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2012–13 NHL season

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2012–13 NHL season
LeagueNational Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationJanuary 19, 2013 — June 2013
Number of games48
Number of teams30
Regular season
Playoffs
Stanley Cup
NHL seasons

The 2012–13 NHL season is the 96th season of operation (95th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The regular season began on January 19, 2013 and will end on April 27, 2013, with the playoffs to follow until June. The season start was delayed from its original October 11, 2012 date due to a lockout imposed by the NHL franchise owners after the expiry of the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA). After a new labour agreement was reached between the owners and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), training camps opened on January 13, 2013 and a 48-game season (reduced from 82 games) started on January 19. Similar to the 1994–95 season, the shortened regular season is limited to intra-conference competition.[1] The season calendar opened with the 2012 NHL Entry Draft on June 22–23, 2012, held at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.[2]

League business

Lockout

Main article: 2012–13 NHL lockout

On September 13, 2012, all 29 league ownership groups (with the Phoenix Coyotes collectively owned by the NHL) authorized commissioner Gary Bettman to lock out the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) upon the expiration of the NHL collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on September 15. The action marked the fifth labour dispute in twenty years for the league, following a 1992 strike, lockouts in 1994–95 and 2004–05, as well as a referees lockout in 1993;[3] this is more than any of the other major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada during this period. In preparation for the lockout, NHL teams assigned all of their eligible players to their American Hockey League farm clubs.[4]

Although Bettman acknowledged the 2005–12 CBA was fair, he also stated that he was demanding concessions as a result of the late 2000s recession, even though the league experienced significant growth at that time.[5] Sports media reported on July 14 on the NHL's first offer to the players. The offer reportedly included: a drop in players' share of "hockey-related revenues" from 57 per cent to 46 per cent; a requirement that players play ten years before becoming an unrestricted free agent (UFA); a limit on players' contracts to five years in length; elimination of salary arbitration; and an extension of entry-level contracts to five years from three.[6]

The NHLPA made an attempt to strike down the lockout as illegal in Alberta and Quebec;[7] the Quebec labour board ruled against the NHLPA on September 14.[8]

The NHL season officially entered a lockout after the expiration of the CBA on September 15, 2012, prior to the planned start of the pre-season. Locked-out players immediately began signing with the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Czech Extraliga (ELH), SM-liiga, and the Elitserien (SEL), the last of which largely resisted signing locked-out players.[9] The NHL cancelled all regular-season games originally scheduled up to January 14, 2013, including the 2013 NHL Winter Classic. The 2013 NHL All-Star Game was also cancelled.[10][11][12][13]

On January 6, 2013, after a 16-hour negotiating session, the owners and players union reached a tentative agreement for a 10-year deal. NHL owners ratified the CBA on January 9, 2013,[14] followed three days later by the deal's ratification by NHLPA members,[15] and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two parties, marking their official agreement on the labour pact.[15][16] The NHL announced a 48-game schedule, starting on January 19, 2013 and ending on April 27, 2013, consisting solely of intra-conference competition.[1]

Proposed realignment

The relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers from the American southeast to the Canadian prairies, where the franchise is now known as the Winnipeg Jets, in the summer of 2011 resulted in discussions within the league on how to realign the league's 30 teams. Following several months of speculation, the NHL's Board of Governors voted in favor of a radical realignment plan that would have reduced the six current divisions into four conferences. Under this plan, the outgoing Western Conference would have then consisted of two conferences consisting each of eight teams. The outgoing Eastern Conference would have then consisted of two conferences of seven teams each. In general, the four proposed conferences were based on the current divisions. The Southeast division would have been dissolved, and of the teams in that division, the current Northeast would have taken in Florida and Tampa Bay while the Atlantic would have taken in Washington and Carolina. Winnipeg, the last remaining member of the Southeast, would join the current Central division along with Dallas (from the Pacific) and Minnesota (from the Northwest). The remaining eight teams in the Pacific and Northwest divisions would have merged into one Western Conference.

