei played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who selected him ninth overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft...
, Karlis Skrastins
Karlis Skrastinš
Kārlis Skrastiņš was a Latvian professional ice hockey player. Skrastins was a member of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League and was on board the team plane which crashed on September 7, 2011...
and Josef Vasicek
Josef Vasicek
Josef Vašíček was a Czech professional ice hockey player. Vasicek last played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League and died when the team's aircraft charter crashed on September 7, 2011...
.
Franchise relocation
Atlanta Spirit, LLCAtlanta Spirit, LLC
Atlanta Spirit, LLC is an Atlanta, Georgia-based partnership who owned the NBA's Atlanta Hawks and their home arena, Philips Arena. The seven partners who comprise the group are Michael Gearon, Jr., Bruce Levenson, Ed Peskowitz, J. Rutherford Seydel, Todd Foreman, J. Michael Gearon, Sr., and Beau...
, which previously owned the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
, sold the team to True North Sports and Entertainment. True North has announced that the team will be relocated to True North-owned MTS Centre
MTS Centre
The MTS Centre is an indoor sports arena and entertainment venue in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and home of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League. It is located on the former Eaton's site and is owned and operated by True North Sports & Entertainment. The 440,000 square feet ...
in Winnipeg, Manitoba and renamed the Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
, after a previous NHL team in the market. Winnipeg will take Atlanta's place in the Southeast Division for 2011-12; the league decided to delay any possible re-alignment until 2012 at the earliest.
Salary cap
On June 23, 2011, the NHL announced that the salary cap would be increased by $4.9 million. As a result, the new salary cap ceiling is set at $64.3 million while the salary cap floor is $48.3 million.Uniform changes
Several teams announced plans to change their uniforms in the 2011–12 season.The Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
unveiled a new away uniform parallel to their 'retro' home uniform used from 1979 to 1996 (blue) & 1979 to 1997 (white).
The Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
unveiled new home and away uniforms on June 22, complete with the updated saber-toothed cat
Saber-toothed cat
Saber-toothed cat or Sabre-toothed cat refers to the extinct subfamilies of Machairodontinae , Barbourofelidae , and Nimravidae as well as two families related to marsupials that were found worldwide from the Eocene Epoch to the end of the Pleistocene Epoch ,...
logo. Their use of gold as the home colors marked the first time since 1998 that an NHL team wore gold in their home uniforms.
The Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
made minor changes to their home uniform, using red as the primary and relegating navy blue as a trim color.
The Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
returned to the silver and black motif they used from 1988 to 1998, by designating their alternate home black and silver uniform as a regular uniform and unveiling a new white away uniform with black and silver trim.
The Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
unveiled a new alternate home uniform based on the original Senators
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
barber pole design. The uniform does not use the Roman centurion logo, instead using an outlined 'O' on stripes. The Senators' uniform will also have an All-Star Game patch.
The Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
promoted their dark blue uniforms, worn during the 2011 NHL Winter Classic
2011 NHL Winter Classic
The 2011 NHL Winter Classic was the fourth edition of the annual outdoor ice hockey game held by the National Hockey League as a regular season game. The Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA on January 1, 2011 at 8:00 p.m...
, as the home alternates, replacing the 2008 NHL Winter Classic alternates.
The Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
unveiled new home and road uniforms, featuring the simplified lightning logo. Originally the uniforms were simply blue and white, but by popular demand, black was added as a trim color to the uniform numbers, and added the lightning bolt to the pants. The 'Bolts' alternate home uniform was retained.
The Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
unveiled a new alternate home uniform based on the Leafs uniforms worn during their run to the 1967 Stanley Cup title
1967 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1967 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven series played between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs would win the series four games to two to win their thirteenth Stanley Cup...
, including the 11-point maple leaf
Maple leaf
The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree, and is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada.-Use in Canada:At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the settlements of New France had attained a population of about 18,000...
logo.
The Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
also promoted their 2011 NHL Winter Classic retro uniforms as their road alternates.
