2014-15 NHL season

The 2014–15 NHL season was 98th season of operation and the 97th season of play. The regular season lasted from October 8, 2014 to April 11, 2015.

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 4 ft (1.2m) 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-scrap 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.

Outdoor Games

 * 2015 Winter Classic held at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on January 1, 2015. The game featured the Washington Capitals hosting the Chicago Blackhawks in front of a crowd of 42,832 that saw the Capitals win 3-2 with Troy Brouwer scoring the winning power-play goal with 13 seconds left in regulation.
 * 2015 Stadium Series was held February 21, 2015 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The game matched up the Los Angeles Kings playing the San Jose Sharks.  The Kings won 2-1 in front of a crowd of 70, 205. The event coincided with Hockey Day in America.

All Star Game
The Columbus Blue Jackets hosted the 60th National Hockey League All-Star Game at the Nationwide Arena on January 25, 2015. Team Toews defeated Team Foligno 17-12. The city was originally scheduled to host the 2013 edition of the game but that was cancelled due to the 2012-13 NHL lockout and no game was scheduled for 2014 as NHL players participated in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

The game set records for:


 * most goals by one team (17)
 * most goals by both teams (29)
 * Most goals in a single period by both teams (11) (2nd period)
 * Fastest back to back goals: Ryan Suter and Claude Giroux (8 seconds)
 * Fastest 3 goals scored
 * Fastest 4 goals scored

Misc.
The league had two games postponed for very different reasons:
 * On October 22nd the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators was postponed due to the shootings at Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario located near where the Maple Leafs team was staying at a hotel.
 * The November 22nd game between the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers was postponed as result of an unprecidented storm that devilered anywhere from 4 to 8.5 feet (1.22- 2.23 meters) of snow in the western New York Region.

Standings
x-clinched playoff berth, y-clinched division title, z-clinched conference title, p-clinched President's Trophy

Eastern Conference First Round

 * Montreal Canadiens defeated Ottawa Senators 4 games to 2 (4-3, 3-2 (ot), 2-1 (ot), 0-1, 1-5, 2-0)
 * Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Detroit Red Wings 4 games to 3 (2-3, 5-1, 0-3, 3-2 (ot), 0-4, 5-2, 2-0)
 * New York Rangers defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4 games to 1 (2-1, 3-4, 2-1, 2-1 (ot), 2-1 (ot))
 * Washington Capitals defeated New York Islanders 4 games to 3 (1-4, 4-3, 1-2 (ot), 2-1 (ot), 5-1, 1-3, 2-1)

Western Conference First Round

 * Minnesota Wild defeated St. Louis Blues 4 games to 2 (4-2, 1-4, 3-0, 1-6, 4-1, 4-1)
 * Chicago Blackhawks defeated Nashville Predators 4 games to 3 (4-3 (2ot), 2-6, 4-2, 3-2 (3ot), 2-5, 4-3)
 * Anaheim Ducks defeated Winnipeg Jets 4 games to none (4-2, 2-1, 5-4 (ot), 5-2)
 * Calgary Flames defeated Vancouver Canucks 4 games to 2 (2-1, 1-4, 4-2, 3-1, 1-2, 7-4)

Eastern Conference Semifinals

 * Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Montreal Canadiens 4 games to 2 (2-1 (2ot), 6-2, 2-1, 2-6, 1-2, 4-1)
 * New York Rangers defeated Washington Capitals 4 games to 3 (1-2, 3-2, 0-1, 1-2, 2-1 (ot), 4-3, 2-1 (ot)

Western Conference Semifinals

 * Chicago Blackhawks defeated Minnesota Wild 4 games to none (4-3, 4-1, 1-0, 4-3)
 * Anaheim Ducks defeated Calgary Flames 4 games to 1 (6-1, 3-0, 3-4 (ot), 4-2, 3-2 (ot)

Eastern Conference Final
The Tampa Bay Lightning win the Prince of Wales Trophy
 * Tampa Bay Lightning defeated New York Rangers 4 games to 3 (1-2, 6-2, 6-5 (ot), 1-5, 2-0, 3-7, 2-0)

Western Conference Final
The Chicago Blackhawks win the Clarence Campbell Trophy
 * Chicago Blackhawks defeated Anaheim Ducks 4 games to 3 (1-4, 3-2 (3ot), 1-2, 5-4 (2ot), 4-5 (ot), 5-2, 5-3)

Stanley Cup Final
Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup for their 3rd Cup in 6 years and 6th Cup overall.
 * Chicago Blackhawks defeated Tampa Bay Lightning 4 games to 2 (2-1, 3-4, 2-3, 2-1, 1, 2-0)

Duncan Keith was named winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.