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National Hockey League (NHL), organization of professional ice hockey teams in North America, formed in 1917 by four Canadian teams, to which the first U.S. team, the Boston Bruins, was added in 1924. The National Hockey League (NHL) became the strongest league in North America and in 1926 took permanent possession of the Stanley Cup, a trophy representing world supremacy in ice hockey. Headquarters are in New York City.
League membership rose to 10, then dropped, and held steady at six from 1942 to 1967. (Those teams—the Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs—are referred to as the “Original Six,” and that era has been celebrated by the hockey press and fans for generations.) After various periods of expansion and reorganization, the NHL now consists of 32 teams in two conferences and four divisions.
Atlantic Division: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs
Metropolitan Division: Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals
Central Division: Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Utah Mammoth, Winnipeg Jets
Pacific Division: Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights
At the end of the league’s regular season, eight teams from each conference—the top three teams in each division and two wild-card teams with the best remaining records, regardless of divisional affiliation—qualify for the playoffs. The champions of each conference then compete in a best-of-seven series for possession of the Stanley Cup.
The table provides a list of Stanley Cup champions.
