2017-18 NHL season

The 2017–18 NHL season was the 101st season of operation (100th season of play) of the National Hockey League. With the addition of a new expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights, 31 teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular season began on October 4, 2017, and ended on April 7, 2018. The 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs began a few days afterwards, with the Stanley Cup Finals held in early June ending on June 7.

Membership Changes

 * The Vegas Golden Knights are added to the league as an expansion team becoming the league's 31st member.

2018 Winter Olympics
The NHL decided on April 3, 2017 that the league will not change its schedule to accommodated players being able to play in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The NHL had shut down the league for the previous five Olympic games. Several players have vowed to participate anyway, most notably Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin; provided the teams that hold their contracts do not object to each player's participation, the options the league has for stopping players from participating without running afoul of the National Hockey League Players' Association are limited, and the league has not yet prescribed any potential punishment for such a scenario.

All Star Game
The 63rd National Hockey League All-Star Game will be held in Tampa, Florida at Amalie Arena, home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, on January 28, 2018. The format will not change and will follow the format used in two previous All-Star games.

Salary cap
On June 18, 2017, the National Hockey League Players' Association announced that the salary cap would be set at $75 million for the 2017–18 season.

Centennial celebration
The NHL's centennial commemorations will continue into the 2017–18 season, as its 100th season of play. On March 17, 2017, the NHL announced that it would hold an outdoor game between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens on December 16, 2017 to mark the 100th anniversary of their inaugural NHL game. The Toronto Maple Leafs will host the Carolina Hurricanes on December 19 at the start time of 2 p.m. to mark the 100th anniversary of the first NHL game played by their predecessor franchise, the Toronto Arenas.

Pre-season games in China
On March 30, 2017, it was announced that the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks would play two pre-season games in China on September 21 and 23 called the 2017 NHL China Games. These were the first NHL games played in China.

International games
Two regular season games will be played in Stockholm, Sweden as part of the 2017 SAP NHL Global Series, the league announced on March 24, 2017. The games will be played between the Colorado Avalanche and the Ottawa Senators at the Ericsson Globe on November 10 and 11, 2017. This is the first NHL game to be held outside North America since the 2011 NHL Premiere contest.

Outdoor games

 * The 100 Classic will be held on December 16, 2017 at TD Place Stadium in Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, featuring the Montreal Canadiens against the Ottawa Senators.
 * The Winter Classic will be held on January 1, 2018 at Citi Field in Flushing, New York, with the New York Rangers playing the Buffalo Sabres.
 * The Stadium Series will be held on March 3, 2018 at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, featuring two of last seasons playoff teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals.

Arena changes

 * The Detroit Red Wings will move to Little Caesars Arena, replacing their longtime home, the Joe Louis Arena.
 * The Vegas Golden Knights will play their inaugural season at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
 * The Winnipeg Jets home arena was renamed from MTS Centre to Bell MTS Place following Bell Mobility's acquisition of previous rights holders, Manitoba Telecom Services.

Format
The top three teams in each division qualify for the playoffs. The next two best records in each conference also qualify as wildcard teams. The wild card team with the fewer points plays the team with the best record in the conference regardless of division. The other wild card team plays the other division winner. The wild card team then stays in that division's playoffs. The division semifinal winners meet in the division finals. The two division winners in each conference meet in the conference finals. The two conference winners meet in the Stanley Cup final. All series are best-of-seven.

Atlantic Division Semifinals
In game 7, the Boston Bruins became the first team in NHL history to over come three one goal deficits in a game 7 and win the game in the deciding game with the Maple Leafs
 * Tampa Bay Lightning defeated New Jersey Devils 4 games to 1
 * Boston Bruins defeated Toronto Maple Leafs 4 games to 3

Metropolitan Division Semifinals

 * Washington Capitals defeated Columbus Blue Jackets 4 games to 2
 * Pittsburgh Hornets defeated Philadelphia Flyers 4 games to 2

Central Division Semifinals

 * Nashville Predators defeated Colorado Avalanche 4 games to 2
 * Winnipeg Jets defeated Minnesota Wild 4 games to 1

Pacific Division Semifinals

 * Vegas Golden Knights defeated Los Angeles Kings 4 games to none
 * San Jose Sharks defeated Anaheim Ducks 4 games to none

Atlantic Division Final

 * Tampa Bay Lightning defeated Boston Bruins 4 games to 1

Metropolitan Division Final

 * Washington Capitals defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4 games to 2

Central Division Final
In game 7 Pekka Rinne became the faster goaltender pulled in a game 7 in NHL history when he was pulled at 10:31 of the first period after allowing 2 goals. Also in the series Mark Scheifele of the Jets scored 7 goals on the road which was the most road goals scored in any single playoff series since the 1926-27 season.
 * Winnipeg Jets defeated Nashville Predators 4 games to 3

Pacific Division Final
With winning this series the Golden Knights become the third team to win two playoff series in their first season in the league following the 1917-18 NHL season when the Toronto Arenas won the Stanley Cup in the first NHL season and the St. Louis Blues reached the 1968 Stanley Cup Finals in an all expansion team Western Conference.
 * Vegas Golden Knights defeated San Jose Sharks 4 games to 2

Eastern Conference Final

 * Washington Capitals defeated Tampa Bay Lightning 4 games to 3

Western Conference Final
With winning this series the Golden Knights become the first team ever to win three series in their first season in the NHL.
 * Vegas Golden Knights defeated Winnipeg Jets 4 games to 1

Stanley Cup Final

 * Washington Capitals defeated Vegas Golden Knights 4 games to 1

The Washington Capitals win their first Stanley Cup. Alexander Ovechkin was named Conn Smythe Trophy winner as Stanley Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player