The new Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
unveiled uniforms consisting of navy with silver and light blue trim, containing a logo based on the roundel
Roundel
A roundel in heraldry is a disc; the term is also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of different colours.-Heraldry:...
of the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
; these were significantly different from, but in a similar color scheme to, the original Jets uniforms.
The New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
unveiled a new black alternate uniform, featuring the team name above the player's number, a similar template the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
' uniforms currently use. Speaking of the Stars, they officially retired their alternate away jersey featuring the team crest, instead using their regular away jerseys with the city name and number in front for all 41 road games.
The New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
and Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
will wear special commemorative uniforms for the 2012 NHL Winter Classic
2012 NHL Winter Classic
The 2012 NHL Winter Classic will be played on Monday, January 2, 2012. The fifth annual outdoor regular season National Hockey League game will be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies with the host Philadelphia Flyers playing against their...
. The Flyers unveiled theirs on November 21, and is in a classic sweater design in orange featuring black numbers and different striping patterns on the yoke. The Rangers unveiled theirs on November 28, and features a mix of designs used from previous jerseys. The shield logo in front is a variation of the logos used during the 1930s-1940s, while the shoulder, arm and tail striping was taken from the current jersey. The jersey is in vintage white.
In addition several teams will sport memorial patches throughout the season; unless specified, the patches will be seen on the team helmets:
- Anaheim DucksAnaheim DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
- Ruslan SaleiRuslan SaleiRuslan Albertovich "Rusty" Salei was a Belarusian professional ice hockey player. Salei played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who selected him ninth overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft...
(24) memorial on uniforms - Carolina HurricanesCarolina HurricanesThe Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
- Josef VasicekJosef VasicekJosef Vašíček was a Czech professional ice hockey player. Vasicek last played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League and died when the team's aircraft charter crashed on September 7, 2011...
(63) memorial; worn on uniforms - Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
- Brad McCrimmonBrad McCrimmonByron Brad McCrimmon from Plenty, Saskatchewan, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. McCrimmon played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1979 and 1997. From 1997 to his death, he was a coach, ultimately with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League...
, Ruslan SaleiRuslan SaleiRuslan Albertovich "Rusty" Salei was a Belarusian professional ice hockey player. Salei played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who selected him ninth overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft...
, and Stefan LivStefan LivStefan Daniel Patryk Liv was a Polish-born Swedish professional ice hockey player. Liv played professionally in Sweden, North America and Russia. Liv played nine seasons for HV71 in Sweden. He played one season of minor league hockey in North America then returned to Europe...
(BM·RS·SL) memorial; worn on uniforms - Minnesota WildMinnesota WildThe Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
- Pavol DemitraPavol DemitraPavol Demitra was a Slovak professional ice hockey player. He played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League , two in the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League /Slovak Extraliga and one in the Kontinental Hockey League . Known as an offensive player, Demitra was a first- or second-line...
(38) and Derek BoogaardDerek BoogaardDerek Leendert Boogaard was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played for the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League . He was of Flemish descent. Known primarily as a fighter and enforcer, his nicknames included "Boogeyman" and "The Mountie"...
(24) memorials - Nashville PredatorsNashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
- Wade BelakWade BelakWade Belak was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and defenceman. He was drafted 12th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft...
(3) memorial - New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
- 40th anniversary of the franchise; worn on uniforms - New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
- Derek Boogaard (94) memorial - Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
- Rick RypienRick RypienRick Joseph Rypien was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who spent parts of six seasons in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks. After a major junior career of four years with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, he was signed by the minor professional Manitoba...
(37) memorial - Winnipeg JetsWinnipeg JetsThe Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
- Rick Rypien (RR) memorial
Furthermore, a new league-wide rule required that player numbers be displayed on the front of their helmets, as well as on the back.
Even though the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
unveiled anniversary logos commemorating their 30th and 15th anniversaries of their respective relocations from Colorado
Colorado Rockies (NHL)
The Colorado Rockies were an American professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League that played in Denver, Colorado, from 1976 to 1982. They were a relocation of the Kansas City Scouts, a 1974 expansion team. The franchise moved to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1982 and was...
and Winnipeg, they opted not to use them on their uniforms or helmets.
