Eastern Conference

The 15 teams in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League are split into three divisions; Northeast, Southeast, and Atlantic. Teams in the Eastern Conference are based in cities along the Atlantic coast of the United States from South Florida to New York, and up into Eastern Canada. All teams in the Conference are in the Eastern Time Zone and have shorter distances to travel for most of their regular season games than the Western Conference teams.

The Montreal Canadiens, one of the ‘Original Six’ hockey teams, are the most successful team in the Eastern Conference, having won a record 24 Stanley Cups, while the Toronto Maple Leafs are second with 13 wins. The Montreal Canadiens won the Cup five years in a row from 1956 to 1960 with the legendary Maurice Richard as their captain. “Rocket” Richard was the first NHL player to score 50 goals in a season, a feat he accomplished in 50 games in 1944-45 – a mark which stood for years.

At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference enter the playoffs and play several rounds of best-of-seven series until an Eastern Champion is determined. That champion then plays the Western Conference Champion for the Stanley Cup, one of the most prized trophies in professional sports.