When Did the NHL Begin?

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, founded in 1917. The NHL is composed of 30 teams: 23 in the United States and 7 in Canada.

The National Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in North America

The National Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in North America, currently comprising 31 teams: 24 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world, and one of the North American major professional sports leagues. It was founded on November 26, 1917, with the collusion of the owners of four National Hockey Association franchises in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec City. At its inception, the NHL had four teams—all in Canada, thus the adjective “National” in the league’s name. The league expanded to the United States in 1924, when the Boston Bruins joined, and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams.

After a labour dispute that led to the cancellation of the entire 2004–05 season, the league resumed play in 2005–06 under a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that included a salary cap. In 2009, an agreement between NHL owners and Players’ Association representatives saw salaries capped at 57% of hockey-related revenue (HRR), where they have remained since (the current CBA will see this percentage increase incrementally through to 50%).

The NHL was founded in 1917

The NHL was founded in 1917, when four of the NHL’s predecessor organizations joined together to form a league. These four organizations were the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), the Quebec Athletic Association (QAA), the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (ECAHA), and the International Hockey League (IHL). The first game in NHL history was played on December 19, 1917, between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Arenas.

The NHL is made up of 30 teams

The NHL is made up of 30 teams, 24 in the United States and seven in Canada. The Original Six is a term used for the six teams that made up the NHL prior to the expansion in 1967. These teams were: Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The NHL is divided into two conferences, the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference

The National Hockey League (NHL) is divided into two conferences, the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference is further divided into two divisions, the Atlantic and Metropolitan in the East, and the Central and Pacific in the West. The top three teams in each division plus two wild card teams from each conference make up the playoff bracket that leads to the Stanley Cup Final.

Each conference is made up of three divisions

Each conference is made up of three divisions. In the Eastern Conference, the Atlantic Division includes the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and the Ottawa Senators. The Metropolitan Division consists of the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals. Lastly, the Central Division houses the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets. The Western Conference features the Pacific Division with teams Anaheim Ducks Arizona Coyotes Calgary Flames Edmonton Oilers Los Angeles Kings San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks. Lastly is the Central Division which contains Chicago Blackhawks Colorado Avalanche Dallas Stars Minnesota Wild Nashville Predators St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets

The NHL season runs from October to April

The NHL season runs from October to April, with teams playing an 82-game schedule. The Stanley Cup playoffs follow, with the top 16 teams in the league competing for the championship.

The Stanley Cup is the most prestigious trophy in the NHL

The Stanley Cup is the most prestigious trophy in the NHL, and it dates back to 1893. It was originally open to any amateur team in Canada, and it was first won by the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association. In 1910, it became the championship trophy of the National Hockey Association (NHA), which was the precursor to the NHL. The NHA eventually folded in 1917, and the Stanley Cup was then contested by teams in the NHL.