NHL History

Before the NHL, there was the NHA, or National Hockey Association, founded in 1909.  After disputes among the four teams, the NHA became defunct and the NHL was formed on November 26, 1917 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  The first four teams in the NHL were the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottowa Senators, and Quebec Bulldogs.  Over the years, the league expanded to include many more teams, some of which are no longer in operation.  Today the NHL has 30 franchises, two of which remain from the founding of the NHL, that compete annually for the Stanley Cup.  The Stanley Cup is the oldest sports trophy in North America and predates the HL itself.