National Hockey League
Current season, competition or edition: 2024–25 NHL season | |
Sport | Ice hockey |
---|---|
Founded | November 26, 1917 Montreal, Quebec, Canada[1] | ,
First season | 1917–18 |
Commissioner | Gary Bettman |
No. of teams | 32 |
Countries | Canada (7 teams) United States (25 teams) |
Headquarters | One Manhattan West 395 Ninth Avenue New York City, New York, U.S. |
Continent | North America |
Most recent champion(s) | Florida Panthers (1st title) (2023–24) |
Most titles | Montreal Canadiens (25 titles)[nb 1] |
TV partner(s) | |
Streaming partner(s) | |
Official website | www |
The National Hockey League (NHL; French: Ligue nationale de hockey [liɡ nɑsjɔnal də ɔkɛ], LNH) is a professional ice hockey league in North America consisting of 32 teams – 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America,[5] is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered to be the top-ranked professional ice hockey league in the world,[6] with players from 17 countries as of the 2023–24 season[update].[7] The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) also views the Stanley Cup as one of the "most important championships available to the sport".[8] The NHL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.
The National Hockey League was organized at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal on November 26, 1917, after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization, the National Hockey Association (NHA), which had been founded in 1909 at Renfrew, Ontario.[9] The NHL immediately took the NHA's place as one of the leagues that contested for the Stanley Cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and foldings left the NHL as the only league left competing for the Stanley Cup in 1926.
At its inception, the NHL had four teams, all in Canada, thus the adjective "National" in the league's name. The league expanded to the United States in 1924, when the Boston Bruins joined, and has since consisted of both American and Canadian teams. From 1942 to 1967, the league had only six teams, collectively (if not contemporaneously) nicknamed the "Original Six". The NHL added six new teams to double its size at the 1967 NHL expansion. The league then increased to 18 teams by 1974 and 21 teams in 1979. Between 1991 and 2000, the NHL further expanded to 30 teams. It added its 31st and 32nd teams in 2017 and 2021, respectively. Salt Lake City was awarded a 33rd franchise in 2024 as it acquired the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes, which became inactive, thus maintaining the total number of teams at 32. Arizona subsequently ceased efforts to re-activate shortly thereafter, bringing the league back to 32 franchises.
The NHL is the fifth-highest grossing
The NHL's regular season is typically held from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. Following the conclusion of the regular season, 16 teams advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs, a four-round tournament that runs into June to determine the league champion. Since the league's founding in 1917, the Montreal Canadiens have won the most combined NHL titles with 25, winning three NHL championship series before the league took full exclusivity of the Stanley Cup in 1926, and 22 Stanley Cups afterwards.[nb 1] The reigning league champions are the Florida Panthers, who defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals.
History
Part of a series on the |
History of the NHL |
---|
National Hockey League |
Ice hockey portal |
Early years
The National Hockey League was established in 1917 as the successor to the National Hockey Association (NHA). Founded in 1909, the NHA began play in 1910 with seven teams in Ontario and Quebec, and was one of the first major leagues in professional ice hockey. However, by its eighth season, a series of disputes with Toronto Blueshirts owner Eddie Livingstone led team owners of the Montreal Canadiens, the Montreal Wanderers, the Ottawa Senators, and the Quebec Bulldogs to hold a meeting to discuss the league's future.[13] Realizing the NHA constitution left them unable to force Livingstone out, the four teams voted instead to suspend the NHA, and, on November 26, 1917, formed the National Hockey League. Frank Calder was chosen as the NHL's first president, serving until his death in 1943.[14]
The Bulldogs were unable to play in the NHL, and the remaining owners founded the Toronto Arenas to compete with the Canadiens, Wanderers and Senators.[15] The first games were played on December 19, 1917.[16] The Montreal Arena burned down in January 1918, causing the Wanderers to cease operations,[17] and the NHL continued on as a three-team league until the Bulldogs returned in 1919.[18]
The NHL replaced the NHA as one of the leagues that competed for the Stanley Cup, an interleague competition at the time. Toronto won the first NHL title, and then defeated the
The National Hockey League embarked on a rapid expansion in the 1920s, adding the Montreal Maroons and the Boston Bruins in 1924, the latter being the first American team to join the league.[25] The New York Americans began play in 1925 after purchasing the assets of the Hamilton Tigers, and they were joined by the Pittsburgh Pirates.[26] The New York Rangers were added in 1926,[27] and the Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Cougars (later the Red Wings) were added after the league purchased the assets of the defunct WCHL.[28] A group purchased the Toronto St. Patricks in 1927 and immediately renamed them the Toronto Maple Leafs.[29]
In 1926, Native American Taffy Abel became the first non-white player in the NHL and broke the league's color barrier by playing for the New York Rangers.[30]
In 1934, the first NHL All-Star Game was held, to benefit Ace Bailey, whose career ended on a vicious hit by Eddie Shore.[31] The second was held in 1937, in support of Howie Morenz's family when he died of a coronary embolism after breaking his leg during a game.[32]
Original Six era
The Great Depression and the onset of World War II took a toll on the league. The Pirates became the Philadelphia Quakers in 1930, then folded a year later. The Senators likewise became the St. Louis Eagles in 1934, also lasting only a year.[33] The Maroons did not survive, as they suspended operations in 1938.[34] The Americans were suspended in 1942 due to a lack of available players, and they were never reactivated.[35]
For the 1942–43 season, the NHL was reduced to six teams: the Boston Bruins, the Chicago Black Hawks, the Detroit Red Wings, the Montreal Canadiens, the New York Rangers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, a line-up, often referred to as the "Original Six", that would remain constant for the next 25 years. In 1947, the league reached an agreement with the Stanley Cup trustees to take full control of the trophy, allowing it to reject challenges from other leagues that wished to play for the Cup.[36]
In 1945,
In 1948, Asian Canadian Larry Kwong became the first Asian player in the NHL by playing for the New York Rangers.[39][40] In 1958, Willie O'Ree became the first black player in the league's history when he made his debut with the Boston Bruins.[41]
Expansion era
By the mid-1960s, the desire for a network television contract in the United States, coupled with concerns that the
The NHL fought the WHA for players, losing 67 to the new league in its first season of
Labour issues
There have been four league-wide work stoppages in NHL history, all occurring after 1992. The first was an April 1992 strike by the National Hockey League Players' Association, which lasted for ten days but was settled quickly with all affected games rescheduled.[60]
