NHL and the Stanley Cup
NHL is the world's best hockey league and it attracts players from all over the world. Although the players can come from any nation, the National Hockey League (NHL) is a hockey league comprised of teams from the US and Canada only. Seven of the teams are located in Canada and 23 in the United States.
The teams in the NHL compete in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sport trophy in North America. NHL is one of the Major professional sports leagues of the United States.
The NHL is an unincorporated not-for-profit association, but the 30 franchised member clubs are much more profit driven entities.
The NHL was created back in 1917, in the Canadian city of Montreal. It replaced the National Hockey Association which had suspended its operations despite being less than 10 years old. (The National Hockey association was formed in 1909.) The NHL originally contained 4 teams but have since then gradually expanded to encompass the 30 teams it is comprised of today.
The NHL is widely considered the premier hockey league in the world and it also features the highest average wages in the ice hockey world. This helps attract players from all over the globe. The majority of the players have historically been Canadian, but today the league contains a high number of U.S. and European players as well. The opening of the eastern block in Europe saw many talented players from the former Soviet Union and other states behind the iron curtain recruited to play in the NHL.
The teams currently playing in the NHL are:
List of teams
|
Division |
Team |
City/Area |
Arena |
Founded |
Joined |
|
Atlantic |
New Jersey Devils |
Newark, NJ |
Prudential Center |
1974 |
|
|
New York Islanders |
Uniondale, NY |
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
1972 |
||
|
New York Rangers |
New York City, NY |
Madison Square Garden |
1926 |
||
|
Philadelphia Flyers |
Philadelphia, PA |
Wells Fargo Center |
1967 |
||
|
Pittsburgh Penguins |
Pittsburgh, PA |
Consol Energy Center |
1967 |
||
|
Northeast |
Boston Bruins |
Boston, MA |
TD Garden |
1924 |
|
|
Buffalo Sabres |
Buffalo, NY |
First Niagara Center |
1970 |
||
|
Montreal Canadiens |
Montreal, QC |
Bell Centre |
1909 |
1917 |
|
|
Ottawa Senators |
Ottawa, ON |
Scotiabank Place |
1992 |
||
|
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Toronto, ON |
Air Canada Centre |
1917 |
||
|
Southeast |
Carolina Hurricanes |
Raleigh, NC |
RBC Center |
1972 |
1979* |
|
Florida Panthers |
Sunrise, FL |
BankAtlantic Center |
1993 |
||
|
Tampa Bay Lightning |
Tampa, FL |
St. Pete Times Forum |
1992 |
||
|
Washington Capitals |
Washington, D.C. |
Verizon Center |
1974 |
||
|
Winnipeg Jets |
Winnipeg, MB |
MTS Centre |
1999* |
||
|
Central |
Chicago Blackhawks |
Chicago, IL |
United Center |
1926 |
|
|
Columbus Blue Jackets |
Columbus, OH |
Nationwide Arena |
2000 |
||
|
Detroit Red Wings |
Detroit, MI |
Joe Louis Arena |
1926 |
||
|
Nashville Predators |
Nashville, TN |
Bridgestone Arena |
1998 |
||
|
St. Louis Blues |
St. Louis, MO |
Scottrade Center |
1967 |
||
|
Northwest |
Calgary Flames |
Calgary, AB |
Scotiabank Saddledome |
1972* |
|
|
Colorado Avalanche |
Denver, CO |
Pepsi Center |
1972 |
1979* |
|
|
Edmonton Oilers |
Edmonton, AB |
Rexall Place |
1972 |
1979 |
|
|
Minnesota Wild |
St. Paul, MN |
Xcel Energy Center |
2000 |
||
|
Vancouver Canucks |
Vancouver, BC |
Rogers Arena |
1970 |
||
|
Pacific |
Anaheim Ducks |
Anaheim, CA |
Honda Center |
1993 |
|
|
Dallas Stars |
Dallas, TX |
American Airlines Center |
1967* |
||
|
Los Angeles Kings |
Los Angeles, CA |
Staples Center |
1967 |
||
|
Phoenix Coyotes |
Glendale, AZ |
Jobing.com Arena |
1972 |
1979* |
|
|
San Jose Sharks |
San Jose, CA |
HP Pavilion at San Jose |
1991 |
||
The 30 teams are divided into 6 divisions as seen in the table above and the 6 divisions are divided into 2 conferences, Eastern and Western. The lower 3 divisions in the table above belong to the western conference, while the top 3 belong to the eastern conference. The teams are sometimes bought and moved and they might hence have been known under a different name and had another home city at another point in time.
