National Hockey League facts for kids
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | November 26, 1917, Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Inaugural season | 1917–18 |
| Commissioner | Gary Bettman |
| No. of teams | 32 (with one inactive franchise) |
| Countries | Canada (7 teams) United States (25 teams) |
| Headquarters | One Manhattan West 395 Ninth Avenue New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Florida Panthers (1st title) (2023–24) |
| Most titles | Montreal Canadiens (25 titles) |
| TV partner(s) |
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| Streaming partner(s) |
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The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America. It has 32 teams, with 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The Stanley Cup is the oldest professional sports trophy in North America. It is given out every year to the team that wins the league playoffs.
The NHL is one of the biggest sports leagues in the United States and Canada. It is known as the best professional ice hockey league in the world. Players from 17 different countries play in the NHL. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) also sees the Stanley Cup as a very important championship. The NHL's main office is in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
The National Hockey League started in Montreal on November 26, 1917. It took over from an older league called the National Hockey Association (NHA). The NHL quickly became one of the leagues that played for the Stanley Cup. By 1926, the NHL was the only league left competing for the Cup.
When it first started, the NHL had four teams, all in Canada. That is why it was called "National." In 1924, the league grew to include teams in the United States, starting with the Boston Bruins. From 1942 to 1967, only six teams played in the league. These teams are now known as the "Original Six." The NHL grew a lot in 1967, adding six new teams. By 2021, it had 32 teams. In 2024, a new team was added in Utah, keeping the total at 32 active teams.
The NHL is one of the highest-earning sports leagues in the world. Its main office moved from Montreal to Manhattan in 1989. The NHL's regular season runs from October to April. Each team plays 82 games. After the regular season, 16 teams go to the Stanley Cup playoffs. This tournament runs until June to find the league champion. The Montreal Canadiens have won the most NHL titles with 25. The Florida Panthers are the current champions, winning the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals.
Contents
History of the NHL
The National Hockey League began in 1917. It replaced the National Hockey Association (NHA), which started in 1909. The NHA had problems with one of its team owners. So, four teams decided to start a new league. On November 26, 1917, they formed the National Hockey League. Frank Calder was chosen as the first president of the NHL.
The first NHL games were played on December 19, 1917. One team, the Montreal Wanderers, stopped playing after their arena burned down. The NHL continued with three teams until 1919.
The NHL took part in the Stanley Cup competition from the start. Toronto won the first NHL title in 1918. They then won the Stanley Cup against the Vancouver Millionaires. In 1919, the Stanley Cup Finals were stopped because of the Spanish Flu. Montreal won their first Stanley Cup as an NHL team in 1924. The Stanley Cup became the official NHL championship trophy in 1926.
The NHL grew quickly in the 1920s. The Boston Bruins joined in 1924, becoming the first American team. More teams like the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Detroit Red Wings joined later. In 1926, Taffy Abel, a Native American player, became the first non-white player in the NHL. The first NHL All-Star Game was held in 1934.
The "Original Six" Era
The Great Depression and World War II made it hard for many teams. Several teams folded or stopped playing. By the 1942–43 season, the NHL had only six teams left. These teams were the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. They are now known as the "Original Six." This lineup stayed the same for 25 years.
In 1945, Maurice Richard became the first player to score 50 goals in a 50-game season. He later led the Canadiens to win five Stanley Cups in a row. In 1958, Willie O'Ree became the first black player in the league. He played for the Boston Bruins.
Growing the League
In the mid-1960s, the NHL decided to expand. They wanted a TV deal in the United States. In 1967, the league doubled in size to 12 teams. Six new teams were added, all in the United States. Canadian fans were upset, so the league added the Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres in 1970.
A new league, the World Hockey Association (WHA), started in 1972. The NHL added more teams to compete with the WHA. The two leagues fought over players. Many players, like Bobby Hull, left the NHL for the WHA. This competition hurt both leagues financially. In 1979, the NHL and WHA agreed to merge. The NHL took in four WHA teams: the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers, and Quebec Nordiques.
Wayne Gretzky played one season in the WHA before joining the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers. He led the Oilers to win four Stanley Cups. Gretzky set many scoring records. In 1988, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. This trade made hockey much more popular in the United States.
Between 1991 and 2000, nine more teams joined the NHL. Some teams also moved to new cities. For example, the Quebec Nordiques moved to Denver and became the Colorado Avalanche. In 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights joined as the 31st team. In 2021, the Seattle Kraken became the 32nd team. In 2024, the Arizona Coyotes moved their team to Salt Lake City, Utah. This new team is called the Utah Hockey Club.