Boarding
Prior to the 2011–12 NHL season the Board of Governors unanimously agreed to update and re-word rule 41 involving boarding penalties. The new wording requires the player delivering the check to avoid or minimize contact if the opponent is defenseless.Illegal hits to the head
The Board of Governors also approved an update to rule 48 involving illegal checks to the head. The new rule will penalize all hits where the head is the principal point of contact. The previous version of this rule only made checks from the blindside illegal. However, determination if the check is legal will depend on various factors including whether or not the player put himself in a vulnerable position or if the hit was unavoidable. A two-minute minor penalty, or a match penalty in the event the hit was deemed to be deliberate with intent to injure, may be assessed.European exhibition games
The four teams going to Europe to open their regular seasons there as part of the NHL Premiere games also played exhibition games against European teams under the banner of NHL Premiere Challenge to close out their pre-seasons. The NHL teams had an overall record of 6–1–0 against the European teams, with the New York Rangers, playing four games in five days in four countries, having a record of 3–1–0.| Date | City | NHL team | European team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 29 | Prague Prague Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million... , Czech Republic |
New York Rangers | HC Sparta Praha HC Sparta Praha HC Sparta Praha is a Prague based Czech ice hockey team playing in Czech Extraliga.-Team History:Founded in 1903 by Canadian expatriate Lyle P. O'Connor, HC Sparta Praha was among the first bandy teams to play on a semi-professional level in the Austro-Hungarian Empire... |
2–0 |
| September 30 | Gothenburg Gothenburg Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area... , Sweden |
New York Rangers | Frölunda HC Frölunda HC Frölunda Hockey Club, also known as the Frölunda Indians, are a Swedish professional ice hockey club based in Gothenburg. They are currently playing in the highest Swedish league, Elitserien, where they have played the majority of the seasons during its existence. The last time they played in the... |
4–2 |
| October 2 | Bratislava Bratislava Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava... , Slovakia |
New York Rangers | HC Slovan Bratislava HC Slovan Bratislava Hockey Club Slovan Bratislava is a professional ice hockey team in the Slovak Extraliga from the Slovak capital Bratislava. They play their home games at Samsung Arena.... |
4–1 |
| October 3 | Zug Zug Zug , is a German-speaking city in Switzerland. The name ‘Zug’ originates from fishing vocabulary; in the Middle Ages it referred to the right to ‘pull up’ fishing nets and hence to the right to fish.The city of Zug is located in the Canton of Zug and is its capital... , Switzerland |
New York Rangers | EV Zug EV Zug EV Zug is a professional men's ice hockey team from Zug, Switzerland. They are a current member of National League A and play their home games at Bossard Arena.-History:EV Zug won its lone championship in the 1997–98 season.... |
4–8 |
| October 4 | Helsinki Helsinki Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is... , Finland |
Anaheim Ducks | Helsinki Jokerit Jokerit Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships... |
4–3 OT |
| October 4 | Hamburg Hamburg -History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808... , Germany |
Los Angeles Kings | Hamburg Freezers Hamburg Freezers The Hamburg Freezers are a member of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga that play their games in Hamburg, Germany. Originally known as the Munich Barons from 1999 until 2002, team owner Philip Anschutz relocated the franchise to Hamburg for financial reasons on 3 June 2002, and renamed the team the... |
5–4 |
| October 4 | Mannheim Mannheim Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart.... , Germany |
Buffalo Sabres | Adler Mannheim Adler Mannheim Adler Mannheim are an ice hockey team of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest ice hockey league in Germany. The team is from Mannheim, a city in the north of Baden-Wurttemberg... |
8–3 |
Premiere games
Four teams participated in the 2011 Compuware NHL Premiere in Europe. The Anaheim DucksAnaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
and New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
made their second trip to Europe while the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
made its first trip. On October 7, Anaheim played Buffalo at Hartwall Areena
Hartwall Areena
Hartwall Areena is a large multifunctional indoor arena located in Helsinki, Finland...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Los Angeles faced New York at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. All four teams played again on October 8 with Los Angeles against Buffalo at the O2 World Arena in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Anaheim against New York in Stockholm.
