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History of the National Hockey League facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional sports organization. It contains ice hockey teams in Canada and the United States. It began in 1917 and is still running.

Founding

The National Hockey League began in 1917 in Montreal. It happened because of a series of problems within the Canadian National Hockey Association (NHA). The NHA suspend operations and the new NHL started instead.

Timeline


Images for kids

  • NHL time map

    Map of Canadian provinces and U.S. states, and what decade they got their first NHL team.

  • NHLPreOriginalSixEra

    Cities that hosted NHL teams prior to the 1967 NHL expansion. The six teams that lasted past the Great Depression and World War II became known as the Original Six. Montreal and New York hosted Original Six teams and teams that folded.

  • MapleLeafGardens1934

    Maple Leaf Gardens in 1934

  • Philadelphia quakers jersey

    The sweater of the Philadelphia Quakers, in 1931–32; the Quakers were one of four franchises to fail between 1931 and 1942.

  • Red Dutton, 1944

    Red Dutton briefly served as NHL president between 1943 and 1946.

  • Clarence Campbell Stanley Cup 1957

    Clarence Campbell served as the NHL's third President from 1946 until his retirement in 1977.

  • Maurice richard profile

    Maurice "Rocket" Richard, the first player to score 50 goals in 50 games, retired as the NHL's all-time scoring leader.

  • Syl Apps

    Syl Apps, with the Cup before it was redesigned, in the 1940s

  • Eric vail atlanta flames 1978

    The Colorado Rockies battle the Atlanta Flames in 1978. These teams are now the New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames respectively.

  • NHLWHAmerger

    Cities that hosted NHL and WHA teams at the time of the NHL-WHA merger in 1979. Four WHA teams joined the NHL, while the two remaining teams joined the CHL.

  • Wayne Gretzky statue 6

    A statue of Wayne Gretzky raising the Stanley Cup in front of Edmonton's Rogers Place.

  • Alexander Mogilny

    Alexander Mogilny, pictured in 2006, was among the first Soviets to play in the NHL in 1989.

  • Nhl relocation map 1495x1155

    Map of relocated NHL teams

  • Gary Bettman at Entry Draft 2008

    Gary Bettman, pictured in 2008, joined the NHL as its first commissioner in 1993.

  • NHL Winter Classic 2008

    Arena setup at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo for the 2008 Winter Classic

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History of the National Hockey League Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.