Work Stoppages
The NHL has had four times when players stopped playing due to disagreements. These are called "work stoppages."
- In 1992, players went on strike for ten days. All games were rescheduled.
- In 1994–95, a lockout shortened the season from 84 games to 48.
- The longest lockout was in 2004–05. The entire season was cancelled. The league wanted to control team costs, and players did not want a salary cap. They finally agreed to a new deal in 2005, which included a salary cap.
- In 2012–13, another lockout shortened the season to 48 games. A new 10-year deal was reached.
Player Safety
Player safety is very important in the NHL. Concussions from hard hits are a big concern. The league has made rule changes to protect players. For example, in 2013–14, they changed the "icing" rule. This change helps prevent high-speed crashes when players race for the puck.
Women in the NHL
Women have played important roles in the NHL.
- From 1952 to 1955, Marguerite Norris was president of the Detroit Red Wings. She was the first woman to have her name on the Stanley Cup.
- In 1992, Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play in a major North American professional sports league. She was a goalie for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a practice game.
- In 2016, Dawn Braid became the first female full-time coach in the NHL.
- In 2019, the NHL hired its first female referees for test runs.
- In 2019, Kendall Coyne Schofield became the first woman to compete in the NHL All-Star skills competition. This led to a 3-on-3 women's game at the 2020 All-Star Game.
How the NHL is Organized
The Board of Governors is the main group that runs the NHL. Each team has a Governor, usually the team owner. The Board makes the league's rules and policies. They decide on things like:
- Changes to league rules.
- Hiring and firing the commissioner.
- Approving the sale or move of any team.
- Setting the salary cap for teams.
- Changes to the game schedule.
The Board of Governors meets twice a year. The league's top leader is Commissioner Gary Bettman.
NHL Teams
The NHL has 32 teams. 25 teams are in the United States, and 7 are in Canada. The league divides these teams into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference has two divisions. Each division now has eight teams.
The number of NHL teams stayed at 30 from 2000 to 2017. Then, the Vegas Golden Knights joined in 2017, making it 31 teams. The Seattle Kraken joined in 2021, bringing the total to 32. In 2024, the Arizona Coyotes moved to Utah, creating the Utah Hockey Club. The Coyotes team is currently inactive but could return by 2029.
In 2023, some of the most valuable teams were:
List of Teams
Notes:
- An asterisk (*) means the team moved from another city.
- The Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes (formerly Hartford Whalers), Colorado Avalanche (formerly Quebec Nordiques), and the original Winnipeg Jets (now the Arizona Coyotes) joined the NHL in 1979. This happened as part of a merger with the WHA.
Team Timeline
NHL Rules and the Game
The NHL has its own set of rules for ice hockey. These rules are different from the ones used in international games, like the Olympics. The NHL rink is about 200 feet long and 85 feet wide. This is narrower than international rinks.
Behind each goal net, there is a special trapezoid area. The goalie can only play the puck behind the goal line if it is inside this trapezoid. If they play it outside, their team gets a two-minute penalty. This rule is sometimes called the "Martin Brodeur rule." He was a goalie who was very good at playing the puck behind the net. Since 2013, the league has also made goal frames smaller and reduced the size of goalies' leg pads.
The NHL often changes its rules to make the game better. For example, the "offside pass" rule was removed in 2005. This change, and others, helped increase scoring in games. Also, if a team "icings the puck" (shoots it from their half of the ice to the opponent's goal line without anyone touching it), they cannot change their players on the ice before the next face-off. Since 2013, the league uses "hybrid icing." This means play stops if a defending player reaches a certain line before an attacking player. This helps prevent injuries from players racing for the puck.
Fighting in the NHL leads to major penalties. This is different from international rules, where fighting players are usually kicked out of the game. If two players fight, both teams get penalties but stay at full strength.
The league also has rules about player behavior. Players are not allowed to gamble. Serious crimes can lead to players being suspended. The NHL also has a strict anti-doping policy. Players who test positive for banned substances can be suspended for many games, or even for life.
Overtime and Shootouts
If a game is tied after regular time, it goes into overtime.
- During the regular season, overtime is five minutes long. Only three players from each team are on the ice. The first team to score wins.
