The NHL’s Original 8 Teams

The National Hockey League (NHL) was founded in 1917 with eight teams: the Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs Boston Bruins New York Rangers Detroit Red Wings Chicago Blackhawks Montreal Maroons, and Ottawa Senators.
These “Original Eight” teams make up half of the current NHL Teams

The NHL’s Original 8 Teams: A Brief History

The National Hockey League was founded in 1917 with just four teams. The league expanded to six teams by 1925, then to its current size of 31 teams in 1967. But it all started with the Original 8 teams: the Boston Bruins Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers Toronto Maple Leafs and the two expansion teams from 1967, the Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues

These eight teams have a long and storied history. The Bruins were the first US-based team in the NHL, and the Blackhawks were one of the ‘Original Six’ teams that made up the NHL from 1942 until 1967 (the others being the Bruins, Canadiens, Rangers, Red Wings and Maple Leafs). The Flyers were the first expansion team in 1967 and quickly became one of the most successful Expansion Teams ever, winning the Stanley Cup in 1974-75 (just their 7th season in existence) and again in 1974-75. The Blues made it to three straight Stanley Cups finals from 1968-70 but were unable to win any of them.

Today, these eight teams are some of the most popular and successful franchises in the NHL. The Bruins and Blackhawks have both won multiple Stanley Cups since their inception (six for Boston and three for Chicago), while the Flyers continue to be one of the most popular teams in the league. The Blues have finally broken through and won a Stanley Cup Championship in 2019 after 52 years of existence. These Original 8 teams have truly shaped hockey into what it is today.

The Original 8 Teams: The Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are one of the Original 8 teams in the National Hockey League Founded in 1924, the Bruins are the oldest professional Hockey Team in the United States The Bruins have won 6 Stanley Cup Championships, the most recent being in 2011. The Bruins have a rich history and are one of the most iconic teams in NHL history

The Original 8 Teams: The Chicago Blackhawks

The Original 8 teams were the Boston Bruins Chicago Blackhawks Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers and the Toronto Maple Leafs from the National Hockey League (NHL). These teams were all founded in 1926 when the NHL was established and they competed for the Stanley Cup The Chicago Blackhawks were one of the most successful Original 8 teams, winning 3 Stanley Cups in their first decade.

The Original 8 Teams: The Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are one of the NHL’s original 8 teams. The team was founded in 1926 and has won 11 Stanley Cups most recently in 2008. The Red Wings are known for their historic rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens, as well as their “Hockeytown” fans.

The Original 8 Teams: The Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens were one of the original eight teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). They were founded in 1909 as a charter member of the NHL. The Canadiens are the oldest professional Hockey Team in North America and the most successful team in NHL history They have won 24 Stanley Cups, more than any other team in the NHL.

The Original 8 Teams: The New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are one of the NHL’s Original 8 teams. They were founded in 1926 and played their first season in 1927. The Rangers are based in New York City and they play their home games at Madison Square Garden The Rangers have won four Stanley Cups, the most recent being in 1994.

The Original 8 Teams: The Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the original eight teams that made up the National Hockey League The team was founded in 1917 and has won a total of 13 Stanley Cups, more than any other Canadian Hockey team Leafs fans are some of the most passionate in the NHL and the team has a long-standing rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens. Toronto is also home to the Hockey Hall of Fame making it a mecca for hockey fans from all over the world.

The Original 8 Teams: The Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks are a professional Ice Hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place, which has an official capacity of 18,910.

The Canucks joined the NHL in 1970 as an expansion team along with the Buffalo Sabres and play their first game on October 9, 1970. In their NHL history they have won six Stanley Cup championships (1911–12, 1913–14, 1914–15, 1918–19, 1928–29 and 2010–11), more than any other Canadian team. They are also one of only two NHL teams to have never missed the playoffs in their entire existence (the other team being the Boston Bruins).

The Canucks’ overall record is 1120 wins, 1071 losses and 231 ties for 2nd most points in NHL history