History of the National Hockey League facts for kids
The National Hockey League (NHL) is a super exciting professional ice hockey league. It's where the best hockey teams from Canada and the United States battle it out on the ice! The NHL started way back in 1917 and has been thrilling fans ever since. It's one of the biggest sports leagues in North America.
How the NHL Started
The National Hockey League officially began in 1917 in a city called Montreal. Before the NHL, there was another league called the National Hockey Association (NHA). The NHA had some problems, and because of these issues, it stopped operating. That's when the new and improved NHL was created to take its place!
NHL History Timeline

Images for kids
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These are cities that had NHL teams before the big expansion in 1967. The "Original Six" teams were the ones that kept playing through tough times like the Great Depression and World War II.
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Syl Apps with the Stanley Cup in the 1940s, before it was redesigned.
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This map shows cities that had teams in both the NHL and the WHA (World Hockey Association) when the leagues merged in 1979. Four WHA teams joined the NHL.