- If it is still tied after overtime, the game goes to a shootout. Three players from each team take a penalty shot. The team with more goals wins. If it's still tied, the shootout continues until one team wins. The winning team gets two points in the standings. The losing team gets one point.
There are no shootouts in the playoffs. Instead, teams play more 20-minute overtime periods with five players each. They keep playing until one team scores.
NHL Season Structure
The NHL season has three parts:
- Preseason: September and early October. Teams play practice games.
- Regular Season: Early October to mid-April. Each team plays 82 games.
- Postseason: The Stanley Cup playoffs.
During the regular season, teams play a set schedule. They play more games against teams in their own division and conference. The team with the most points in each division wins the division title. The team with the most points in the whole league wins the Presidents' Trophy.
The Stanley Cup playoffs run from April to June. It is a tournament where teams play against each other in a series. To win a series, a team must win four games out of seven. Eight teams from each conference make the playoffs. The top three teams from each division qualify. Then, the two teams with the next highest points in each conference also qualify. The two conference champions play in the Stanley Cup Finals. The team with the better regular season record gets to play more games at home.
Entry Draft
Every June, the NHL holds its annual Entry Draft. This is where teams pick young amateur players from junior, college, or European leagues. The draft has seven rounds.
The order of picking players is based on how teams finished the last season. The 16 teams that did not make the playoffs get to pick first. The team that finished last has the best chance to pick first overall. After the first few picks are decided by a lottery, the remaining non-playoff teams pick based on their regular season standings. Playoff teams pick later, with the Stanley Cup champion picking last.
Trophies and Awards
Team Awards
| Team | Titles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 24* | ||||
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 13 | ||||
| Detroit Red Wings | 11 | ||||
| Boston Bruins | 6 | ||||
| Chicago Blackhawks | 6 | ||||
| Edmonton Oilers | 5 | ||||
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 5 | ||||
| New York Islanders | 4 | ||||
| New York Rangers | 4 | ||||
| Colorado Avalanche | 3 | ||||
| New Jersey Devils | 3 | ||||
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 3 | ||||
| Los Angeles Kings | 2 | ||||
| Philadelphia Flyers | 2 | ||||
| Anaheim Ducks | 1 | ||||
| Calgary Flames | 1 | ||||
| Carolina Hurricanes | 1 | ||||
| Florida Panthers | 1 | ||||
| Dallas Stars | 1 | ||||
| St. Louis Blues | 1 | ||||
| Vegas Golden Knights | 1 | ||||
| Washington Capitals | 1 | ||||
| * Includes one championship before the NHL fully controlled the Stanley Cup. Further information:
List of Stanley Cup champions |
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The most important team award is the Stanley Cup. It is given to the league champion after the playoffs. The team with the most points in the regular season wins the Presidents' Trophy.
The Montreal Canadiens have won the most championships. They have 25 NHL titles since 1917. They also lead with 24 Stanley Cup championships. The Toronto Maple Leafs are next with 13 Stanley Cups. The Detroit Red Wings are the most successful American team with 11 Stanley Cups.
The Stanley Cup is special because the same trophy is used every year. The names of the winning teams and players are engraved on it. Other sports leagues make a new trophy each year.
Player Awards
Many trophies are given to players based on their performance.
- The Art Ross Trophy goes to the player with the most goals and assists.
- The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy is for the player who scores the most goals.
- The William M. Jennings Trophy is for the goalie(s) on the team that lets in the fewest goals.
Other player awards are voted on by hockey writers or team managers. These awards are given out at a ceremony after the playoffs.
- The Hart Memorial Trophy is for the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
- The Vezina Trophy is for the best goalie.
- The James Norris Memorial Trophy is for the best defenseman.
- The Calder Memorial Trophy is for the best rookie (first-year player).
- The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy is for the player who shows great skill and sportsmanship.
After the playoffs, the Conn Smythe Trophy is given to the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup playoffs. The best coach in the league wins the Jack Adams Award.
Players, coaches, and others who have had amazing careers can be voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Players usually have to wait three years after their last game to be eligible.
Where NHL Players Come From
Most NHL players come from Canada and the United States. But many players also come from other countries where hockey is popular. After the Soviet Union broke up, many players from countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Russia joined the NHL. More players from Sweden and Finland also came to the league.
Many top players in recent years are from European countries. These include Daniel Alfredsson, Erik Karlsson, Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Lundqvist, Jaromír Jágr, Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin, and Alexander Ovechkin. European players have changed the style of play in the NHL.
