NHL, the /ˌen eɪtʃ ˈel/ BrE AmE
(the National Hockey League) the organization in charge of the highest level of professional ↑ ice hockey in the US and Canada. The NHL consists of two ↑ league s (=groups of teams who play against each other) , the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Every year, the teams that win these leagues play each other in the Stanley Cup.