Thanksgiving Showdown
As part of the league's updated television contract, the NHL debuted the Thanksgiving Showdown, a nationally broadcast game, on the day after American ThanksgivingThanksgiving (United States)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...
in 2011. The game, which was sponsored by Discover
Discover Card
The Discover Card is a major credit card, issued primarily in the United States. It was originally introduced by Sears in 1985, and was part of Dean Witter, and then Morgan Stanley, until 2007, when Discover Financial Services became an independent company. Novus, a major processing center, used to...
, featured the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
(who have traditionally hosted Black Friday
Black Friday (shopping)
Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. On this day, most major retailers open extremely early, often at 4 a.m., or earlier, and offer promotional sales to kick off the shopping season, similar to Boxing...
matinees since 1990) hosting the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, with Detroit winning the game in a shootout, 3–2.
2012 Winter Classic
The 2012 NHL Winter Classic2012 NHL Winter Classic
The 2012 NHL Winter Classic will be played on Monday, January 2, 2012. The fifth annual outdoor regular season National Hockey League game will be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies with the host Philadelphia Flyers playing against their...
will be held at the Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on Monday, January 2, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. This season, the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
are hosting the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. It will be the first Winter Classic game for the Rangers and the second for the Flyers. Philadelphia last played in the 2010 NHL Winter Classic
2010 NHL Winter Classic
The 2010 NHL Winter Classic, known as the 2010 NHL Winter Classic presented by Bridgestone via corporate sponsorship, was the third edition of the NHL Winter Classic, an annual outdoor ice hockey game held by the National Hockey League , played on January 1, 2010, as a regular season game at...
against the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The Bruins won that game in overtime by a score of 2–1 on a goal scored by Marco Sturm
Marco Sturm
Marco Johann Sturm is a German professional ice hockey winger with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League . Sturm began his career with EV Landshut of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, playing with the team from 1995 to 1997. Selected 21st overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose...
.
This is the first time that the Winter Classic will not be played on New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
, which falls on a Sunday in 2012. If the Winter Classic was held on New Years' Day, it would have conflicted with the final game of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
season
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
(in which the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
are scheduled to host the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
at nearby Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
at 1pm EST) and the annual Mummers Parade
Mummers Parade
The Mummers Parade is held each New Year's Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Local clubs compete in one of four categories . They prepare elaborate costumes and moveable scenery, which take months to complete...
in downtown Philadelphia. The Flyers–Rangers rivalry is one of the NHL's most frequently televised on major television networks, and one that was televised three times on NBC in 2011, including the inaugural Hockey Day in America.
No Heritage Classic
Heritage Classic
The Heritage Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played on November 22, 2003, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first National Hockey League game to be played outdoors as a part of regular season play...
is going to be played this season, but it may be played next season, according to reports.
Standings
Each of the 30 teams will play an 82-game season of an unbalanced schedule. Teams play six games against division opponents; four games against other conference opponents; and one or two games against teams of the other conference. The first-place teams in each division place first, second and third in the conference standings. The top five finishers from the rest of the teams in each conference will also qualify for the playoffs, making a total of eight playoff teams in each conference.Scoring leaders
The following players lead the league in points at the conclusion of games played on November 30, 2011.GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
25 | 16 | 16 | 32 | +1 | 8 | |
| Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
25 | 12 | 18 | 30 | +4 | 30 | |
| Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
23 | 13 | 16 | 29 | +3 | 14 | |
| Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
24 | 12 | 15 | 27 | +5 | 22 | |
| Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
25 | 11 | 16 | 27 | +4 | 6 | |
| Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
24 | 7 | 20 | 27 | +8 | 20 | |
| Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the... |
24 | 16 | 10 | 26 | +7 | 26 | |
| Florida Panthers Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the... |
24 | 12 | 14 | 26 | +12 | 12 | |
| Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
24 | 9 | 17 | 26 | +2 | 4 | |
| Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
25 | 9 | 17 | 26 | +2 | 6 |
Leading goaltenders
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against averageGoals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
at the end of games played on November 30 while playing at least 480 minutes.
