2007-08 NHL season
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This article documents a current sports-related event. Information may change as the event progresses. |
The 2007-08 NHL season is the 90th season of the National Hockey League. It began on September 29, 2007, and will run through April 6, 2008, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs to follow, culminating no later than June 9, 2008. The 56th NHL All-Star Game will be held in Atlanta, Georgia as the Atlanta Thrashers host the event at Philips Arena on January 27, 2008.
League Business
The season features Reebok's new Rbk EDGE hockey jerseys. This is the first league-wide uniform innovation "in the history of any major North American professional sports league".[1]
Partially due to the league-wide uniform changes, 7 teams (Boston, Tampa Bay, Vancouver, Washington, Ottawa, San Jose and Columbus) unveiled new logos prior to the season's beginning.
On March 1, 2007, the NHL officially announced the regular season would open on September 29, 2007 with the first of back-to-back games in London at The O2. They were the first NHL regular season games ever played in Europe. Both games featured the Anaheim Ducks - who played their first games in their defense of the Stanley Cup - and the Los Angeles Kings (who are owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group, the same company that owns The O2).[2]
On September 17, 2007, the NHL announced the first outdoor game in over four years would be played between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres at Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, on January 1, 2008. The event - which will be known as the AMP NHL Winter Classic - will be the first time an NHL regular-season game has been played outdoors in the United States. The last outdoor NHL game was the Heritage Classic played between the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers at Commonwealth Stadium on November 22, 2003.[3]
During board of governors meetings held on September 18, 2007 in Chicago, cities including Las Vegas, Kansas City, Seattle, and Winnipeg were discussed as possible expansion destinations. The NHL also discussed the current 'unbalanced' schedule and will vote on a new schedule format at the next board meetings in November, so that all teams will play each other at least once and reduce divisional play in the 2008-09 season. The sale of the Lightning and Predators teams were not completed for board approval.[4]
The New Jersey Devils will begin playing in their new arena, the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. However, since it will not be ready by the beginning of the season, they are beginning their season with a nine-game road trip.
Interconference division play will have the Northeast travel to the Pacific, the Pacific travel to the Atlantic, the Atlantic travel to the Northwest, the Northwest travel to the Southeast, the Southeast travel to the Central, and the Central travel to the Northeast.
The Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators will match up for the first time since the 2007 Stanley Cup Final on March 3, 2008.
Mike Cammalleri of the Los Angeles Kings scored the first goal of the season against the Anaheim Ducks on September 29 in the opening game played in London, England.
Regular Season
After games played on Saturday, October 20 [1]
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Eastern Conference
| Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | OTL | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Flyers | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 12 | 12 |
| New York Islanders | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 25 | 10 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 24 | 8 |
| New Jersey Devils | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 28 | 7 |
| New York Rangers | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 16 | 5 |
| Northeast Division | GP | W | L | OTL | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa Senators | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 18 | 16 |
| Boston Bruins | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 15 | 10 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 19 | 8 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 33 | 37 | 8 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 26 | 21 | 6 |
| Southeast Division | GP | W | L | OTL | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 15 | 10 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 14 | 6 |
| Washington Capitals | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 19 | 6 |
| Florida Panthers | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 19 | 6 |
| Atlanta Thrashers | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 30 | 2 |
Western Conference
| Central Division | GP | W | L | OTL | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Red Wings | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 22 | 11 |
| St. Louis Blues | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 9 | 8 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 15 | 8 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 11 | 7 |
| Nashville Predators | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 21 | 4 |
| Northwest Division | GP | W | L | OTL | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Wild | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 11 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 23 | 8 |
| Calgary Flames | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 25 | 8 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 25 | 6 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 22 | 6 |
| Pacific Division | GP | W | L | OTL | GF | GA | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim Ducks | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 22 | 24 | 9 |
| Dallas Stars | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 18 | 8 |
| San Jose Sharks | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 19 | 7 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 27 | 36 | 6 |
| Phoenix Coyotes | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 18 | 4 |
Tiebreaking Procedures
If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order: [2]
- The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).
- The greater number of games won.
- The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs.
- The greater differential between goals for and against.
Playoff bracket
| Conference Quarterfinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | Stanley Cup Finals | |||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||||||||
In each round, the highest remaining seed in each conference is matched against the lowest remaining seed. The higher-seeded team is awarded home ice advantage, which gives them a maximum possible four games on their home ice, with the other team getting a maximum possible three. In the Stanley Cup Final, home ice is determined based on regular season points. Each best-of-seven series follows a 2-2-1-1-1 format. This means that the higher-seeded team will have Games 1 and 2, plus 5 and 7 if necessary, played on their home ice, while the lower-seeded team will be at home for the other games. The format ensures that the team with home ice advantage will always have home ice for the "extra" game if there are an odd number of games in a series.
Milestones
- On October 7, Joe Sakic scored his 1,591 point, moving him past Phil Esposito for 8th all-time in scoring.
- On October 8, Chris Chelios played in his 1,550th game, moving him past Hall of Famer Alex Delvecchio for eighth place on the career list.
- On October 11, Mats Sundin scored his 390th goal as a Leaf, and got his 917th point as a Leaf breaking Darryl Sittler's record as all time points and goals leader as a Leaf.
- On October 12, Jaromir Jagr scored his 1,533rd career point passing Paul Coffey for 11th all-time in scoring.
See also
- 2007 NHL Entry Draft
- 2007-08 NHL transactions
- 56th National Hockey League All-Star Game
- National Hockey League All-Star Game
- AMP NHL Winter Classic
- 2007 in ice hockey
- List of current NHL team rosters
Notes
- ^ (2007-01-22). Reebok And NHL To Unveil New Technologically-advanced Uniform System. Press release. Retrieved on 2007-01-22.
- ^ On your mark, get set ... open datebooks!. NHL.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
- ^ Happy New Year! Pens, Sabres to play outside in Buffalo. NHL.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-17.
- ^ ESPN report, retrieved on September 19, 2007
References
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Atlantic: New Jersey • NY Islanders • NY Rangers •
Philadelphia • Pittsburgh |
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See also: 2007 NHL Entry Draft • AMP NHL Winter Classic • All-Star Game • Stanley Cup Playoffs • Transactions |
| NHL seasons |
|---|
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2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
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