American Division (NHL)

The American Division was one of four temporary divisions created by the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2020–21 NHL season. This realignment was necessitated by travel restrictions between the United States and Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The division consisted of the seven American-based teams that typically played in the Eastern Conference.

The teams that comprised the American Division were the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Washington Capitals.

The creation of the American Division, along with the other temporary divisions (Canadian, Central, and Pacific), aimed to minimize cross-border travel and intra-conference travel to reduce potential exposure to COVID-19. The top four teams in the American Division qualified for the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. At the end of the season, the league reverted to its pre-2020-21 divisional alignment.