A lockout at the start of the 1994–95 season forced the league to reduce the schedule from 84 games to 48, with the teams playing only intra-conference games during the reduced season.[60] The resulting collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was set for renegotiation in 1998, and extended to September 15, 2004.[61]
With no new agreement in hand when the contract expired, league commissioner Gary Bettman announced a lockout of the players union and closed the league's head office for the 2004–05 season.[61] The league vowed to install what it dubbed "cost certainty" for its teams, but the Players' Association countered that the move was little more than a euphemism for a salary cap, which the union initially said it would not accept. The lockout shut down the league for 310 days, making it the longest in sports history, as the NHL became the first professional sports league to lose an entire season.[61] A new collective bargaining agreement was eventually ratified in July 2005, including a salary cap. The agreement had a term of six years with an option of extending the collective bargaining agreement for an additional year at the end of the term, allowing the league to resume as of the 2005–06 season.[61]
On October 5, 2005, the first post-lockout season took to the ice with all 30 teams. The NHL received record attendance in the 2005–06 season, with an average of 16,955 per game.[62] However, its television audience was slower to rebound due to American cable broadcaster ESPN's decision to drop its NHL coverage.[63] The league's post-lockout agreement with NBC gave the league a share of revenue from each game's advertising sales, rather than the usual lump sum paid up front for game rights. The league's annual revenues were estimated at $2.27 billion.[63]
On September 16, 2012, the labour pact expired, and the league again
Player safety issues
Player safety has become a major issue in the NHL, with concussions resulting from a hard hit to the head being the primary concern. Recent studies have shown how the consequences of concussions can last beyond player retirement.[72] This has significant effects on the league, as elite players have suffered from the aftereffects of concussions (such as Sidney Crosby being sidelined for approximately ten and a half months), which adversely affects the league's marketability.[73] In December 2009, Brendan Shanahan was hired to replace Colin Campbell, and was given the role of senior vice-president of player safety. Shanahan began to hand out suspensions on high-profile perpetrators responsible for dangerous hits, such as Raffi Torres receiving 25 games for his hit on Marian Hossa.[74]
To aid with removing high-speed collisions on icing, which had led to several potential career-ending injuries, such as to Hurricanes' defenceman Joni Pitkanen, the league mandated hybrid no-touch icing for the 2013–14 NHL season.[75]
On November 25, 2013, ten former NHL players (Gary Leeman, Rick Vaive, Brad Aitken, Darren Banks, Curt Bennett, Richie Dunn, Warren Holmes, Bob Manno, Blair Stewart, and Morris Titanic) sued the league for negligence in protecting players from concussions. The suit came three months after the National Football League agreed to pay former players US$765 million due to a player safety lawsuit.[76]
Women in the NHL
From 1952 to 1955, Marguerite Norris served as president of the Detroit Red Wings, being the first female NHL executive and the first woman to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup. In 1992, Manon Rhéaume became the first woman to play a game in any of the major professional North American sports leagues, as a goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning in a pre-season game against the St. Louis Blues, stopping seven of nine shots.[77][78] In 2016, Dawn Braid was hired as the Arizona Coyotes' skating coach, making her the first female full-time coach in the NHL.[79] The first female referees in the NHL were hired in a test-run during the league's preseason prospect tournaments in September 2019.[80]
In 2016, the NHL hosted the
Organizational structure
Board of Governors
The Board of Governors is the ruling and governing body of the National Hockey League. In this context, each team is a member of the league, and each member appoints a Governor (usually the owner of the club), and two alternates to the Board. The current chairman of the Board is Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs. The Board of Governors exists to establish the policies of the league and to uphold its constitution. Some of the responsibilities of the Board of Governors include:[85]
- review and approve any changes to the league's rules.
- hiring and firing of the commissioner.
- review and approve the purchase, sale or relocation of any member club.
- review and approve the salary caps for member clubs.
- review and approve any changes to the structure of the game schedule.
The Board of Governors meets twice per year, in the months of June and December, with the exact date and place to be fixed by the Commissioner.
Executives
The chief executive of the league is commissioner
Teams
From the 2017–18 season to the 2019–20 season, the NHL consisted of 31 teams—24 based in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL divided the 31 teams into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Each conference was split into two divisions: the Eastern Conference contained 16 teams (eight per division), while the Western Conference had 15 teams (seven in the Central and eight in the Pacific). The league temporarily realigned for the 2020–21 season but returned to the previous alignment the following year. With the addition of the Seattle Kraken in 2021–22 to the Pacific Division and the Arizona Coyotes' move from the Pacific to the Central, all four divisions now have eight teams each and both conferences have 16 teams.
The number of NHL teams held constant at 30 teams from the 2000–01 season, when the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets joined the league as expansion teams, until 2017. That expansion capped a period in the 1990s of rapid expansion and relocation, when the NHL added nine teams to grow from 21 to 30 teams, and relocated four teams mostly from smaller, northern cities to larger, more southern metropolitan areas (Minneapolis to Dallas, Quebec City to Denver, Winnipeg to Phoenix, and Hartford to Raleigh). The league has not contracted any teams since the Cleveland Barons were merged into the Minnesota North Stars in 1978. The league expanded for the first time in 17 years[88] to 31 teams with the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017,[55] then to 32 with the addition of the Seattle Kraken in 2021.[56][89] In April 2024, a new expansion team in Utah was created, after Alex Meruelo sold the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes to Ryan Smith, owner of the Utah Jazz.[57][58] Meruelo was granted until 2029 to secure an arena in Arizona in order to re-activate the team, bringing the total number of franchises in the NHL up to 33; however, these efforts were abandoned two months later, leaving the NHL at 32 franchises once again.[59]
According to Forbes, in 2023, the top five most valuable teams were four of the "Original Six" teams and the Los Angeles Kings:
- Toronto Maple Leafs – US$2.8 billion
- New York Rangers – US$2.65 billion
- Montreal Canadiens – US$2.3 billion
- Los Angeles Kings – US$2 billion
- Boston Bruins – US$1.9 billion
The remaining members of the Original Six, the Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings, respectively ranked sixth at US$1.87 billion and hypothetically 12th at US$1.3 billion. Compared with 2022, the Maple Leafs surpassed the Rangers as the most valuable NHL team, and Los Angeles overtook both Chicago and Boston, making its way into the top five.[90]
List of teams
Notes:
- An asterisk (*) denotes a franchise move. See the respective team articles for more information.
- The NHL–WHA merger.
