With this week's release of the regular season schedule for the NHL's 107th season of operation (106th season of actual play), it's a good time to consider this season's offering in the historical context of the number of participating teams and regular season games played since the league's inception 106 years ago.
Years
|
Games | Teams |
Years
|
Games | Teams | |
| 1917-1918 |
22
|
4
|
1978-1979 |
80
|
17
|
|
| 1918-1919 |
18
|
3
|
1979-1991 |
80
|
21
|
|
| 1919-1924 |
24
|
4
|
1991-1992 |
80
|
22
|
|
| 1924-1925 |
30
|
6
|
1992-1993 |
84
|
24
|
|
| 1925-1926 |
36
|
7
|
1993-1994 |
84
|
26
|
|
| 1926-1931 |
44
|
10
|
1994-1995 |
48
|
26
|
|
| 1931-1932 |
48
|
8
|
1995-1998 |
82
|
26
|
|
| 1932-1935 |
48
|
9
|
1998-2000 |
82
|
28
|
|
| 1935-1938 |
48
|
8
|
2000-2004 |
82
|
30
|
|
| 1938-1942 |
48
|
7
|
2004-2005 |
0
|
30
|
|
| 1942-1946 |
50
|
6
|
2005-2012 |
82
|
30
|
|
| 1946-1949 |
60
|
6
|
2012-2013 |
48
|
30
|
|
| 1949-1967 |
70
|
6
|
2013-2017 |
82
|
30
|
|
| 1967-1968 |
74
|
12
|
2017-2020 |
82
|
31
|
|
| 1968-1970 |
76
|
12
|
2020-2021 | 56
|
31
|
|
| 1970-1972 |
78
|
14
|
2021-2024 | 82
|
32
|
|
| 1972-1974 |
78
|
16
|
||||
| 1974-1978 |
80
|
18
|
Rising from 3 to 32 teams and 18 to 84 games since 1918, the NHL regular season now sits at 32 teams playing a 82 times a piece for a total of 1,312 games. Aside from three work stoppages - abbreviating, canceling and abbreviating the proceedings respectively (1994-1995, 2004-2005, 2012-2013), a fire finishing a team (Montreal Wanderers) part-way through the year (1917-1918), and COVID-19 suspending the 2019-2020 season and abbreviating the 2020-2021 season, most NHL regular season schedules have been played as planned with few, if any, interruptions.
Amidst endless stories of financially troubled clubs, the league has done well to quell rumors of NHL relocation, embracing NHL expansion in Las Vegas (2017-2018) and Seattle (2021-2022) to achieve a 32 team league with division and conference balance.
On the heels of 2013's NHL realignment, expect regular season length to remain at 82 games for the foreseeable future in order to preserve their commitment to extended divisional play, every team visiting every rink each year, and the pursuit of the all-mighty dollar which directly influences player salaries.
* See also Fewest And Most Games Needed to Win Stanley Cup.
* See also NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Length By Days And Games.
* See also History of NHL Expansion.
* See also History of NHL Relocation.
* See also History of NHL Contraction.
* See also History of NHL Team Renaming.
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