2018-19 NHL season

This is the 2018-19 National Hockey League season.  This is the league's 102nd season of operation (101st of play).

Salary Cap
The NHL Players Association and the league announced the salary cap would be $79.5 million.

Winter Classic
The 2019 Winter Classic will be held at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana on January 1, 2019. It will match up Original Six rivals the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Stadium Series
The only other outdoor game scheduled is a February 23, 2019 game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Draft
The 2018 Entry Draft was held June 22-23, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Rasmus Dahlin a defenseman with the Frölunda HC was the top pick in the draft by the Buffalo Sabres.

Overseas Games
The league will have two pre-season games in China. The first game will be on September 15th in Shenzhen, China and the second on September 19 in Beijing.

Membership Changes

 * None, but; on December 4, 2018, the National Hockey League approved a proposal by Seattle Hockey Partners—an ownership group led by David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Tod Leiweke—to grant an expansion franchise to the city of Seattle, Washington for the 2021-22 season.

Arena Changes

 * The New York Islanders move half of their home games back to the Nassau Coliseum  after renovations are completed.  The remainder of the home games will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn until their new arena at Belmont Park opens in what is hoped to be in time for the 2021-22 season.
 * The Toronto Maple Leafs home arena is renamed the Scotiabank Arena from the Air Canada Centre.
 * The St. Louis Blues home arena is renamed the Enterprise Center from the Scottrade Center

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

 * Columbus Blue Jackets defeated Tampa Bay Lightning 4 games to none
 * Boston Bruins defeated Toronto Maple Leafs 4 games to 3

Metropolitan Division Semifinals

 * Carolina Hurricanes defeated Washington Capitals 4 games to 3
 * New York Islanders defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4 games to none

Central Division Semifinals

 * Dallas Stars defeated Nashville Predators 4 games to 2
 * St. Louis Blues defeated Winnipeg Jets 4 games to 2

Pacific Division Semifinals

 * Colorado Avalanche defeated Calgary Flames 4 games to 2
 * San Jose Sharks defeated Vegas Golden Knights 4 games to 3

Atlantic Division Final

 * Boston Bruins defeated Columbus Blue Jackets 4 games to 2

Metropolitan Division Final

 * Carolina Hurricanes defeated New York Islanders 4 games to none

Central Division Final

 * St. Louis Blues defeated Dallas Stars 4 games to 3

Pacific Division Final

 * San Jose Sharks defeated Colorado Avalanche 4 games to 3

Eastern Conference Final

 * Boston Bruins defeated Carolina Hurricanes 4 games to none

Western Conference Final

 * St. Louis Blues defeated San Jose Sharks 4 games to 2

Stanley Cup Final

 * St. Louis Blues defeated Boston Bruins 4 games to 3

The St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup. Ryan O'Reilly was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as Stanley Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player