Timeline
Rule differences with international hockey
The National Hockey League's rules are one of the two standard sets of professional ice hockey rules in the world, the other being the rules of the
The NHL
The league has regularly modified its rules to counter perceived imperfections in the game. The penalty shot was adopted from the Pacific Coast Hockey Association to ensure players were not being blocked from opportunities to score. For the 2005–06 season, the league changed some of the rules regarding being offside. First, the league removed the "offside pass" or "two-line pass" rule, which required a stoppage in play if a pass originating from inside a team's defending zone was completed on the offensive side of the centre line, unless the puck crossed the line before the player.[100] Furthermore, the league reinstated the "tag-up offside" which allows an attacking player a chance to get back onside by returning to the neutral zone.[100] The changes to the offside rule were among several rule changes intended to increase overall scoring,[100] which had been in decline since the expansion years of the mid-nineties and the increased prevalence of the neutral zone trap. Since 2005, when a team is guilty of icing the puck they are not allowed to make a line change or skater substitution of any sort before the following face-off (except to replace an injured player or re-install a pulled goaltender).[101] Since 2013, the league has used hybrid icing, where a linesman stops play due to icing if a defending player (other than the goaltender) crosses the imaginary line that connects the two face-off dots in their defensive zone before an attacking player is able to. This was done to counter a trend of player injury in races to the puck.[101]
Fighting in the NHL leads to major penalties while IIHF rules, and most amateur rules, call for the ejection of fighting players.[102][103] Usually, a penalized team cannot replace a player that is penalized on the ice and is thus short-handed for the duration of the penalty,[104] but if the penalties are coincidental, for example when two players fight, both teams remain at full strength. Also, unlike minor penalties, major penalties must be served to their full completion, regardless of number of goals scored during the power play.[104]
The league also imposes a conduct policy on its players. Players are banned from gambling and criminal activities have led to the suspension of players. The league and the Players' Association agreed to a stringent anti-doping policy in the 2005 collective bargaining agreement. The policy provides for a twenty-game suspension for a first positive test, a sixty-game suspension for a second positive test, and a lifetime suspension for a third positive test.[105]
At the end of regulation time, the team with the most goals wins the game. If a game is tied after regulation time, overtime ensues. During the regular season, overtime is a five-minute, three-on-three sudden-death period, in which whoever scores a goal first wins the game. If the game is still tied at the end of overtime, the game enters a shootout. Three players for each team in turn take a penalty shot. The team with the most goals during the three-round shootout wins the game. If the game is still tied after the three shootout rounds, the shootout continues but becomes sudden-death. Whichever team ultimately wins the shootout is awarded a goal in the game score and thus awarded two points in the standings. The losing team in overtime or shootout is awarded one point.[106] Shootout goals and saves are not tracked in hockey statistics; shootout statistics are tracked separately.
There are no shootouts during the
Season structure
The National Hockey League season is divided into a preseason (September and early October), a regular season (from early October through early to mid-April) and a postseason (the Stanley Cup playoffs).
Teams usually hold a summer showcase for prospects in July and participate in prospect tournaments, full games that do not feature any veterans, in September. Full training camps begin in mid-to-late September, including a preseason consisting of six to eight exhibition games. Split squad games, in which parts of a team's regular season roster play separate games on the same day, are occasionally played during the preseason.
During the regular season, clubs play each other in a predefined schedule. Since 2021, in the regular season, all teams play 82 games: 41 games each of home and road, playing 26 games in their own geographic division—four against five of their seven other divisional opponents, plus three against two others; 24 games against the eight remaining non-divisional intra-conference opponents—three games against every team in the other division of its conference; and 32 against every team in the other conference twice—home and road.[109]
The league's regular season standings are based on a point system. Two points are awarded for a win, one point for losing in overtime or a shootout, and zero points for a loss in regulation. At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most points in each division is crowned the division champion, and the league's overall leader is awarded the Presidents' Trophy.
The Stanley Cup playoffs, which go from April to the beginning of June, are an elimination tournament where two teams play against each other to win a
Entry draft
The annual NHL entry draft consists of a seven-round off-season draft held in June on a date of the commissioner's choosing.[111] Early NHL drafts took place at the Queen Elizabeth (currently Fairmont) Hotel in Montreal.[112] Amateur players from junior, collegiate, or European leagues are eligible to enter the entry draft.[113] The selection order is determined by a combination of the standings at the end of the regular season, playoff results, and a draft lottery. The 16 teams that did not qualify for the playoffs are entered in a weighted lottery to determine the initial draft picks in the first round, with the last place team having the best chance of winning the lottery. Once the lottery determines the initial draft picks, the order for the remaining non-playoff teams is determined by the standings at the end of the regular season. For those teams that did qualify for the playoffs, the draft order is then determined by total regular season points for non-division winners that are eliminated in the first two rounds of the playoffs, then any division winners that failed to reach the Conference Finals. Conference finalists receive the 29th and 30th picks depending on total points, with the Stanley Cup runner-up given the 31st pick and the Stanley Cup champions the final pick.
Trophies and awards
Teams
Team | Titles | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Montreal Canadiens | 24* | ||||
Toronto Maple Leafs | 13 | ||||
Detroit Red Wings | 11 | ||||
Boston Bruins | 6 | ||||
Chicago Blackhawks | 6 | ||||
Edmonton Oilers | 5 | ||||
Pittsburgh Penguins | 5 | ||||
New York Islanders | 4 | ||||
New York Rangers | 4 | ||||
Colorado Avalanche | 3 | ||||
New Jersey Devils | 3 | ||||
Tampa Bay Lightning | 3 | ||||
Los Angeles Kings | 2 | ||||
Philadelphia Flyers | 2 | ||||
Anaheim Ducks | 1 | ||||
Calgary Flames | 1 | ||||
Carolina Hurricanes | 1 | ||||
Florida Panthers | 1 | ||||
Dallas Stars | 1 | ||||
St. Louis Blues | 1 | ||||
Vegas Golden Knights | 1 | ||||
Washington Capitals | 1 | ||||
* Includes one pre-NHL championship. |
The most prestigious team award is the Stanley Cup, which is awarded to the league champion at the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team that has the most points in the regular season is awarded the Presidents' Trophy.
The Montreal Canadiens are the most successful franchise in the league. Since the formation of the league in 1917, they have 25 NHL championships (three between 1917 and 1925 when the Stanley Cup was still contested in an interleague competition, twenty-two since 1926 after the Stanley Cup became the NHL's championship trophy). They also lead all teams with 24 Stanley Cup championships (one as an NHA team, twenty-three as an NHL team). Of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, the Montreal Canadiens are surpassed in the number of championships only by the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, who have three more.
The longest streak of winning the Stanley Cup in consecutive years is five, held by the Montreal Canadiens from 1955–56 to 1959–60.[114] The 1977 edition of the Montreal Canadiens, the second of four straight Stanley Cup champions, was named by ESPN as the second greatest sports team of all time.[115]
The next most successful NHL franchise is the Toronto Maple Leafs with 13 Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 1967. The Detroit Red Wings, with 11 Stanley Cup championships, are the most successful American franchise.
The same trophy is reused every year for each of its awards. The Stanley Cup, much like its
Division titles
Apart from the NHL-sanctioned trophies, which teams often recognize by putting up banners in the rafters of their arenas, many teams also claim titles which are not represented by trophies, often also by putting up banners in their rafters. One example is the division title or division championship.[116] The term unambiguously refers to the team that received the most points in its division at the end of the regular season,[117] but in some previous seasons, for example, from 1926–27 to 1927–28 and from 1981–82 to 1992–93, when the playoffs where organized along divisions, the term without qualification could also refer to the team which won the corresponding playoff series.[118] The NHL has made clear in the past that it only allows teams to recognize regular season division titles.[119]
Players
There are numerous trophies that are awarded to players based on their statistics during the regular season; they include, among others, the Art Ross Trophy for the league scoring champion (goals and assists), the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for the goal-scoring leader, and the William M. Jennings Trophy for the goaltender(s) for the team with the fewest goals against them.
