2011-12

• After a 15-year absence, the NHL welcomes the Winnipeg Jets back to the league after the Atlanta Thrashers pull up stakes and move north of the border. The new Winnipeg Jets bear no relation to the original Winnipeg Jets, who are currently the Phoenix Coyotes.

• One month before the start of the NHL season, tragedy strikes the hockey world. A plane carrying the Russian team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, a member of the elite-level Kontinental Hockey League, crashes en route to a game in Minsk, Belarus, killing the entire team. On board the plane were several players and coaches with NHL connections, including Pavol Demitra, Ruslan Salei and Brad McCrimmon.

• A new rule goes into effect requiring numbers on the front of all skaters' helmets so that it makes it easier for officials and broadcasters to identify players from the front.

• The Reebok vector logo on the backs of the jerseys just under the collar changes to the company's wordmark logo.

• From November 5 through February 19, the Red Wings won an NHL-record 23 consecutive home games. The streak would be broken February 24 with a 4-3 shootout loss to the Canucks.

• Despite squeaking into the playoffs as the Western Conference's eighth seed, the Kings go on an epic run in the postseason. They became the first team in NHL history to build a three-games-to-none lead in all four rounds of the playoffs and beat the New Jersey Devils in six games in the Final to win their first-ever Stanley Cup.