As of the 2017–18 season, NHL players come from 17 countries. About 46% are from Canada, and 26% are from the United States. The rest come from other countries. The table below shows the main countries where NHL players are born.
| Country | Players (1988–89) |
% | Players (2002–03) |
% | Players (2006–07) |
% | Players (2010–11) |
% | Players (2017–18) |
% | Players (2023–24) |
% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 551 | 75.4 | 488 | 49.8 | 495 | 52.7 | 521 | 53.3 | 446 | 45.3 | 321 | 41.9 | |
| 112 | 15.3 | 140 | 14.3 | 182 | 19.3 | 234 | 23.9 | 269 | 27.3 | 220 | 28.7 | |
| 23 | 3.1 | 58 | 5.9 | 49 | 5.2 | 63 | 6.4 | 98 | 9.9 | 76 | 9.9 | |
| 18 | 2.5 | 38 | 3.9 | 42 | 4.5 | 30 | 3.1 | 42 | 4.3 | 38 | 5.0 | |
| 11 | 1.5 | 73 | 7.4 | 65 | 6.9 | 42 | 4.3 | 37 | 3.8 | 24 | 3.1 | |
| 1 | 0.1 | 57 | 5.8 | 35 | 3.7 | 32 | 3.3 | 39 | 4.0 | 47 | 6.1 | |
| 6 | 0.8 | 36 | 3.7 | 26 | 2.8 | 14 | 1.4 | 13 | 1.3 | 6 | 0.8 | |
| Total | 731 | 100.0 | 980 | 100.0 | 942 | 100.0 | 978 | 100.0 | 985 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
Media Coverage
Watching in Canada
In Canada, Hockey Night in Canada on CBC has been a tradition since 1952. Today, Rogers Communications holds the main TV rights in Canada. Most national English-language games are shown on Sportsnet. Hockey Night in Canada still airs on Saturday nights. Quebecor Media shows French-language games on TVA Sports. Games not shown nationally are broadcast by regional Sportsnet or TSN channels.
Watching in the United States
In the United States, the NHL has had different TV partners over the years. Since the 2021–22 season, ESPN and TNT Sports share the national TV rights. ESPN shows games on ABC or ESPN, and many exclusive games on ESPN+ and Hulu. TNT shows games on TNT and TBS. The playoffs are split between ESPN and TNT. The Stanley Cup Finals are shown on ABC in even years and TNT in odd years. Regional channels also show games in local markets.
NHL Network
The NHL also has its own TV channel, the NHL Network. It shows news and highlights about the league. Its main show is NHL Tonight. The NHL Network also airs live games, often by showing a team's regional broadcast.
Online and International Viewing
Fans can watch out-of-market games online through services like NHL.tv (outside North America) or ESPN+ (in the US). In Canada, NHL Live is part of Sportsnet Now Premium. These services let fans watch games that are not shown in their local area. NHL games are also broadcast in many countries around the world, including Europe, Australia, and parts of the Americas.
International Competitions
NHL teams sometimes play in international club competitions. From 1976 to 1991, NHL teams played exhibition games against Soviet teams. These were called the Super Series. NHL teams have also played against other European clubs in exhibition games. These games are sometimes called the NHL Premiere or NHL Global Series.
NHL players also play for their home countries in international tournaments. The Ice Hockey World Championships happen every May. NHL players whose teams are out of the playoffs often join their national teams. From 1998 to 2014, the NHL paused its season to let players go to the Winter Olympics. However, the NHL did not do this in 2018 or 2022. The NHL and the NHLPA also organize the World Cup of Hockey. This tournament uses NHL rules, not international rules.
In 2007, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) created the "Triple Gold Club." This group includes players and coaches who have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and the Stanley Cup.
Popularity of the NHL
The NHL is one of the four biggest professional sports leagues in North America. In Canada, it is the most popular of these leagues. The NHL has a smaller fan base and earns less money from TV rights and sponsorships compared to the NFL, MLB, and NBA.
Studies have shown that NHL fans in the United States are often very educated. Many NHL fans buy season tickets. The NHL has mostly a white audience. In 2010, most NHL fans were males aged 18–34.
The NHL Winter Classic, an outdoor game played on New Year's Day, started in 2008. It has become a very popular event. These big events and online content have helped the NHL grow. Viewership for the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs was the highest ever at that time. This success has led to more advertising and sponsorship money for the league.
Images for kids
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Logos of corporate sponsors are visible on the boards and ice in an NHL hockey rink.