The top four teams in each conference would then qualify for the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, while for the regular season, each team would face its non-conference opponents twice: once each at home and on the road. Conference opponents would face each other five or six times each. The plan was designed to better balance each grouping of teams by time zone, as well as to cut the costs of travel western teams face.[17]

The proposed alignment would have left some room for relocations. For instance, if Phoenix Coyotes were to, as widely speculated, relocate to Quebec City or Seattle as a result of failing to find a new owner to keep the team in Glendale in time for the 2012–13 season, it could be moved into "Conference C" without needing any further realignment.[18][19]

The four originally proposed new conferences bear a strong resemblance to the four divisions the NHL used prior to its six-division alignment. From west to east, the Smythe Division, Norris Division, Adams Division and Patrick Division covered much of the same territory as their respective proposed new conferences.

However, on January 6, 2012, the league announced that the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) had rejected the proposed realignment, delaying any future changes until at least 2013–14.[20] NHLPA officers expressed a desire to see a draft schedule for the realignment, which the league had not completed.[21]

The league and NHLPA then redesigned the plan. Detroit and Columbus, the only two Western Conference teams in the Eastern Time Zone, were added to the Eastern Conference: Detroit moved into the current Northeast Division and Columbus moved into the Atlantic. The four groupings were designated as divisions, with the Eastern and Western Conference designations remaining in place. This results in all Eastern Conference teams existing entirely in the Eastern Time Zone. However, one of the Western Divisions will have all but one of the Pacific and Mountain time zone teams. That remaining Mountain time zone team is Colorado which will be with the other division centered around the Central time zone teams. On March 8, 2013, the NHLPA approved the league's realignment plan, with the league Board of Governors ratifying the realignment on March 14.[22]

The four currently unnamed divisions have been organized as follows:[22]

A B C D
Anaheim Ducks Chicago Blackhawks Boston Bruins Carolina Hurricanes
Calgary Flames Colorado Avalanche Buffalo Sabres Columbus Blue Jackets
Edmonton Oilers Dallas Stars Detroit Red Wings New Jersey Devils
Los Angeles Kings Minnesota Wild Florida Panthers New York Islanders
Phoenix Coyotes Nashville Predators Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers
San Jose Sharks St. Louis Blues Ottawa Senators Philadelphia Flyers
Vancouver Canucks Winnipeg Jets Tampa Bay Lightning Pittsburgh Penguins
Toronto Maple Leafs Washington Capitals

Salary cap

The NHL announced the revised salary cap on June 28, 2012. The salary cap figure is in effect until the end of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Player's Association. The salary cap for players' salaries rose $5.9 million (USD) to $70.2 million per franchise. The salary floor, the minimum which franchises must spend rose to $54.2 million.[23]

As part of the newly agreed upon CBA, the salary cap for teams will be $64.3 million per franchise, with a floor of $44 million.[24]

Change of venue

On October 24, 2012, the New York Islanders announced the team signed a 25-year lease with the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, starting in 2015 after the team's current lease for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum expires. The arena, originally constructed as the home for the National Basketball Association Brooklyn Nets, will be expanded to meet NHL standards.[25]

Rule changes

With the ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement, several rule changes took effect this season.[26]

  • Officials no longer had to be certain that contact had been made with the hands (as opposed to the stick) in deciding whether or not to assess a slashing minor.
  • Making contact with the opponent's facemask will result in a minor penalty.
  • Both players facing-off are prohibited from batting the puck with their hand in an attempt to win the face-off. Any attempt by either center to win the face-off by batting the puck with their hand shall result in a minor penalty. This penalty shall be announced as a "Minor Penalty for Delay of Game - Face-off Violation."
  • Rule 67 has been changed to prevent players from getting a faceoff by putting their glove on the puck anywhere on the ice and not allowing play to continue. A minor penalty will be assessed for "closing his hand on the puck."

Uniforms

  • To celebrate 20 years in Dallas, the Stars are wearing special patches this season.
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning are wearing special patches to commemorate their 20th season in the NHL. Their alternate uniform was also modified to include the simplified logo they introduced last season.
  • The San Jose Sharks are wearing patches in memory of original owner George Gund III, who died January 15, 2013. Gund was instrumental in bringing, removing and returning NHL hockey to the Bay Area.
  • To celebrate 100 years of hockey on the west coast, the Canucks are honoring Vancouver's first professional hockey team, the Vancouver Millionaires, who played in the West Coast Hockey League from 1912-1922. The Canucks are wearing a patch of a re-colored Millionaires logo on their alternate home jerseys, and they have also worn Millionaires uniforms for one game, their March 16 home game against the Red Wings.
  • The Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers retired their third jerseys.

