What is NHL?

32 clubs, 25 from the United States and 7 from Canada, make up the National Hockey League, a professional ice hockey league in North America. It is one of the four main professional sports leagues in the US and Canada.

Since 1917 the NHL has existed as more than a hockey league. The National Hockey League has attracted over 32 teams representing more than 20 nations that compete yearly for the prestigious Stanley Cup. Millions of fans watch National Hockey League games year after year while they either sit in arenas or watch it on television, radio broadcasts or stream online. The NHL reaches an enormous market through social media platforms where it extends beyond 191 million followers and receives visits from 100
million people on NHL.com.

The league broadcasts games across over 260 countries while ESPN, WBD Sports, and NHL Network handle broadcasts in the United States, and Prime Video, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports handle broadcasts in Canada.

Beyond being a sports league the NHL exists to unite individuals from different backgrounds through its activities. Each community in the NHL includes exciting ice team action alongside endearing
player profiles and broad athletic inclusion initiatives.

Hockey remains top-tier as an electrifying sport because
the NHL continues its evolution through exciting games with new ways to include more fans.

Rules and Regulations

At the start of a game, when the puck is dropped by an official, the two teams square off. An NHL game typically has 11 players: six skaters on the ice and five substitutes on the bench. No matter what happens, the goaltender will never leave his net. NHL games consist of three periods, each lasting over 20 minutes. In the playoffs, the time between periods becomes longer as teams wait for the first goal.

History of NHL

The NHL has come a long way since starting operations in Montréal Canada in 1917. Thirty-two professional hockey teams now maintain operations throughout North America after the league started
with only a four-team lineup. The establishment of the Boston Bruins in 1924 introduced the first U.S. team to the National Hockey League and it signified the start of NHL expansion into American territory.

When 1926 arrived the NHL acquired complete ownership of the Stanley Cup that continues to serve as the highest honor in professional hockey. From 1942 to 1967 all NHL teams came from the Original Six
consisting of Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montréal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. People consider that time to be the best and most famous era in hockey history. Through time the National Hockey League continued to add more teams to its roster.

The league expanded its size by two times in 1967 when it added six new teams before it reached 21 teams by the end of the 1970s. In the 1990s the San Jose Sharks joined the league and alongside other teams boosted the NHL to its current total of thirty franchises by 2000. During the early 2000s, the NHL actively expanded its international profile through games that took place in Japan Germany, and Sweden.

In 2003 the NHL started its regular-season outdoor matches when Edmonton hosted the inaugural outdoor game. The outdoor game idea prospered into what became the celebrated Winter Classic in
2008 and numerous additional outdoor games were played in various famous worldwide stadiums.

Through exciting ice sports performances along with diversity
improvement projects and the Player Inclusion Coalition program, the NHL exists as the central organization of elite hockey. Season after season the league develops fresh methods to engage its fans while transforming its game and recognizing the outstanding athletic skills found in hockey.

NHL Conferences and Divisions

1. Eastern Conference

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
• Philadelphia Flyers
• Pittsburgh Penguins
• New Jersey Devils
• New York Islanders
• New York Rangers
• Washington Capitals

2. Western Conference

Central Division
• Chicago Blackhawks
• Colorado Avalanche
• Dallas Stars
• Minnesota Wild
• Nashville Predators
• St. Louis Blues
• Winnipeg Jets

Pacific Division
• Anaheim Ducks
• Arizona Coyotes
• Calgary Flames
• Edmonton Oilers
• Los Angeles Kings
• San Jose Sharks
• Vancouver Canucks
• Vegas Golden Knights