Who Were The Original 6 NHL Teams?

The Original Six refers to the group of six teams that made up the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 1942-43 season.

The Original 6 NHL Teams

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league composed of 30 teams, of which 24 are based 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. which was established in 1917. The term “Original 6” refers to the six teams that made up the NHL prior to the 1967 expansion: the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. These six teams were also the last to be added to the league before the 1967 expansion.

The Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins were one of the Original Six teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). They were founded in 1924, and their home arena is the TD Garden. The Bruins have won six Stanley Cup championships, the most recent coming in 2011.

The Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks, established in 1926 and based in Chicago, Illinois, are one of the “Original Six” National Hockey League teams. They have won six Stanley Cup championships since their founding, most recently in 2015. The Blackhawks play their home games at the United Center, which they share with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.

The Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) and are one of the Original Six teams of the league. The Red Wings play their home games at Joe Louis Arena.

The Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens (French: Les Canadiens de Montréal) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The club’s official name is le Club de hockey Canadien. The team is frequently referred to in English and French as the Habs. French nicknames for the team include Les Habitants (The Inhabitants), Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge (The Blue-White-Red), La Sainte-Flanelle (The Holy Knit), Le Tricolore (The Tricolour), and Les Glorieux/Les Glory Boys.[11][12][13]

Founded in 1909, the Canadiens are the longest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide,[14] and the only existing NHL club to predate the founding of the NHL.[15] One of the oldest North American professional sports franchises, the Canadiens’ history predates that of every other Canadian franchise outside football as well as every American franchise outside baseball and basketball.[16] The Canadiens have won more Stanley Cup championships than any other franchise.[17] They have won 24 Stanley Cup Championships, 23 of them since 1927, when NHL teams became the only ones to compete for it.

The Montreal Canadiens were founded by J. Ambrose O’Brien on December 4, 1909, as a charter member of the National Hockey Association (NHA).[18][19] while they were still known as Le Club Athlétique Canadien.

The New York Rangers

The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden in the borough of Manhattan, an indoor arena they share with the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). The club is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Ltd. and are represented by Chairman Larry Tanenbaum. The Maple Leafs’ broadcasting rights are split between BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications. For their first 14 seasons, the club played their home games at the Mutual Street Arena, before moving to Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931. The Maple Leafs moved to their present home, Scotiabank Arena (originally Air Canada Centre) in February 1999.

The franchise was founded in 1917 as one of six teams initially formed by the NHL, and has competed in every season since 1918. The Maple Leafs have won thirteen Stanley Cup championships, second only to the 24 championships of the Montreal Canadiens. They won their last championship in 1967; 54 years later and two days shy of their centenary anniversary on May 2, 2021, they defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4–3 in overtime to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1967, where they will face either the Vegas Golden Knights or Colorado Avalanche.*

*As of May 20th 2021