Regular season

Originally planned for October 11, 2012, the lockout delay pushed the start of the 2012–13 season to January 19, 2013, with twelve games for the opening night.[27][28] Each team plays eighteen games within its division (four or five games for each team) and thirty games against teams outside the division but within the conference (three games for each team); no interconference games are played during the regular season.[29] The regular season is shortened from 82 games down to 48, cancelling 41.5 percent of the full regular season.

Winter Classic

The 2013 NHL Winter Classic was scheduled to feature the Detroit Red Wings hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium (the largest stadium in North America) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but it was cancelled due to the labour lockout.[30] The NHL announced it plans to hold the next Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium, with the Leafs and Red Wings, once it is scheduled, most likely on January 1, 2014.[31]

All-Star Game

Originally scheduled to take place January 27, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio, the All-Star Game was cancelled as a result of the on-going lockout.[32][33]

European Premiere games

In past seasons, selected NHL teams began their season with exhibition games and the first two regular season games in European cities. In March 2012, the NHL announced that it has decided not to start the season with games in Europe, because of the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations and the surrounding uncertainty.[34]

With the NHL not playing games in Europe, Russia's Kontinental Hockey League (against which the NHL has played several interleague competitions) was instead to come to the United States, with the NHL's blessing; the KHL was to feature two games between Dynamo Moscow and SKA Saint Petersburg at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on January 19 and 20, 2013.[35] However no agreement between the KHL and the Barclays Center had been signed, and the KHL announced the two games would be held in Russia; due to the NHL lockout, the signing of a 25 year lease with the New York Islanders, and pleas from the teams' fans to keep the games in Russia.[36]

Postponement

On Monday April 15th the game that was to feature the Ottawa Senators versus the Boston Bruins at TD Garden was postponed due to the bombing of the Boston Marathon on the same date. The game was rescheduled to April 28th, the day after the previous final day of the regular season.[37]

Standings

Due to the lockout, each team plays 48 games this season, all within their conference.

Eastern Conference
Pos Div Team
 GP W L OTL ROW GF GA GD Pts
1 AT z – Pittsburgh Penguins 48 36 12 0 33 165 119 +46 72
2 NE y – Montreal Canadiens 48 29 14 5 26 149 126 +23 63
3 SE y – Washington Capitals 48 27 18 3 24 149 130 +19 57
4 NE x – Boston Bruins 48 28 14 6 24 131 109 +22 62
5 NE x – Toronto Maple Leafs 48 26 17 5 26 145 133 +12 57
6 AT x – New York Rangers 48 26 18 4 22 130 112 +18 56
7 NE x – Ottawa Senators 48 25 17 6 21 116 104 +12 56
8 AT x – New York Islanders 48 24 17 7 20 139 139 0 55
9 SE Winnipeg Jets 48 24 21 3 22 128 144 −16 51
10 AT Philadelphia Flyers 48 23 22 3 22 133 141 −8 49
11 AT New Jersey Devils 48 19 19 10 17 112 129 −17 48
12 NE Buffalo Sabres 48 21 21 6 14 115 143 −28 48
13 SE Carolina Hurricanes 48 19 25 4 18 128 160 −32 42
14 SE Tampa Bay Lightning 48 18 26 4 17 148 150 −2 40
15 SE Florida Panthers 48 15 27 6 12 112 171 −59 36
Source: National Hockey League
x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division; z – Clinched conference
Western Conference
Pos Div Team
 GP W L OTL ROW GF GA GD Pts
1 CE p – Chicago Blackhawks 48 36 7 5 30 155 102 +53 77
2 PA y – Anaheim Ducks 48 30 12 6 24 140 118 +22 66
3 NW y – Vancouver Canucks 48 26 15 7 21 127 121 +6 59
4 CE x – St. Louis Blues 48 29 17 2 24 129 115 +14 60
5 PA x – Los Angeles Kings 48 27 16 5 25 133 118 +15 59
6 PA x – San Jose Sharks 48 25 16 7 17 124 116 +8 57
7 CE x – Detroit Red Wings 48 24 16 8 22 124 115 +9 56
8 NW x – Minnesota Wild 48 26 19 3 22 122 127 −5 55
9 CE Columbus Blue Jackets 48 24 17 7 19 120 119 +1 55
10 PA Phoenix Coyotes 48 21 18 9 17 125 131 −6 51
11 PA Dallas Stars 48 22 22 4 20 130 142 −12 48
12 NW Edmonton Oilers 48 19 22 7 17 125 134 −9 45
13 NW Calgary Flames 48 19 25 4 19 128 160 −32 42
14 CE Nashville Predators 48 16 23 9 14 111 139 −28 41
15 NW Colorado Avalanche 48 16 25 7 14 116 152 −36 39
Source: National Hockey League
p – Clinched Presidents' Trophy; x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

