Eastern Conference (NHL) facts for kids
Eastern Conference logo (2006–present)
|
|
| League | National Hockey League |
|---|---|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Founded | 1974 (as the Prince of Wales Conference), Suspended for 2020–21 Reactivated in 2021 |
| Teams | |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Most recent champion(s) | Florida Panthers |
The Eastern Conference (French: Conférence de l'Est) is one of two main groups of teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). The other group is called the Western Conference. These groups help organize the teams for games and playoffs.
Contents
History of the Eastern Conference
The Eastern Conference started in 1974. It was first called the Prince of Wales Conference. At that time, the NHL changed how its teams were organized.
The Prince of Wales Trophy
The Prince of Wales Trophy is a very old award. It was given to the NHL by the Prince of Wales in 1925. He later became King Edward VIII.
This trophy was first given to the NHL's overall playoff winner. Later, it was given to the team with the best regular season record. Since 1981–82, the Prince of Wales Trophy has been given to the team that wins the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Changes to Names and Logos
In 1981, the NHL changed its team groups again. This time, the groups were set up to be more like where the teams were located. The Prince of Wales Conference then mostly included teams from the eastern part of North America.
In 1993, the names of the conferences and divisions were changed. This was done to make them easier to understand. The new names were based on geography, like in other sports leagues such as the NBA and NFL. This is when the "Prince of Wales Conference" became the "Eastern Conference."
After the 2004–05 NHL lockout in 2005, the Eastern Conference got its current logo.
Temporary Changes During COVID-19
For the 2020–21 NHL season, the Eastern Conference was temporarily put on hold. This happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic in North America. Teams needed to avoid crossing the Canada–United States border often. The league made new temporary groups for that season.
But for the 2021–22 season, the Eastern Conference returned to its normal setup.
Divisions in the Eastern Conference
The Eastern Conference is divided into smaller groups called divisions. This helps organize the teams even more.
Current Divisions
Since 2013, the Eastern Conference has two divisions. Each division has eight teams.
All 16 teams in the Eastern Conference are located in the Eastern Time Zone.
Eastern Conference Playoffs
The NHL's playoff system has changed over the years. The playoffs decide which team will win the Stanley Cup.
How Teams Make the Playoffs
A new playoff system started in 2014. Here is how teams from the Eastern Conference make it to the playoffs:
- The top three teams from each division (Atlantic and Metropolitan) automatically get a spot.
- Two more teams from the conference get "wild card" spots. These are the two best teams that didn't finish in the top three of their division.
This means a total of eight teams from the Eastern Conference make it to the playoffs each year. The winner of the Eastern Conference playoffs receives the Prince of Wales Trophy.
Images for kids
-
French version of the Eastern Conference logo
-
