The2000–01 NHL season was the84thregular season of theNational Hockey League. With the addition of the expansionColumbus Blue Jackets and theMinnesota Wild, 30 teams each played 82 games. TheStanley Cup winners were theColorado Avalanche, who won the best of seven series 4–3 against theNew Jersey Devils. The focus of Colorado'sStanley Cup run was on star defencemanRay Bourque, who was on a quest to win his firstStanley Cup championship in his illustrious 22-year career.

Two expansion teams, theMinnesota Wild and theColumbus Blue Jackets, joined the league at the beginning of the season, increasing the number of NHL teams to 30. The Blue Jackets would join the Central Division, while the Wild would join the Northwest Division. This divisional alignment would remain static until the2012–13 season, while the league did not expand again until the2017–18 season when theVegas Golden Knights entered the league. This was the first time the NHL would have a team in Minnesota since theMinnesota North Stars moved toDallas, Texas in 1993, and the first time for Ohio since theCleveland Barons merged with the North Stars in 1978.

The2000 NHL expansion draft was held on June 23, 2000 to fill the rosters of the new expansion teams.

The2000 NHL entry draft was held on June 24 and 25, 2000, at thePengrowth Saddledome inCalgary,Alberta.Rick DiPietro was selected first overall by theNew York Islanders.

The four-official system (two referees and two linesmen) become mandatory for all games. It was previously used for selected regular season games in 1998–99 and 1999–2000, but all playoff games in both of those seasons.^[1][2][3][4]

This was the first preseason of theNHL Challenge, where selected NHL teams traveled to Europe to play exhibition games against European teams. TheVancouver Canucks traveled toStockholm Globe Arena inStockholm, Sweden, to play against Swedish teamsMoDo Örnsköldsvik on September 13, 2000, andDjurgården Stockholm on September 15.

• Buffalo: New Red Alternates.
• Calgary: Previous Black Alternates become the new road uniforms.
• Carolina: Black outline added to players' names.
• Chicago: 75th-anniversary patch.
• Colorado:2001 NHL All-Star Game Patch.
• Columbus: White Jerseys with red and blue stripes, Blue road jerseys have Red stripe. Team also wears an inaugural season patch. Alt marks are on the shoulders.
• Detroit: 75th-anniversary patch
• Minnesota: White Jerseys with red and green stripes, the Green jerseys have just the red stripe. Alt marks are on the shoulders.
• New York Rangers: 75th-anniversary patch.
• Ottawa: The team introduces a new alternate jersey—this one black with the forward-looking centurion crest.
• Pittsburgh: The Penguins introduce a new alternate jersey, welcoming back the skating penguin and introducing Vegas gold.
• San Jose: 10th Anniversary patch.
• Toronto: Alternates from 1998 to 1999 return, as well as a new TML Patch.
• Washington: Black alternates from 1999 to 2000 become new road uniforms.

• TheCalgary Flames' home arena, Canadian Airlines Saddledome, was renamedPengrowth Saddledome as part of a new naming rights agreement withPengrowth Energy.
• The expansionColumbus Blue Jackets moved intoNationwide Arena, named after the arena's original majority owner,Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
• TheDallas Stars played their final season at theReunion Arena before moving to theAmerican Airlines Center.
• The expansionMinnesota Wild moved intoXcel Energy Center, withXcel Energy acquiring the naming rights.
• TheSt. Louis Blues's home arena, the Kiel Center, was renamed theSavvis Center as part of a new naming rights agreement withSavvis.

Cheerleaders and Ice Girls were introduced to the league during this season, with theNew York Islanders Ice Girls making their debut.^[5]

The NHL opened the season in Japan with two games between theNashville Predators and thePittsburgh Penguins on October 9 and 10, atSaitama Super Arena inSaitama.^[6]

TheAll-Star Game was played on February 4, at thePepsi Center inDenver, the home of theColorado Avalanche.

On December 27, 2000,Mario Lemieux returned from his three-and-a-half-year retirement and, in a game nationally televised onHockey Night in Canada andESPN National Hockey Night, registered his first assist 33 seconds into the game against theToronto Maple Leafs. He went on to add a goal and finish with three points, solidifying his return and bringing a strugglingJaromir Jagr back to his elite status, who went on to win his fourth straightArt Ross Trophy, narrowly surpassingJoe Sakic. Despite playing in only 43 games in 2000–01, Lemieux scored 76 points to finish 26th in scoring, finishing the season with the highest points-per-game average that season among NHL players. Lemieux was one of the three finalists for theHart Memorial Trophy andLester B. Pearson Award.

The record for most shutouts in a season (set at 160 in 1997–98 and equalled in 1998–99)^[7][8] was eclipsed, as 186 shutouts were recorded.^[9]

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL=Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Divisions:AT – Atlantic,NE – Northeast,SE – Southeast

Z –Clinched conference;Y –Clinched division;X –Clinched playoff spot

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Divisions:CEN – Central,PAC – Pacific,NW – Northwest

bold – Qualified for playoffs;p – WonPresidents' Trophy;y – Won division

In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series following a 2–2–1–1–1 format (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series). The team withhome ice advantage played at home for games one and two (and games five and seven, if necessary), and the other team played at home for games three and four (and game six, if necessary). The top eight teams in each conference made the playoffs, with the three division winnersseeded 1–3 based on regular season record, and the five remaining teams seeded 4–8.