The following players lead the league in points following games played on April 15, 2013.[38]

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins 36 15 41 56 +26 16
Steven Stamkos Tampa Bay Lightning 42 26 26 52 –7 32
Martin St. Louis Tampa Bay Lightning 42 11 41 52 –3 14
Chris Kunitz Pittsburgh Penguins 42 21 26 47 +29 39
Patrick Kane Chicago Blackhawks 42 20 27 47 +14 6
Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals 42 27 19 46 +2 30
Jonathan Toews Chicago Blackhawks 42 21 23 44 +27 25
Eric Staal Carolina Hurricanes 41 16 28 44 +6 46
Ryan Getzlaf Anaheim Ducks 39 14 30 44 +14 39
Nicklas Backstrom Washington Capitals 42 6 38 44 +8 20

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders lead the league in goals against average following games played on April 15, 2013 while playing at least 1020 minutes.[39]

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Player Team GP Min W L OT GA SO SV% GAA
Craig Anderson Ottawa Senators 18 1062:21 9 6 2 27 3 .949 1.53
Ray Emery Chicago Blackhawks 20 1102:11 16 1 0 35 3 .923 1.91
Corey Crawford Chicago Blackhawks 25 1471:22 17 4 4 47 3 .926 1.92
Tuukka Rask Boston Bruins 30 1781:20 17 8 4 59 3 .929 1.99
Sergei Bobrovsky Columbus Blue Jackets 33 1918:29 17 10 6 65 4 .931 2.03
Henrik Lundqvist New York Rangers 36 2155:05 19 14 3 74 1 .928 2.06
Antti Niemi San Jose Sharks 38 2279:19 21 10 6 81 4 .925 2.13
Cory Schneider Vancouver Canucks 26 1484:08 15 8 3 53 5 .925 2.14
Viktor Fasth Anaheim Ducks 22 1247:56 14 5 1 45 3 .922 2.16
Martin Brodeur New Jersey Devils 25 1519:59 10 8 7 57 1 .901 2.25

Milestones

First games

The following is a list of notable players who played their first NHL game in 2013, listed with their first team:

Player Team Notability
Nail Yakupov Edmonton Oilers First overall pick in the 2012 Draft

Last games

The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2012–13, listed with their team:

Player Team Notability
Alexei Kovalev[40] Florida Panthers 1994 Stanley Cup Champion with the New York Rangers, 2008 NHL Second All-Star Team, Olympic Gold (1992) for the Unified Team and Bronze (2002) for Russia

Major milestones reached

Notes

^ 1: Michael Cammalleri had previously scored the 20,000th goal in Canadiens' franchise history on December 28, 2009. Cammalleri's mark included goals from the Canadiens time in the National Hockey Association.[53]