Each season of the NHL starts with group play, or the regular season as it is often called. The regular season sees each team playing a total of 82 games - 41 at home and 41 away. Each team plays the teams within their division more than any other. They play 6 games against each opponent in that division. They also play each team in the opposite conference at least once, as well as at least 4 games against each team in the conference to which the team belongs.
|
Year |
Winning team |
Runner up |
Games |
|
1927 |
Ottawa Senators (C) |
Boston Bruins (A) |
2–0–2 |
|
1928 |
New York Rangers (A) |
Montreal Maroons (C) |
3–2 |
|
1929 |
Boston Bruins (A) |
New York Rangers (A) |
2–0 |
|
1930 |
Montreal Canadiens (C) |
Boston Bruins (A) |
2–0 |
|
1931 |
Montreal Canadiens (C) |
Chicago Black Hawks (A) |
3–2 |
|
1932 |
Toronto Maple Leafs (C) |
New York Rangers (A) |
3–0 |
|
1933 |
New York Rangers (A) |
Toronto Maple Leafs (C) |
3–1 |
|
1934 |
Chicago Black Hawks (A) |
Detroit Red Wings (A) |
3–1 |
|
1935 |
Montreal Maroons (C) |
Toronto Maple Leafs (C) |
3–0 |
|
1936 |
Detroit Red Wings (A) |
Toronto Maple Leafs (C) |
3–1 |
|
1937 |
Detroit Red Wings (A) |
New York Rangers (A) |
3–2 |
|
1938 |
Chicago Black Hawks (A) |
Toronto Maple Leafs (C) |
3–1 |
|
1939 |
Boston Bruins |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
4–1 |
|
1940 |
New York Rangers |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
4–2 |
|
1941 |
Boston Bruins |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–0 |
|
1942 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–3 |
|
1943 |
Detroit Red Wings |
Boston Bruins |
4–0 |
|
1944 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Chicago Black Hawks |
4–0 |
|
1945 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–3 |
|
1946 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Boston Bruins |
4–1 |
|
1947 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Montreal Canadiens |
4–2 |
|
1948 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–0 |
|
1949 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–0 |
|
1950 |
Detroit Red Wings |
New York Rangers |
4–3 |
|
1951 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Montreal Canadiens |
4–1 |
|
1952 |
Detroit Red Wings |
Montreal Canadiens |
4–0 |
|
1953 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Boston Bruins |
4–1 |
|
1954 |
Detroit Red Wings |
Montreal Canadiens |
4–3 |
|
1955 |
Detroit Red Wings |
Montreal Canadiens |
4–3 |
|
1956 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–1 |
|
1957 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Boston Bruins |
4–1 |
|
1958 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Boston Bruins |
4–2 |
|
1959 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
4–1 |
|
1960 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
4–0 |
|
1961 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–2 |
|
1962 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Chicago Black Hawks |
4–2 |
|
1963 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–1 |
|
