How Many NHL Teams Are There in Canada?

If you’re a hockey fan, you might be wondering how many NHL teams are located in Canada. The answer may surprise you – there are actually seven teams! Keep reading to learn more about each of these Canadian teams.

NHL Teams in Canada

As of the 2019-20 NHL season, there are seven Canadian teams in the National Hockey League: the Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and Winnipeg Jets.

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers were founded on November 1, 1971, with the team playing its first season in 1972, as one of the twelve founding franchises of the major professional World Hockey Association (WHA). They were originally intended to be one of two WHA teams in Alberta, however, when the Broncos relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, before the WHA’s first season began, the Oilers were renamed the Alberta Oilers. They returned to using the Edmonton Oilers name for the following year, then spent six seasons as a member of WHA before joining the NHL in 1979 as one of four franchises absorbed through the NHL merger with their fellow WHA counterparts.

The Oilers competed in the Stanley Cup Finals twice in 1987 and 1988 but lost both times to their crosstown rivals from Calgary.

Calgary Flames

The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The club is owned by a group headed by billionaire Stanley Kroenke.

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 a capacity of over 18,000.

The Canucks joined the NHL in 1970 as an expansion team along with theBuffalo Sabres. In its NHL history, the team has advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals three times, losing to the New York Islanders in 1982, the New York Rangers in 1994 and the Boston Bruins in 2011. They have won seven division titles and qualified for nine conference finals.

Ottawa Senators

The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Senators play their home games at the 18,652-seat Canadian Tire Centre which opened in 1996. Ottawa has been home to a NHL team since 1917. The Ottawa Senators were reincarnated from the original Ottawa Senators who played from 1917 until 1934.

NHL Teams in the United States

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league composed of 30 teams, of which 23 are located in the United States and 7 in Canada. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded to the NHL playoff champion at the end of each season.

Anaheim Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The Ducks have played their home games at Honda Center since 1993.

The club was founded in 1993 by The Walt Disney Company as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, a name based on the 1992 film The Mighty Ducks. Disney sold the franchise in 2005 to Henry and Susan Samueli, who along with then-general manager Bryan Murray greatly expanded its staffing and scout department, leading to perpendicular rises in on-ice success and popularity. Since winning their first Stanley Cup championship in 2007, the Ducks have made the playoffs eight times in 12 seasons (as of 2019), won five Pacific Division titles (2006, 2007, 2014–2016), two Western Conference championships (2015 and 2017), and qualified for three Stanley Cup Finals (2003 and 2007, winning once).

Arizona Coyotes

The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Coyotes first played at America West Arena (now Talking Stick Resort Arena) in downtown Phoenix, before moving to Glendale’s Gila River Arena in 2003.

Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team has been in existence since 1924, making them the third-oldest active team in the NHL, and the oldest to be based in the United States.

The Bruins have won six Stanley Cup championships, tied for fourth most of any team in the NHL. their home arena is the TD Garden, where they have played since 1995. Prior to that, they played at the Boston Arena (1926–28) and before that, at the games beginning as an expansion franchise, at both theBoston Thanksgiving Tournament (1924) and Harvard Stadium (1925–26).

Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres, founded in 1970, are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The team plays its home games at KeyBank Center.

The Sabres began play as an expansion team in 1970 along with the Vancouver Canucks. In its 47 years of operation, the team has advanced to four Stanley Cup Finals appearances, winning two; in 1975 and in 1999. The Sabres rivalries include the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens and more recently, the Boston Bruins.

NHL Teams in Europe

Although there are currently no NHL teams located in Europe, there have been several efforts to try and place teams on the continent. The most recent attempt was in the 2012-13 season, when the NHL announced that the League was exploring the possibility of placing two expansion teams in Europe. The plan was ultimately scrapped, but it shows that the NHL is interested in expanding its reach to Europe.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Hurricanes play their home games at the 18, 680-seat PNC Arena. The franchise owner is Thomas Dundon, who purchased the team in January 2018.

The team was founded in 1971 as the New England Whalers, and along with the Cleveland Crusaders and Minnesota Fighting Saints, was one of three World Hockey Association (WHA) teams to join the NHL when the rival league began play in 1972. Due to financial problems, the team moved to Hartford, Connecticut in 1974 and became known as the Hartford Whalers. The new ownership group sold the team to Peter Karmanos in 1994, who then relocated them to Raleigh to join convention center for which a new arena was under construction. The Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup in 2006.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). They have won six Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926. The Blackhawks are one of the “Original Six” NHL teams along with the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. Since 1994, the team has played its home games at the United Center.

The club had previously played for 65 years at Chicago Stadium. The Blackhawks have a long-standing rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings, as well as a bitter one with the St. Louis Blues.

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Avalanche were founded in 1972 as the Quebec Nordiques and were one of the four franchises that joined the NHL as part of the 1967 expansion. The franchise relocated to Denver in 1995 and was renamed as the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche have won nine division titles and qualified for the playoffs in each of their first thirteen seasons in Denver; this streak ended in 2007. Most recently, they won the Central Division in 2019–20 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs where they were eliminated by Dallas Stars

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Blue Jackets play their home games at Nationwide Arena, located in downtown Columbus.