The other player trophies are voted on by the
In addition to the regular season awards, the Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the most valuable player during the NHL's Stanley Cup playoffs. Furthermore, the top coach in the league wins the Jack Adams Award, as selected by a poll of the National Hockey League Broadcasters Association. The National Hockey League publishes the names of the top three vote getters for all awards, and then names the award winner during the NHL Awards Ceremony.[120]
Players, coaches, officials, and team builders who have had notable careers are eligible to be voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Players cannot enter until three years have passed since their last professional game, currently tied with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame[121] for the shortest such time period of any major sport. One unique consequence has been Hall of Fame members (specifically, Gordie Howe, Guy Lafleur, and Mario Lemieux) coming out of retirement to play once more.[122] If a player was deemed significant enough, the three-year wait would be waived; only ten individuals have been honoured in this manner.[123] In 1999, Wayne Gretzky joined the Hall and became the last player to have the three-year restriction waived.[123] After his induction, the Hall of Fame announced that Gretzky would be the last to have the waiting period waived.
Origin of players
In addition to Canadian- and American-born and trained players, who have historically composed a large majority of NHL rosters, the NHL also draws players from an expanding pool of other nations where organized and professional hockey is played. Since the collapse of the Soviet Bloc, political/ideological restrictions on the movement of hockey players from this region have disappeared, leading to a large influx of players mostly from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Russia into the NHL. Swedes, Finns, and Western European players, who were always free to move to North America, came to the league in greater numbers than before.
Many of the league's top players in recent years have come from these European countries including Daniel Alfredsson, Erik Karlsson, Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Lundqvist, Jaromir Jagr, Patrik Elias, Zdeno Chara, Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Alexander Ovechkin.[124] European players were drafted and signed by NHL teams in an effort to bring in more "skilled offensive players",[125] although as of 2008 there has been a decline in European players as more American players enter the league.[126] The addition of European players changed the style of play in the NHL and European style hockey has been integrated into the NHL game.[124]
As of the 2017–18 season, the NHL has players from 17 countries, with 46.0% coming from Canada and 26.0% from the United States, while players from a further 15 countries make up 26.4% of NHL rosters.[127][128] The following table shows the seven countries that make up the vast majority of NHL players. The table follows the Hockey Hall of Fame convention of classifying players by the currently existing countries in which their birthplaces are located, without regard to their citizenship or where they were trained.
Country | Players [129] (1988–89) |
% | Players [130][131] (2002–03) |
% | Players [132][133] (2006–07) |
% | Players [134][135] (2010–11) |
% | Players [127] (2017–18) |
% | Players [7] (2023–24) |
% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Canada | 551 | 75.4 | 488 | 49.8 | 495 | 52.7 | 521 | 53.3 | 446 | 45.3 | 321 | 41.9 |
United States | 112 | 15.3 | 140 | 14.3 | 182 | 19.3 | 234 | 23.9 | 269 | 27.3 | 220 | 28.7 |
Sweden | 23 | 3.1 | 58 | 5.9 | 49 | 5.2 | 63 | 6.4 | 98 | 9.9 | 76 | 9.9 |
Finland | 18 | 2.5 | 38 | 3.9 | 42 | 4.5 | 30 | 3.1 | 42 | 4.3 | 38 | 5.0 |
Czech Republic | 11 | 1.5 | 73 | 7.4 | 65 | 6.9 | 42 | 4.3 | 37 | 3.8 | 24 | 3.1 |
Russia | 1 | 0.1 | 57 | 5.8 | 35 | 3.7 | 32 | 3.3 | 39 | 4.0 | 47 | 6.1 |
Slovakia | 6 | 0.8 | 36 | 3.7 | 26 | 2.8 | 14 | 1.4 | 13 | 1.3 | 6 | 0.8 |
Total | 731 | 100.0 | 980 | 100.0 | 942 | 100.0 | 978 | 100.0 | 985 | 100.0 | 766 | 100.0 |
Corporate sponsors
The NHL lists its several official corporate partners into three categories: North American Partners, USA Partners and Canada Partners.[136] Discover Card is the league's official credit card in the United States, while competitor Visa is an official sponsor in Canada.[137] Likewise, Tim Hortons is the league's official coffee and doughnuts chain in Canada, while Dunkin' Donuts is the NHL's sponsor in the United States.[138]
Among its North American corporate sponsors, Kraft Heinz sponsors Kraft Hockeyville, an annual competition in which communities compete to demonstrate their commitment to the sport of ice hockey. The winning community gets a cash prize dedicated to upgrading their local home arena, as well as the opportunity to host an NHL pre-season game. Two contests are held, one for communities across Canada and a separate competition for communities in the US.
At least two of the North American corporate sponsors have ties to
Many of these same corporate partners become the title sponsors for the league's All-Star and outdoor games.
Beginning in the 2020–21 NHL season, the league allowed for advertising on its gameday uniforms for the first time, starting with helmet ads. The NHL will have advertising on the front of team jerseys for the first time starting in the 2022–23 season.[139]
On May 14, 2021, NHL and the sports-betting company Betway announced a multi-year partnership in which Betway became the official sports betting partner to the NHL in North America.[140]
Media coverage
Canada
Broadcasting rights in Canada have historically included the CBC's Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC), a Canadian tradition dating to 1952,[141][142] and even prior to that on radio since the 1920s.
The current national television and digital rightsholder is Rogers Communications, under a 12-year deal valued at C$5.2 billion which began in the 2014–15 season, as the national broadcast and cable television rightsholders. National English-language coverage of the NHL is carried primarily by Rogers' Sportsnet group of specialty channels; Sportsnet holds national windows on Wednesday and Sunday nights. Hockey Night in Canada was maintained and expanded under the deal, airing up to seven games nationally on Saturday nights throughout the regular season. CBC maintains Rogers-produced NHL coverage during the regular season and playoffs.[143] Sportsnet's networks also air occasional games involving all-U.S. matchups.[144][145][146][147][148][149]
Quebecor Media holds national French-language rights to the NHL, with all coverage airing on its specialty channel TVA Sports.[150][151]
Games that are not broadcast as part of the national rights deal are broadcast by Sportsnet's regional feeds, TSN's regional feeds, and RDS. Regional games are subject to blackout for viewers outside of each team's designated market.[152]
United States
Historically, the NHL has never fared well on American television in comparison to the other American professional leagues. The league's American broadcast partners had been in flux for decades prior to 1995. Hockey broadcasting on a national scale was particularly spotty prior to 1981;
The 2021–22 season marks the first year of seven-year agreements with ESPN and TNT (formerly Turner) Sports.[153] ESPN's deal includes 25 regular season games on ABC or ESPN, and 75 exclusive games streamed on ESPN+ and Hulu.[154] Turner Sports' coverage includes up to 72 regular season games on TNT, with early round playoff coverage split between TNT and TBS.[155] The playoffs will be split between ESPN and TNT, with ABC televising the Stanley Cup Finals during even years and TNT (simulcast with TBS and TruTV) televising the championship series during odd years.[153]
As in Canada, games not broadcast nationally are aired regionally within a team's home market and are subject to blackout outside of them. These broadcasters include regional sports network chains. Certain national telecasts are non-exclusive, and may also air in tandem with telecasts of the game by local broadcasters. However, national telecasts of these games are blacked out in the participating teams' markets to protect the local broadcaster.
