Northwest Division (NHL) facts for kids
The Northwest Division was a special group of teams in the NHL. It was created in 1998 as part of the league's Western Conference. This division helped organize teams as the NHL grew bigger. It was a home for several exciting hockey teams until it was changed in 2013.
Contents
Teams in the Division
This division had different teams over the years. Here's how the lineups changed.
Teams from 1998 to 2000
When the Northwest Division first started, it had four teams:
How the Division Started
The Northwest Division was new in 1998. The teams that joined it, like the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks, all came from another division called the Pacific Division.
Teams from 2000 to 2013
In 2000, a new team joined the division, making it five teams:
- Calgary Flames
- Colorado Avalanche
- Edmonton Oilers
- Minnesota Wild
- Vancouver Canucks
Adding a New Team
The Minnesota Wild joined the NHL as a brand new team in 2000. They were added to the Northwest Division.
The Division Ends in 2013
In 2013, the NHL changed how its divisions were set up. Because of this, the Northwest Division was closed down. The Canadian teams from this division (the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks) moved back to the Pacific Division. The American teams (the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild) joined the Central Division.
Who Won the Division?
Here are the teams that won the Northwest Division championship each year:
- 1999—Colorado Avalanche (98 points)
- 2000—Colorado Avalanche (96 points)
- 2001—Colorado Avalanche (118 points)
- 2002—Colorado Avalanche (99 points)
- 2003—Colorado Avalanche (105 points)
- 2004—Vancouver Canucks (101 points)
- 2005—No season because of the NHL Lockout
- 2006—Calgary Flames (103 points)
- 2007—Vancouver Canucks (105 points)
- 2008—Minnesota Wild (98 points)
- 2009—Vancouver Canucks (100 points)
- 2010—Vancouver Canucks (103 points)
- 2011—Vancouver Canucks (117 points)
- 2012—Vancouver Canucks (111 points)
- 2013—Vancouver Canucks (59 points)
How Teams Finished Each Season
This table shows how each team finished in the Northwest Division every season. The green background means the team made it to the playoffs.
| Season | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place | 5th Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | Colorado (98) | Edmonton (78) | Calgary (72) | Vancouver (58) | |
| 1999–2000 | Colorado (96) | Edmonton (88) | Vancouver (83) | Calgary (77) | |
| 2000–01 | Colorado (118) | Edmonton (93) | Vancouver (90) | Calgary (73) | Minnesota (68) |
| 2001–02 | Colorado (99) | Vancouver (94) | Edmonton (92) | Calgary (79) | Minnesota (73) |
| 2002–03 | Colorado (105) | Vancouver (104) | Minnesota (95) | Edmonton (92) | Calgary (75) |
| 2003–04 | Vancouver (101) | Colorado (100) | Calgary (94) | Edmonton (89) | Minnesota (83) |
| 2004–05 | No season due to NHL lockout | ||||
| 2005–06 | Calgary (103) | Colorado (95) | Edmonton (95) | Vancouver (92) | Minnesota (84) |
| 2006–07 | Vancouver (105) | Minnesota (104) | Calgary (96) | Colorado (95) | Edmonton (71) |
| 2007–08 | Minnesota (98) | Colorado (95) | Calgary (94) | Edmonton (88) | Vancouver (88) |
| 2008–09 | Vancouver (100) | Calgary (98) | Minnesota (89) | Edmonton (85) | Colorado (69) |
| 2009–10 | Vancouver (103) | Colorado (95) | Calgary (90) | Minnesota (84) | Edmonton (62) |
| 2010–11 | Vancouver (117) | Calgary (94) | Minnesota (86) | Colorado (68) | Edmonton (62) |
| 2011–12 | Vancouver (111) | Calgary (90) | Colorado (88) | Minnesota (81) | Edmonton (74) |
| 2012–13 | Vancouver (59) | Minnesota (55) | Edmonton (45) | Calgary (42) | Colorado (39) |
Stanley Cup Winners from This Division
One team from the Northwest Division went on to win the Stanley Cup, which is the NHL's biggest championship:
- 2001 – Colorado Avalanche
Presidents' Trophy Winners from This Division
The Presidents' Trophy is given to the team with the best record in the entire NHL during the regular season. Teams from the Northwest Division won it a few times:
- 2001 – Colorado Avalanche
- 2011 – Vancouver Canucks
- 2012 – Vancouver Canucks
Northwest Division Titles Won by Team
Here's a quick look at how many division titles each team won:
| Team | Number of Championships Won | Last Year Won |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Canucks | 7 | 2013 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 5 | 2003 |
| Calgary Flames | 1 | 2006 |
| Minnesota Wild | 1 | 2008 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 0 | – |
Related Hockey Divisions
The NHL has had many different divisions over the years. Here are some others:
- Smythe Division
- Atlantic Division (NHL)
- Central Division (NHL)
- Northeast Division (NHL)
- Pacific Division (NHL)
- Southeast Division (NHL)
See also
In Spanish: División Noroeste de la NHL para niños