1964 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–3 |
|
1965 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Chicago Black Hawks |
4–3 |
|
1966 |
Montreal Canadiens |
Detroit Red Wings |
4–2 |
|
1967 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Montreal Canadiens |
4–2 |
|
1968 |
Montreal Canadiens (E) |
St. Louis Blues (W) |
4–0 |
|
1969 |
Montreal Canadiens (E) |
St. Louis Blues (W) |
4–0 |
|
1970 |
Boston Bruins (E) |
St. Louis Blues (W) |
4–0 |
|
1971 |
Montreal Canadiens (E) |
Chicago Black Hawks (W) |
4–3 |
|
1972 |
Boston Bruins (E) |
New York Rangers (E) |
4–2 |
|
1973 |
Montreal Canadiens (E) |
Chicago Black Hawks (W) |
4–2 |
|
1974 |
Philadelphia Flyers (W) |
Boston Bruins (E) |
4–2 |
|
1975 |
Philadelphia Flyers (CC) |
Buffalo Sabres (PW) |
4–2 |
|
1976 |
Montreal Canadiens (PW) |
Philadelphia Flyers (CC) |
4–0 |
|
1977 |
Montreal Canadiens (PW) |
Boston Bruins (PW) |
4–0 |
|
1978 |
Montreal Canadiens (PW) |
Boston Bruins (PW) |
4–2 |
|
1979 |
Montreal Canadiens (PW) |
New York Rangers (CC) |
4–1 |
|
1980 |
New York Islanders (CC) |
Philadelphia Flyers (CC) |
4–2 |
|
1981 |
New York Islanders (CC) |
Minnesota North Stars (PW) |
4–1 |
|
1982 |
New York Islanders (PW) |
Vancouver Canucks (CC) |
4–0 |
|
1983 |
New York Islanders (PW) |
Edmonton Oilers (CC) |
4–0 |
|
1984 |
Edmonton Oilers (CC) |
New York Islanders (PW) |
4–1 |
|
1985 |
Edmonton Oilers (CC) |
Philadelphia Flyers (PW) |
4–1 |
|
1986 |
Montreal Canadiens (PW) |
Calgary Flames (CC) |
4–1 |
|
1987 |
Edmonton Oilers (CC) |
Philadelphia Flyers (PW) |
4–3 |
|
1988 |
Edmonton Oilers (CC) |
Boston Bruins (PW) |
4–0 |
|
1989 |
Calgary Flames (CC) |
Montreal Canadiens (PW) |
4–2 |
|
1990 |
Edmonton Oilers (CC) |
Boston Bruins (PW) |
4–1 |
|
1991 |
Pittsburgh Penguins (PW) |
Minnesota North Stars (CC) |
4–2 |
|
1992 |
Pittsburgh Penguins (PW) |
Chicago Blackhawks (CC) |
4–0 |
|
1993 |
Montreal Canadiens (PW) |
Los Angeles Kings (CC) |
4–1 |
|
1994 |
New York Rangers (EC) |
Vancouver Canucks (WC) |
4–3 |
|
1995 |
New Jersey Devils (EC) |
Detroit Red Wings (WC) |
4–0 |
|
1996 |
Colorado Avalanche (WC) |
Florida Panthers (EC) |
4–0 |
|
1997 |
Detroit Red Wings (WC) |
Philadelphia Flyers (EC) |
4–0 |
|
1998 |
Detroit Red Wings (WC) |
Washington Capitals (EC) |
4–0 |
|
1999 |
Dallas Stars (WC) |
Buffalo Sabres (EC) |
4–2 |
|
2000 |
New Jersey Devils (EC) |
Dallas Stars (WC) |
4–2 |
|
2001 |
Colorado Avalanche (WC) |
New Jersey Devils (EC) |
4–3 |
|
2002 |
Detroit Red Wings (WC) |
Carolina Hurricanes (EC) |
4–1 |
|
2003 |
New Jersey Devils (EC) |
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (WC) |
4–3 |
|
2004 |
Tampa Bay Lightning (EC) |
Calgary Flames (WC) |
4–3 |
|
2006 |
Carolina Hurricanes (EC) |
Edmonton Oilers (WC) |
4–3 |
|
2007 |
Anaheim Ducks (WC) |
Ottawa Senators (EC) |
4–1 |
|
2008 |
Detroit Red Wings (WC) |
Pittsburgh Penguins (EC) |
4–2 |
|
2009 |
Pittsburgh Penguins (EC) |
Detroit Red Wings (WC) |
4–3 |
|
2010 |
Chicago Blackhawks (WC) |
Philadelphia Flyers (EC) |
4–2 |
|
2011 |
Boston Bruins (EC) |
Vancouver Canucks (WC) |
4–3 |