NHL Network
The league co-owns the NHL Network, a television specialty channel devoted to the NHL. Its signature show is NHL Tonight. The NHL Network also airs live games, but primarily simulcasts of one of the team's regional broadcasters.
Out-of-market packages
NHL Centre Ice in Canada[156] and NHL Center Ice in the United States[157] are the league's subscription-based, out-of-market sports packages that offer access to out-of-market feeds of games through a cable or satellite television provider.
The league originally launched NHL GameCenter Live in 2008, allowing the streaming of out-of-market games over the internet.
International
Outside of Canada and the United States, NHL games are broadcast across Europe, in the Middle East, in Australia,[162] and in the Americas across Mexico, Central America, Dominican Republic, Caribbean, South America and Brazil, among others.[163]
NHL.tv is also available for people in most countries to watch games online, but blackout restrictions may still apply if a game is being televised in the user's country. For those in selected international markets where ESPN also holds the streaming rights, they must instead access games on the ESPN platform used in that particular country: ESPNPlayer, ESPN Play, the ESPN App, or Star+. And those in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom must use Viaplay.[164]
International competitions
Club participation
NHL teams have occasionally participated in international club competitions. Most of these competitions were arranged by the NHL or NHLPA. The first international club competition was held in 1976, with eight NHL teams playing against the Soviet Championship League's HC CSKA Moscow, and Krylya Sovetov Moscow. Between 1976 and 1991, the NHL, and the Soviet Championship League would hold several exhibition games between the two leagues known as the Super Series.[165] No NHL club had played a Soviet or Russian-based club from the end of the Super Series in 1991 to 2008 when the New York Rangers faced Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the 2008 Victoria Cup.[166]
In addition to the Russian clubs, NHL clubs had participated in several international club exhibitions and competitions with various European-based clubs. The first exhibition game to feature an NHL team against a European-based team (aside from clubs based in the former Soviet Union) was in December 1977, when the New York Rangers faced
NHL clubs have also participated in IIHF-organized club tournaments. The most recent IIHF-organized event including an NHL club was the
Permittance of NHL players in international competitions
The NHL has also permitted its players to participate in international competitions among national teams. The annual Ice Hockey World Championships is held every May, at the same time as the Stanley Cup playoffs. Because of its timing, NHL players generally only join their respective country's team in the World Championships if their respective NHL team has been eliminated from Stanley Cup contention.[170]
From 1998 to 2014, during the year of the quadrennial
In 2007, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) formalized the "Triple Gold Club", the group of players and coaches who have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal and the Stanley Cup.[174][175][176] The term had first entered popular use following the 2002 Winter Olympics, which saw the addition of the first Canadian members.[177][178][179]
Popularity
The NHL is considered one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, along with Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and the National Basketball Association. The league is very prominent in Canada, where it is the most popular of these four leagues.[180] Overall, hockey has the smallest total fan base of the four leagues and receives the smallest annual revenue; the league earns the least from the television rights sale and has the lowest sponsorship.[181]
The NHL had been the sport holding the most affluent fan base of the top four,[181] but it slid behind the MLB and leveled off with the NFL in recent years.[182] A study done by the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2004, found that NHL fans in the United States were the most educated of the four major leagues. Further, it noted that season-ticket sales were more prominent in the NHL than the other three because of the financial ability of the NHL fan to purchase them.[181] The NHL has the most white-based audience among the four.[182] According to Reuters, in 2010, the largest demographic of NHL fans was males aged 18–34.[183] The NHL estimates that half of its fan base roots for teams in outside markets. So, beginning in 2008, the NHL started to shift toward using digital technology to market to fans to capitalize on this.
The debut of the
This television contract has boosted viewership metrics for the NHL. The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs saw the largest audience in the sport's history "after a regular season that saw record-breaking business success, propelled largely by the NHL's strategy of engaging fans through big events and robust digital offerings."[185] This success has resulted in a 66 percent rise in NHL advertising and sponsorship revenue. Merchandise sales were up 22 percent, and the number of unique visitors on the NHL.com website was up 17 percent during the playoffs after rising 29 percent in the regular season.[186]
See also
- List of NHL records (individual)
- List of NHL records (team)
- List of professional sports teams in the United States and Canada
- List of American and Canadian cities by number of major professional sports franchises
- List of TV markets and major sports teams
- List of National Hockey League attendance figures
- List of National Hockey League arenas
- NHL All-Rookie team
- NHL All-Star team
Notes
- ^ a b While the Montreal Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cups, this does not equal their number of NHL championships, as the Stanley Cup predates the NHL and was an inter-league championship prior to 1926. The Canadiens won a Stanley Cup championship in 1916 as a member of the National Hockey Association, and 23 Cups as a member of the NHL. Montreal also won the NHL championship twice without winning the Stanley Cup: in 1918–19 when the Spanish flu caused the cancellation the Stanley Cup Finals against the Seattle Metropolitans of Pacific Coast Hockey Association and in 1924–25 when they lost in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Western Canada Hockey League's Victoria Cougars.
References
Footnotes
- ^ Kreiser, John (November 25, 2017). "NHL turns 100 years old". NHL.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
Beginning on Nov. 24, 1917, the NHA's directors, George Kendall (better known as George Kennedy) of the Montreal Canadiens, Sam Lichtenhein of the Montreal Wanderers, Tom Gorman of Ottawa, M.J. Quinn of Quebec and NHA secretary-treasurer Frank Calder, held three days of meetings at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal and decided to start over. Gorman, seconded by Kendall, proposed, 'That the Canadiens, Wanderers, Ottawa and Quebec Hockey Clubs unite to comprise the National Hockey League.' The motion was carried, and the NHL was officially formed on Nov. 26, 1917.
- ^ "Rogers scores national NHL TV rights for $5.2B". CBC.ca. November 26, 2013. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ a b "NHL, ESPN, Disney reach groundbreaking seven-year rights deal". NHL.com (Press release). March 10, 2021. Archived from the original on April 4, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ a b Rosen, Dan (April 27, 2021). "NHL, Turner Sports reach deal for games on TNT, TBS". NHL.com (Press release). Retrieved April 28, 2021.
- ^ Roarke, Shawn P. (March 12, 2017). "Stanley Cup has incredible history". NHL.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ Marsh, James (2006). "National Hockey League". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on October 20, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2006.