References

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  2. ^ "Bettman confirms Pittsburgh as 2012 NHL Entry Draft site". The Sports Network. October 27, 2012. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "About NHLOA". National Hockey League Officials Association. Retrieved December 26, 2008.
  4. ^ Sabres Loan Eligible Players To Rochester, Amateur Clubs – Buffalo Sabres – News
  5. ^ NHL lockout: What you need to know. SI.com. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  6. ^ ESPN.com news services (July 14, 2012). "Sources: NHL makes first CBA offer". espn.go.com. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  7. ^ Is a possible NHL lockout even legal in Canada?. The Daily Caller. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  8. ^ Quebec Labour Board rules in NHL's favor – NHL.com – News
  9. ^ NHL lockout: players launch public relations offensive. The Toronto Star. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  10. ^ "NHL announces cancellation of 2012-13 regular-season schedule through January 14". nhl.com. National Hockey League. December 20, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
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  12. ^ "NHL cancels games through Dec. 14, All-Star game". CBS News. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  13. ^ http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=647344
  14. ^ Katie Strang (January 9, 2012). "Board ratifies NHL agreement". ESPN. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  15. ^ a b "Union ratifies new CBA". National Hockey League. January 12, 2012. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  16. ^ "NHL, NHLPA sign Collective Bargaining Agreement". National Hockey League. January 12, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
  17. ^ Shoalts, David (December 5, 2011). "NHL governors approve four-conference format". Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  18. ^ Quinn, Garrett (December 6, 2011). "NHL realignment needs to include Quebec City". Boston.com. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  19. ^ Hinton, Daniel. "NHL approves Commissioner Bettman's realignment plans". Washington Square News. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  20. ^ NHL realignment on hold after union balks. The Sports Network. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  21. ^ NHL Alignment Will NOT Change as NHLPA Rejects Re-alignment. Here's why.... Hockeybuzz.com. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  22. ^ a b "NHLPA OK with realignment plan". ESPN. March 8, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
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  28. ^ Harrington, Mike (January 10, 2013). Sabres may open vs. Flyers at home Jan. 20. The Buffalo News. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
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  30. ^ NHL.com (November 2, 2012). "NHL announces cancellation of 2013 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic & SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival". Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  31. ^ TSN.ca (November 2, 2012). "NHL announces cancellation of 2013 Winter Classic". Retrieved November 5, 2012.
  32. ^ "Columbus Blue Jackets to Host 2013 NHL All-Star Celebration". Columbus Blue Jackets. January 28, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  33. ^ NHL All-Star weekend is showcase
  34. ^ "NHL cancels next year's games in Europe". CBC News. March 14, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  35. ^ Chesnokov, Dmitry (March 12, 2012). "Brooklyn Nets arena will host KHL regular-season games, according to Medvedev". Puck Daddy. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
  36. ^ Klein, Jeff Z. (October 26, 2012). Planned K.H.L. Games at Barclays Center Are Moved Back to Russia. The New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2012.
  37. ^ http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=666051&navid=nhl:topheads
  38. ^ "Player Stats: 2012–2013 Regular season: All Skaters – Total Points". National Hockey League.
  39. ^ "Player Stats: 2012–2013 Regular season: Goalie – Goals Against Average leaders". National Hockey League.
  40. ^ "Report: Longtime NHL veteran Kovalev retires". National Hockey League. March 22, 2013.
  41. ^ Rosen, Dan (January 21, 2013). "Lecavalier reaches 1,000-game mark with Lightning". National Hockey League. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  42. ^ "Devils vs. Canadiens: Patrik Elias records 900th career point, but New Jersey loses in overtime to Montreal". The Sporting News. Associated Press. January 27, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  43. ^ "NHL Capsules: Anaheim Ducks hand San Jose Sharks first regulation defeat". National Hockey League. February 5, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
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  46. ^ Canavan, Tom (February 9, 2013). "Henrique's goal gives Devils 3-1 win over Penguins". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  47. ^ Carlson, Matt (February 23, 2013). "Blackhawks set NHL record with 2-1 win over Sharks". Yahoo!. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  48. ^ Kuc, Chris (March 2, 2013). "1,000th game an honor for Hossa". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  49. ^ http://www.rantsports.com/nhl/2013/03/06/chicago-blackhawks-streak-continues-after-win-over-colorado-avalanche
  50. ^ SanFilippo, Anthony (March 18, 2013). "Bolted down". Philadelphia Flyers.
  51. ^ Vest, Dave (March 28, 2013). "Coyotes 7, Predators 4". Phoenix Coyotes.
  52. ^ Stepneski, Mark (March 29, 2013). "Jagr picks up 1,000th assist as Stars top Wild, 5-3". Dallas Stars.
  53. ^ "Isles send Habs to 1st regulation loss in month". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press. March 6, 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
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