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage
Save percentage
Save percentage is an ice hockey and lacrosse statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal a goaltender stops...
; GAA = Goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
| Player | Team | GP | Min | W | L | OT | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Blues St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade... |
12 | 686:17 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 3 | .951 | 1.31 | |
| Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
20 | 1186:14 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 37 | 3 | .929 | 1.87 | |
| Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
17 | 991:08 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 31 | 2 | .935 | 1.88 | |
| Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
13 | 715:26 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 2 | .937 | 1.93 | |
| Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
17 | 965:08 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 3 | .936 | 1.93 | |
| Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
20 | 1220:48 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 41 | 4 | .933 | 2.01 | |
| New York Islanders New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
9 | 523:08 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 0 | .933 | 2.07 | |
| Minnesota Wild Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
17 | 995:46 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 33 | 2 | .932 | 2.07 | |
| New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
17 | 1027:51 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 2 | .933 | 2.10 | |
| Minnesota Wild Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
10 | 572:08 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 1 | .933 | 2.10 |
First Games
The following is a list of notable players who played their first NHL game in 2011–12, listed with their first team:- Ryan Nugent-HopkinsRyan Nugent-HopkinsRyan Jeremy Noel Nugent-Hopkins is a Canadian ice hockey centre for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. He was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.-Hockey career:...
, Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
Last games
The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2011–12, listed with their team:Mike Grier, Buffalo Sabres
Major milestones reached
- On October 20, 2011, Montreal CanadiensMontreal CanadiensThe Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
defenseman Hal GillHal GillHarold Priestley "Hal" Gill III is an American professional ice hockey defenseman and an alternate captain of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
participated in his 1,000th NHL game. - On October 21, 2011, San Jose SharksSan Jose SharksThe San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
forward Joe ThorntonJoe ThorntonJoseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, five as its Captain. During the...
participated in his 1,000th NHL game. - On October 22, 2011, Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red WingsThe Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
defenseman Nicklas LidstromNicklas LidströmNicklas Erik Lidström is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman who has played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings, and is their captain...
participated in his 1,500th NHL game. He became the first European born (and 14th overall) player to play 1,500 NHL games. - On November 16, 2011, New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey DevilsThe New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
forward Dainius ZubrusDainius ZubrusDainius Gintas Zubrus is a Lithuanian professional ice hockey right winger and center currently playing for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League...
participated in his 1,000th NHL game. - On November 25, 2011, Columbus Blue JacketsColumbus Blue JacketsThe Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
forward Vaclav ProspalVaclav ProspalVáclav "Vinny" Prospal is a Czech professional ice hockey left winger who is currently a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
See also
- 2011–12 NHL transactions2011–12 NHL transactionsThe following is a list of all team-to-team transactions that have occurred in the National Hockey League during the 2011–12 NHL season. It lists what team each player has been traded to, signed by, or claimed by, and for which player or draft pick, if applicable...
- 2011–12 NHL suspensions and fines2011–12 NHL suspensions and finesThe following is a list of all suspensions and fines enforced in the National Hockey League during the 2011–12 NHL season. It lists which players or coaches of what team have been punished for which offense and the amount of punishment they have received....
- 2011 NHL Entry Draft2011 NHL Entry DraftThe 2011 NHL Entry Draft was the 49th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 24–25, 2011, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was the first time the Draft was held in the state of Minnesota since the Minnesota North Stars hosted the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.The top three picks consisted...
- 2011 in sports2011 in sports2011 in sports will describe the year's events in world sport.-Alpine Skiing:* October 23, 2010 – March 20, 2011 –2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup**Men Overall Title: Ivica Kostelić of Croatia**Women Overall Title: Maria Riesch of Germany...
- 2012 in sports2012 in sports2012 in sports will describe the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 9 – 2012 BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans* February 5 – Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis-Aquatics:...
- List of 2011–12 NHL Three Star Awards