- ^ a b "Active NHL Players Totals by Nationality ‑ 2023‑2024 Stats". QuantHockey.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ Podnieks, Andrew (March 25, 2008). "Triple Gold Goalies... not". International Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
- ^ The National Hockey League Official Record Book & Guide 2009 77th Edition, p. 9. New York: National Hockey League (2008)
- ^ Mathewson, TJ (March 7, 2019). "TV is biggest driver in global sport league revenue". GlobalSportMatters.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ Todd, Jack (September 17, 2012). "Americans and Bettman have stolen Canada's game". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
- ^ Eichelberger, Curtis (May 29, 2009). "NHL Borrows From NFL as It Pursues Bigger TV Contract". Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on March 26, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
- ^ McFarlane 1997, pp. 15–16
- ^ Holzman & Nieforth 2002, p. 159
- ^ McKinley 2006, p. 77
- ISBN 978-0385671460.
- ^ McFarlane, Brian. "Early Leagues and the Birth of the NHL". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on November 30, 2009. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ Pincus 2006, p. 24
- ^ Holzman & Nieforth 2002, p. 197
- ^ Pincus 2006, p. 23
- ^ Sandor 2005, p. 33
- ^ Pincus 2006, p. 35
- ^ "Victoria Cougars—1924–25 Stanley Cup". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
- ^ Sandor 2005, p. 35
- ^ "Boston Bruins History". Boston Bruins. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
- ^ Holzman & Nieforth 2002, p. 262
- ^ Pincus 2006, p. 33
- ^ Pincus 2006, p. 29
- ^ Pincus 2006, p. 39
- ^ Kennedy, Ian (October 25, 2022). "Taffy Abel's Family Asks NHL to Recognize His Indigeneity As Barrier-Breaking". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
- ^ Pincus 2006, p. 47
- ^ McKinley 2006, p. 120
- ^ McFarlane 1990, p. 33
- ^ McFarlane 1990, p. 37
- ^ McFarlane 1990, p. 43
- ISBN 0-7407-3830-5.
- ^ "The Legends—Rocket Richard". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
- ^ Pincus 2006, p. 100
- ^ Ward, Rachel (March 19, 2018). "1st NHL player of colour, Larry Kwong, dies at 94". CBC News. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- ^ Davis, David (February 19, 2013). "A Hockey Pioneer's Moment". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- ^ "Willie Eldon O'Ree". legendsofhockey.net. Archived from the original on January 18, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- ^ Diamond 1991, p. 175
- ^ McKinley 2006, pp. 194–195
- ^ McFarlane 1990, pp. 106–107
- ^ Boer 2006, p. 13
- ^ McFarlane 1990, p. 115
- ^ McFarlane 1990, p. 113
- ^ Willes 2004, p. 33
- ^ McFarlane 1990, p. 133
- ^ Willes 2004, p. 214
- ^ Willes 2004, p. 251
- ^ a b "The Legends—Wayne Gretzky". Hockey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on November 23, 2005. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
- ^ "Edmonton's Saddest Hockey Day—The Gretzky Trade". Edmonton Oilers Heritage Foundation. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
- ^ "Update on NHL expansion application process". NHL.com (Press release). July 21, 2015. Archived from the original on July 2, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Rosen, Dan (June 22, 2016). "Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise". NHL.com. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ a b Rosen, Dan (December 4, 2018). "Seattle NHL expansion approved by Board of Governors". NHL.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ a b "NHL BOG approves establishment of new franchise in Utah". NHL.com. April 18, 2024. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Tovell, Jonathan; DeRosa, Michael; Stoller, Jacob (April 18, 2024). "NHL Board Approves Sale of Coyotes' Hockey Assets to New Franchise in Utah: How an Arizona Franchise Could Return". The Hockey News. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "Bettman confirms Meruelo will not be re-activating Coyotes franchise". Sportsnet.ca. June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
- ^ a b CBC Sports (January 29, 2004). "We've been here before". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on April 9, 2005. Retrieved June 9, 2006.
- ^ a b c d audohar, Paul D. (December 2005). "The hockey lockout of 2004–05" (PDF). Monthly Labor Review. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 11, 2006.
- ^ Molinaro, John (April 20, 2006). "A season to remember". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on June 18, 2006. Retrieved June 9, 2006.
- ^ a b "Super Bowl XLII versus the Economy". Archived from the original on June 3, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2008.
- ^ "On ice: NHL locks out its players". CBS News. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
- ^ Strang, Katie (September 16, 2012). "NHL imposes league-wide lockout". ESPNNewYork.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
- ^ "NHL announces cancellation of 2012–13 regular-season schedule through January 14". NHL.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
- ^ "NHL cancels 2013 Winter Classic". NBC News. November 2, 2012. Archived from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
- ^ "NHL cancels games through Dec. 14, All-Star game". CBS News. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
- ^ "NHL Announces Game Cancellations Through Dec. 30". The Sports Network. The Canadian Press. December 10, 2012. Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "NHL OWNERS TO VOTE ON CONTRACT WEDNESDAY". Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
- ^ "NHL, players finalize agreement, camps can open Sunday". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on May 22, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- ^ Whyno, Stephen (May 23, 2019). "Faces of concussions: NHL's head-on battle with an epidemic". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
- ^ Hargreaves, Josh (September 5, 2013). "Crosby discusses lengthy recovery road from concussions, safety of the game". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ "Video: Brendan Shanahan Explains Raffi Torres' 25 Game Suspension". CBS Chicago. April 21, 2012. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ Wyshynski, Greg (September 30, 2013). "NHL players approve hybrid icing, as safety trumps subjectivity | Puck Daddy". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ "Former NHL players sue league over concussions". The Sports Network. November 25, 2013. Archived from the original on January 31, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ Basu, Arpon (September 23, 2012). "Part 1: Manon Rhéaume shatters the gender barrier". NHL.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ "Manon Rheaume, Team Canada". whockey.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ Bieler, Des (August 24, 2016). "NHL's first female full-time coach hired by Arizona Coyotes". Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ Roarke, Shawn P. (September 10, 2019). "Women officials thrilled by NHL experience". NHL.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- ^ "NHL to host first-ever Outdoor Women's Classic presented by Scotiabank". NHL.com. December 28, 2015. Archived from the original on December 29, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ Benjamin, Amalie (January 25, 2019). "Coyne Schofield shines in fastest skater at All-Star Skills". NHL.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ Berkman, Seth (January 24, 2020). "Women Get a Spotlight, but No Prize Money, in New N.H.L. All-Star Event". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ Myers, Tracey (February 1, 2022). "Rheaume set for return to ice as goalie in 2022 NHL All-Star Skills". NHL.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
- ^ McGran, Kevin (June 6, 2009). "NHL's secret constitution revealed". Toronto Star. Toronto. Retrieved March 12, 2011.