The NHL used "re-seeding" instead of a fixed bracket playoff system. During the first three rounds, the highest remaining seed in each conference was matched against the lowest remaining seed, the second-highest remaining seed played the second-lowest remaining seed, and so forth. The higher-seeded team was awarded home ice advantage. The two conference winners then advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, where home ice advantage was awarded to the team that had the better regular season record.

The presentation ceremonies were held inToronto.

• Atlanta Thrashers:Curt Fraser
• Boston Bruins:Pat Burns andMike Keenan
• Buffalo Sabres:Lindy Ruff
• Carolina Hurricanes:Paul Maurice
• Florida Panthers:Terry Murray andDuane Sutter
• Montreal Canadiens:Alain Vigneault andMichel Therrien
• New Jersey Devils:Larry Robinson
• New York Islanders:Butch Goring andLorne Henning
• New York Rangers:Ron Low
• Ottawa Senators:Jacques Martin
• Philadelphia Flyers:Craig Ramsay andBill Barber
• Pittsburgh Penguins:Ivan Hlinka
• Tampa Bay Lightning:Steve Ludzik andJohn Tortorella
• Toronto Maple Leafs:Pat Quinn
• Washington Capitals:Ron Wilson

• Mighty Ducks of Anaheim:Craig Hartsburg andGuy Charron
• Calgary Flames:Don Hay andGreg Gilbert
• Chicago Blackhawks:Alpo Suhonen
• Colorado Avalanche:Bob Hartley
• Columbus Blue Jackets:Dave King
• Dallas Stars:Ken Hitchcock
• Detroit Red Wings:Scotty Bowman
• Edmonton Oilers:Craig MacTavish
• Los Angeles Kings:Andy Murray
• Minnesota Wild:Jacques Lemaire
• Nashville Predators:Barry Trotz
• Phoenix Coyotes:Bobby Francis
• San Jose Sharks:Darryl Sutter
• St. Louis Blues:Joel Quenneville
• Vancouver Canucks:Marc Crawford

^[18]

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

^[19]

Wins: Martin Brodeur (42); Patrick Roy (40); Dominic Hasek (37); Olaf Kolzig (37); Arturs Irbe (37);

Shutouts: Dominik Hasek (11); Roman Cechmanek (10); Martin Brodeur (9); Tommy Salo (8); Ed Belfour (8);

GAA: Roman Cechmanek (2.01); Manny Legace (2.05); Dominik Hasek (2.11); Evgeni Nabokov (2.19); Patrick Roy (2.21)

SV%: Marty Turco (.925); Mike Dunham (.923); Sean Burke (.922); Dominik Hasek (.921); Roman Cechmanek (.921)

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 2000–01:

• Andrew Raycroft, Boston Bruins
• Marty Turco, Dallas Stars
• Eric Belanger, Los Angeles Kings
• Andreas Lilja, Los Angeles Kings
• Lubomir Visnovsky, Los Angeles Kings
• Marian Gaborik, Minnesota Wild
• Lubomir Sekeras, Minnesota Wild
• Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders
• Martin Havlat, Ottawa Senators
• Miikka Kiprusoff, San Jose Sharks
• Brad Richards, Tampa Bay Lightning
• Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Canucks
• Daniel Sedin, Vancouver Canucks

The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2000–01, listed with their team:

This was the third season of the league's Canadian national broadcast rights deals withCBC and the renamedSportsnet (the latter was sold byCTV after acquiring rivalTSN). CBC aired Saturday nightHockey Night in Canada regular season games, while Sportsnet's telecasts includedTuesday Night Hockey and other weeknight games. Coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs continued to primarily be on CBC, while Sportsnet aired first round all-U.S. series.

This was the second year of the league's five-year U.S. national broadcast rights deal withESPN andABC. ESPN andESPN2 aired weeknight games throughout the regular season. ABC's coverage included the All-Star Game and then five weeks worth of regional games on Saturday afternoons between March and April. During the first two rounds of the playoffs, ESPN and ESPN2 aired selected games, while ABC had Saturday regional telecasts. Each U.S. team's regional broadcaster produced local coverage of first and second round games (except for those games on ABC). ABC's weekend telecasts continued into the Conference Finals, while ESPN had the rest of the third round games. ESPN then aired the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals before the rest of the series shifted to ABC.

• 2000 in sports
• 2000 NHL entry draft
• 2000 NHL expansion draft
• 2000-01 NHL transactions
• 2001 in sports
• 51st National Hockey League All-Star Game
• NHL All-Rookie Team
• NHL All-Star Game
• Lester Patrick Trophy

• Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011).The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto, ON: Dan Diamond & Associates.ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5.
• Fischler, Stan; Fischler, Shirley; Hughes, Morgan; Romain, Joseph; Duplacey, James (2003).The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International Inc.ISBN 0-7853-9624-1.

• Hockey Database
• nhl.com

• 2000–01 NHL season
• 2000–01 in Canadian ice hockey by league
• 2000–01 in American ice hockey by league

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