NHL

Born in Montreal at the Windsor Hotel on November 26, 1917, the league took the place of its predecessor and quickly became one of the contests for the Stanley Cup. Early decades were defined by cross‑border growth—the Boston Bruins brought the game to the United States in 1924—and by eras such as the six‑team period from 1942 to 1967 that fans still call the Original Six. A series of expansions and mergers through the 20th century left the league as the sole competitor for the Stanley Cup by 1926, a trophy the IIHF regards as one of the sport’s most important championships.

Today the league counts 32 teams, 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada, with headquarters in New York City and offices in Toronto and Montreal. The regular season runs from October to April, each club playing 82 games, and the top 16 teams advance to a four‑round Stanley Cup playoff that can run into June. The NHL is among the world’s highest‑grossing sports leagues and, as of the 2024–25 season, featured players from 18 countries; the Carolina Hurricanes are the reigning champions after the 2026 Final.

A handful of clubs and milestones mark the league’s identity: the Montreal Canadiens, holders of the most NHL titles at 25; the Boston Bruins, the first U.S. franchise in 1924; and recent growth highlighted by the addition of the Utah Mammoth following an awarded Salt Lake City franchise in 2024. The modern league blends deep history with ongoing expansion and commercial success.