- ^ "Parros to head Department of Player Safety, focus on slashing". Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
- ^ Nichols, James (October 5, 2023). "Report: Devils Owner Joins NHL's Executive Committee". Yardbarker. Archived from the original on October 6, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Heitner, Darren (June 22, 2016). "The NHL Leads the Way in Bringing Pro Sports to Las Vegas". Inc. Archived from the original on January 15, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
- ^ Baker, Geoff (December 3, 2018). "After years of trying and a cast of characters in between, the NHL will finally put a team in Seattle". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
- ^ Ozanian, Mike; Teitelbaum, Justin (December 14, 2023). "The Most Valuable NHL Teams 2023". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ Podnieks & Szemberg 2007, p. 198.
- ^ "Dimensions of Rink". National Hockey League. 2005. Archived from the original on April 9, 2006. Retrieved June 8, 2006.
- ^ "Goal crease". National Hockey League. 2005. Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2006.
- ^ "Rule 63 – Delaying the Game". National Hockey League. 2009. Archived from the original on May 10, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
- ^ Diamos, Jason. (September 16, 2005). "New Rule Will Take a Weapon Away from Brodeur". The New York Times (subscription required). Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2007.
- St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the originalon February 6, 2008. Retrieved March 2, 2007.
- ^ "Brodeur hopes NHL banishes trapezoid". Fire&Ice. 2009. Archived from the original on November 13, 2009. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
- ^ "NHL decides to keep trapezoid". Fire&Ice. 2009. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2009.
- ^ Rosen, Dan. "Hybrid Icying tops list of rules changes for 2013–2014 season". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on January 11, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- ^ a b c CBC Sports (July 22, 2005). "Relaunching the Game". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on May 16, 2006. Retrieved June 10, 2006.
- ^ a b "Icing". National Hockey League. 2005. Archived from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
- ^ "Major penalties". National Hockey League. 2005. Archived from the original on April 23, 2006. Retrieved June 8, 2006.
- ^ "Ice Hockey Essentials – International vs. NHL". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2006. Archived from the original on February 21, 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2006.
- ^ a b "Minor penalties". National Hockey League. 2005. Archived from the original on April 23, 2006. Retrieved June 8, 2006.
- ^ Laurie, Scott (September 28, 2005). "NHL unveils new drug testing policy". CTV. Archived from the original on October 23, 2005. Retrieved January 2, 2007.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Jamie. "How the NHL Shootout Works". About.com. Archived from the original on May 19, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
- ^ "Oh, what a night ... and morning. Stars-Canucks ranks sixth among longest OT games". Sports Illustrated. April 12, 2007. Archived from the original on November 3, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
- ^ Clement, Bill (2008). "Playoff overtime format needs change". NBC Sports. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved May 9, 2008.
- ^ CBC Sports Online (July 27, 2005). "NHL ramps up rivalries". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2006.
- ^ "Playoff formats". National Hockey League. 2005. Archived from the original on July 18, 2001. Retrieved June 6, 2006.
- ISBN 9780313356766.
- ISBN 9781629379852.
- ISBN 9781493070930.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Jamie (2006). "Stanley Cup Winners". about.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2006.
- ^ "The 10 greatest teams". ESPN. December 31, 1999. Archived from the original on May 23, 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2006.
- ^ "Go Figure: Key Hockey Terms". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ "All-Time Playoff Formats". nhl.com. National Hockey League. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ Botta, Christopher (October 27, 2011). "Islanders' 1993 Division Playoff Banner Lives in a Fan's Attic". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
- ^ a b "NHL trophies". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on December 5, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
- ^ "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Modifications to its Enshrinement Process Beginning with the Class of 2018" (Press release). Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. December 19, 2017. Archived from the original on February 12, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
- ^ "Roy on deck for 2006, 'mayhem' in 2007". The Sports Network. The Canadian Press. November 7, 2005. Archived from the original on May 16, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2006.
- ^ a b "Wayne Gretzky signs five-year contract as head coach". Phoenix Coyotes. May 31, 2006. Archived from the original on June 15, 2006. Retrieved June 9, 2006.
- ^ a b Wigge, Larry (February 25, 2002). "New world order: as the Olympics have shown, the influx of players from across the Atlantic brought changes to the NHL game". The Sporting News. Archived from the original on April 19, 2006. Retrieved June 11, 2006.
- ^ Beacon, Bill (June 27, 1999). "Canadians left behind as NHL goes for firepower". The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on June 23, 2007. Retrieved June 11, 2006.
- ^ PODNIEKS, ANDREW (May 10, 2008). "NHL landscape changes". IIHF. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved May 13, 2008.
- ^ a b "NHL Totals by Nationality ‑ 2017‑18 Stats". January 12, 2018. Archived from the original on January 14, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "NHL still likes Czechs best". IWHC.net. May 16, 2006. Archived from the original on July 14, 2007. Retrieved June 9, 2006.
- ^ "NHL Totals by Nationality ‑ 1988‑89 Stats". Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
- ^ "2002–2003 – Regular season – Bios – Country". National Hockey League.
- ^ "2002–2003 – Regular season – Goalie – Bios – Country". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
- ^ "2006–2007 – Regular season – Bios – Country". National Hockey League.
- ^ "2006–2007 – Regular season – Goalie – Bios – Country". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on August 20, 2011. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
- ^ "2010–2011 – Regular season – Bios – Country". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
- ^ "2010–2011 – Regular season – Goalie – Bios – Country". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
- ^ "NHL.com – NHL Corporate Marketing Partners". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ Richard, Sandomir (November 6, 2010). "Discover Card Forges Tie to the N.H.L." The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ Perez, A.J. (December 5, 2016). "Dunkin' Donuts announces partnership with the NHL". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 16, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
- ^ "Source: NHL team jersey fronts can have ads starting in 2022–23 season". ESPN. August 17, 2021. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ Fletcher, Gilbert (May 14, 2021). "NHL announces Betway as Official Sports Betting Partner". Gaming Industry Media. Archived from the original on June 20, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- ^ "HNIC in 2005–06". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2005. Archived from the original on February 10, 2006. Retrieved June 19, 2006.
- ^ "Hockey Night in Canada: A history of excellence". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2005. Archived from the original on February 10, 2006. Retrieved June 19, 2006.
