TheNational Hockey League'sSoutheast Division was formed in 1998 as part of theEastern Conference due to expansion. The division lasted for 14 seasons (not including the cancelled2004–05 season) until 2013. The division was intended to group teams primarily in the Southeastern United States. Its original members were theCarolina Hurricanes,Florida Panthers,Tampa Bay Lightning, andWashington Capitals. The expansionAtlanta Thrashers joined the division in 1999. The Thrashers' relocation toWinnipeg in 2011 to become the newWinnipeg Jets spurred talks for what became a league realignment in 2013; the Jets still played in the Southeast during the division's final two seasons.
The NHL dissolved the Southeast Division as the league realigned into two conferences with two divisions each. The Winnipeg Jets moved to theWestern Conference and theCentral Division. The Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning were placed into the newAtlantic Division. The Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals were placed in the newly formedMetropolitan Division.
