National Hockey League

Contents

1. Overview
2. Etymology
3. Cultural Impact

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America, currently comprising 32 teams: 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. [[NHL (disambiguation)]]/NHL_(disambiguation) It is considered the premier professional ice hockey league in the world and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada]] The NHL uses the Stanley Cup – the oldest professional sports trophy in North America – as its championship trophy, awarding it annually to the playoff champion at the conclusion of each season. [[Stanley Cup]] The league is governed by a Board of Governors and is headed by Commissioner Gary Bettman . [[Gary Bettman]]

History

The NHL was organized at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal on November 26, 1917, after the suspension of operations of its predecessor, the National Hockey Association (NHA), which had been founded in 1909 at Renfrew, Ontario . [[National Hockey Association]] The new league immediately assumed 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 sole league competing for the Cup in 1926.

At its inception the NHL had four teams, all in Canada, which is why the adjective “National” appeared in the league’s name. The league expanded into the United States in 1924 with the addition of the Boston Bruins , and has since grown to include clubs from both countries. From 1942 to 1967 the NHL consisted of only six teams, collectively nicknamed the Original Six , which remained unchanged for 25 years. The league’s first major expansion occurred in 1967 with the addition of six new franchises, doubling its size; further expansions in 1974, 1979, 1991–2000, 2017, and 2021 increased the total to 32 teams. [[1967 NHL expansion]] The most recent expansion was awarded to Salt Lake City in 2024, which acquired the Arizona Coyotes’ assets and established the Utah Mammoth , maintaining the league’s total at 32 franchises. [[Arizona Coyotes]]

The NHL’s headquarters have been located in Manhattan since 1989, when the league moved its office from Montreal to One Manhattan West at 395 Ninth Avenue , New York City . [[One Manhattan West]]

Governance

The league’s governing body, the Board of Governors, consists of the owners (or their designated governors) of each of the 32 clubs. The board meets twice a year, in June and December, to set policy, approve rule changes, and oversee league operations. [[Board of Governors]] The current chairman is Jeremy Jacobs , owner of the Boston Bruins . [[Boston Bruins]]

The NHL’s executive leadership includes Commissioner Gary Bettman , Deputy Commissioner and Chief Legal Officer Bill Daly , Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell , and Senior Vice President of Player Safety George Parros . [[Gary Bettman]] [[Bill Daly]] [[Colin Campbell]] [[George Parros]]

Competition Format

The NHL regular season runs from early October through early April, during which each of the 32 teams plays an 82‑game schedule. [[Season structure of the NHL]] The schedule is balanced to feature a mix of divisional, intra‑conference, and inter‑conference matchups. [[Season structure of the NHL]]

At the conclusion of the regular season, 16 teams qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs , a four‑round, best‑of‑seven elimination tournament that culminates in the Stanley Cup Final, typically held in June. [[Stanley Cup playoffs]]

Rules and Play

The NHL’s rulebook differs in several key respects from the regulations of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the governing body of international play. The most notable differences involve rink dimensions, goaltender equipment, and the enforcement of icing and offside rules. For example, the NHL employs a “trapezoidal” area behind each goal line that restricts where goaltenders may handle the puck; this rule is commonly referred to as the Martin Brodeur rule. [[Martin Brodeur]]

Since the 2013–14 season the league has used hybrid icing, a compromise that stops play when a defending player reaches the face‑off line before an attacking player, thereby reducing the risk of high‑speed collisions. [[Hybrid icing]]

Games tied after regulation proceed to a five‑minute overtime in the regular season, played three‑on‑three, followed by a shootout if no goal is scored. In the playoffs, teams continue with 20‑minute sudden‑death overtime periods until a goal is scored; there are no shootouts in postseason play. [[Overtime (ice hockey)]]

Player Safety

Concussions and other head injuries have become a major focus of the NHL’s safety initiatives. The league hired Brendan Shanahan as Senior Vice President of Player Safety in 2009, and he has overseen a series of strict penalties for dangerous hits, including multi‑game suspensions for repeat offenders. [[Brendan Shanahan]]

In response to a series of injuries caused by high‑speed races to the puck during icing, the NHL mandated hybrid no‑touch icing for the 2013–14 season, which has reduced the incidence of career‑ending injuries such as those sustained by Joni Pitkanen . [[Joni Pitkanen]]

International Play

The NHL permits its players to compete in international tournaments, though participation is often limited by scheduling conflicts with the Stanley Cup playoffs. The league has allowed its players to represent their countries in events such as the World Cup of Hockey , the Olympic ice hockey tournament , and the Ice Hockey World Championships . [[World Cup of Hockey]] [[Olympic ice hockey tournament]]

Media and Broadcast

In Canada, the NHL’s national broadcast partners are Sportsnet and CBC , while French‑language coverage is provided by TVA Sports . [[Sportsnet]] [[Hockey Night in Canada]] [[TVA Sports]]

In the United States, national rights are split between ABC , ESPN , TNT , and TBS . [[NHL_on_ABC]] [[NHL_on_ESPN]] [[NHL_on_TNT]] [[TBS_(American_TV_channel)]]

The league also operates its own cable channel, NHL Network , which offers live game coverage, original programming, and a library of classic matches. [[NHL Network (American TV channel)]]

Economics

According to Forbes , the NHL’s 32 franchises generated approximately US$5.2 billion in revenue during the 2023‑24 season, making it the fifth‑highest‑grossing professional sports league worldwide behind the NFL , MLB , NBA , and Premier League . [[National Football League]] [[Major League Baseball]] [[National Basketball Association]] [[Premier League]]

The league’s current collective bargaining agreement, ratified in 2023, includes a salary cap, revenue‑sharing provisions, and a ten‑year term with an optional renewal. [[NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement]]

Cultural Impact

The NHL enjoys particularly strong popularity in Canada, where it is the most widely followed professional sport. In the United States, the league’s fan base is concentrated among younger, more educated, and relatively affluent demographics. [[Stanford Graduate School of Business]]

The NHL has also been a pioneer in diversity initiatives, hiring its first female full‑time coach, Dawn Braid , with the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, and its first female referees during preseason prospect tournaments in 2019. [[Dawn Braid]] [[Arizona Coyotes]]