- ^ Shoalts, David. "Hockey Night in Canada: How CBC lost it all". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on October 13, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
- ^ "500-plus NHL games to air under Rogers deal". Sportsnet. February 4, 2014. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ "Rogers reaches 12-year broadcast deal with NHL worth $5.2-billion". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. November 27, 2013. Archived from the original on November 26, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ^ "Rogers scores national NHL TV rights for $5.2B". CBC News. Archived from the original on November 27, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ^ "NHL deal with Rogers a huge blow to TSN and CBC: Mudhar". Toronto Star. November 26, 2013. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ^ "CBC partners with Rogers in landmark NHL rights deal". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on November 27, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ^ Bradshaw, James. "Rogers' Hockey Night in Canada will be a whole new game for viewers". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
- ^ "NHL, TVA Sports launch French-language agreement". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
- ^ "NHL signs 12-year TV, Internet deal with Rogers; CBC keeps 'Hockey Night in Canada'". Toronto Star. November 26, 2013. Archived from the original on November 28, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ^ Faguy, Steve (August 18, 2014). "NHL broadcast schedule 2014–15: Who owns rights to what games". Fagstein. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
- ^ a b "NHL moving to Turner Sports is $1 billion risk-reward for hockey". CNBC. April 27, 2021. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ a b "NHL back on ESPN with 7-year multiplatform deal". ESPN. March 10, 2021. Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
- ^ "Turner Sports inks 7-year deal with NHL, will air 3 Stanley Cup finals". ESPN. April 27, 2021. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
- ^ "NHL Centre Ice (Canada) official website". Nhl.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ "NHL Center Ice United States official website". NHL.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
- ^ "Hands on: NHL.com 2.0 goes top shelf with streaming video". Ars Technica. September 25, 2008. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
- ^ Rosen, Dan (August 4, 2015). "NHL, Major League Baseball Advanced Media form transformative digital-rights partnership". NHL. Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
- ^ "Rogers will allow you to watch even more NHL games online this season ... just not all of them". National Post. Archived from the original on September 18, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
- ^ "Canadian NHL fans won't be able to access NHL Live in 2022–23". The Province. June 15, 2022. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
- ^ "Fox Sports 1 [501]". Foxtel.com.au. Archived from the original on April 2, 2010. Retrieved April 9, 2010.
- ^ "NHL Television Broadcasting". www.nhl.com. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
- ^ "Where to Stream". NHL.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ "Super Series Summary". www.hhof.com. Hockey Hall of Fame. 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ "Victoria Cup will be played using blended IIHF, NHL rulebook". thehockeynews.com. Roustan Media. September 26, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ "Records NHL vs. Europe". webarchive.iihf.com. International Ice Hockey Federation. October 2, 2008. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ "Predators-Sharks, Avalanche-Blue Jackets to play in NHL Global Series". www.nhl.com. NHL Enterprises. April 21, 2022. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ^ Rosen, Dan (February 4, 2022). "NHL Global Series returning next season in Europe". NHL.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ Ellis, Steven (May 24, 2021). "With fewer NHL stars, World Championships has been full of upsets". thehockeynews.com. Roustan Media. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ Rosen, Dan (April 3, 2017). "NHL will not participate in 2018 Olympics". NHL.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
- ^ Gulitti, Tom (December 22, 2021). "NHL players will not participate in 2022 Beijing Olympics". NHL.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
- ^ "New-look World Cup of hockey back for 2016". Sportsnet.ca. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
- ^ "Winner of three-team tourney to get Victoria Cup". ESPN. Associated Press. May 8, 2007. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
- ^ "Triple Gold Club expands to 22". International Ice Hockey Federation. June 5, 2008. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
- ^ "PR & Media Activities". International Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2009.
- ^ Barnes, Don (February 25, 2002). "Welcome to the Triple Gold Club: Blake, Sakic, Shanahan: New members to elite club: Olympics, worlds, Stanley Cup". National Post.
- ^ Scanlan, Wayne (February 24, 2002). "Triple Gold Club awaits Canadian trio". Edmonton Journal.
- ^ Buffery, Steve (December 26, 2001). "Skating a fine line". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
- ^ Renfrew, Matthew (June 11, 2023). "The most popular professional sports leagues in Canada". Cult MTL. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c Markus, David (August 2004). "Champions of the Turnstiles". gsb.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on January 2, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
- ^ a b "Show Me the Money: Affluent Fans & the Economics of Sports". Ipsos. April 14, 2022. Archived from the original on July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Klayman, Ben (October 8, 2010). "NHL pushes for growth on TV, online". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 18, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
- ^ "NBC Sports to air nine hours of NHL coverage this Sunday with "Hockey Day in America" on NBC & "Heritage Classic" on Versus". NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L. P. February 15, 2011. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ "Stanley Cup Playoffs attract largest audience ever Archived December 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine", "NHL.com", June 14, 2010
- ^ Klayman, Ben. "NHL ad, sponsorship revenue up 66 pct this year", "Yahoo! News", June 14, 2010 Archived June 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
Bibliography
- Coleman, Charles (1966–1969). Trail of the Stanley Cup, vols. 1–3. National Hockey League. ISBN 0-8403-2941-5.
- Jenish, D'Arcy (2008). The Montreal Canadiens: 100 Years of Glory. Doubleday Canada. ISBN 978-0-385-66324-3.
- Holzman, Morey; Nieforth, Joseph (2002). Deceptions and Doublecross: How the NHL Conquered Hockey. Toronto: Dundurn Press. ISBN 1-55002-413-2.
- McFarlane, Brian (1997). Brian McFarlane's History of Hockey. Champaign, Illinois: Sports Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-57167-145-5.
- McKinley, Michael (2006). Hockey: A People's History. McClelland & Stewart. ISBN 0-7710-5769-5. Archivedfrom the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2015.
- "2005–06 NHL Official Rules". National Hockey League. 2005. Archived from the original on September 25, 2005. Retrieved June 10, 2006.
- Pincus, Arthur (2006). The Official Illustrated NHL History. Reader's Digest. ISBN 0-88850-800-X.
- Podnieks, Andrew; Szemberg, Szymon (2007). World of hockey: celebrating a century of the IIHF. Fenn Publishing. ISBN 9781551683072.
- Ross, J. Andrew (2015). Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945. Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0-8156-3383-9.
- Sandor, Steven (2005). The Battle of Alberta: A Century of Hockey's Greatest Rivalry. Heritage House. ISBN 1-894974-01-8. Archived from the originalon October 16, 2015.
- Wong, John Chi-Kit (2005). Lords of the Rinks. University of Toronto Press. ISBN 0-8020-8520-2.
Further reading
- Bass, Alan (2011). The Great Expansion: The Ultimate Risk That Changed the NHL Forever. Iuniverse Inc. ISBN 978-1-4502-8605-3.
- Fischler, Stan & Shirley (2003). Who's Who in Hockey. Andrews McMeel Pub. ISBN 0-7407-1904-1.
- Holzman, Morey; Nieforth, Joseph (2002). Deceptions and doublecross : how the NHL conquered hockey. Dundurn Press. ISBN 1-55002-413-2.
- Ross, J. Andrew (2015). Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0-8156-3383-9.
- Weekes, Don (2005). The Big Book of Hockey Trivia. Greystone Books. ISBN 1-55365-119-7. Archivedfrom the original on January 23, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
- Wright, Marshall D (2010). The National Hockey League, 1917–1967: A Year-by-Year Statistical History. McFarland & Co. ISBN 978-0-7864-4444-1.
External links
- Official website
- NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) Archived May 13, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
- NHL Officials Association Archived April 6, 2022, at the Wayback Machine