The National Hockey League was born in the early 1920s, but for the first twenty years of its existence, the league had no television network in the US. Eventually, Bettman found a deal with Fox, which gave the league a five-year, $250 million television deal. During the first season, the ratings increased slightly, but they dropped off after that, and Fox was forced to remove hockey from its schedule. Then, in 2010 HBO launched a series called “NHL 24/7,” which followed the teams throughout the month of December. This series was very successful, and was also a great success, bringing the NHL to the masses.
The NHL is divided into four divisions and two conferences. The Eastern Conference has the Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions, while the Western Conference contains the Central and Pacific Divisions. Before 1993, the NHL had six divisions, but Gary Bettman renamed them as the Western and Central Conferences. In addition, the Pacific Division has eight teams, while the Central and Western Conferences have sixteen teams each. The Pacific Division contains the Phoenix Coyotes.
There are six US-based teams in the NHL. They were the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota North Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, and St. Louis Blues. In 1971, the league added the Boston Bruins, which later became the league’s most popular club. By the end of the 1920s, six out of the ten teams were in the US. However, the Ottawa Senators were the dominant team, winning five league titles and four Stanley Cups.
In the 1970s, the NHL expanded its competition to new markets. The Montreal Nordiques left Montreal for Denver and became the Colorado Avalanche. The Toronto Maple Leafs joined the NHL in 1979. The New Jersey Devils, meanwhile, joined the NHL in 1974. The Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers also joined the league, and the Atlanta Thrashers left the league. In the end, the NHL had 31 teams.
Players in the National Hockey League are also recognized with numerous awards. The league’s most prestigious award, the Stanley Cup, is given to the league champion at the end of the playoffs. The Presidents’ Trophy, meanwhile, goes to the team with the most points during the regular season. Aside from these, there are trophies for best goaltenders. If you’re looking for a place to watch the Stanley Cup Finals, check out the website below.
The NHL is still dominated by Canadians, but the game has reached international proportions. The legendary Joe Malone scored seven goals in one game in the 1920s and George Hainsworth won the Vezina Trophy in three years. The National Hockey League has also been broadcast on radio, thanks to Foster Hewitt. Many outstanding players of the period include the legendary Frank “King” Clancy, Charlie Conacher, Bill Cook, Aurele Joliat, Lester Patrick, and Eddie Shore.
The National Hockey League also boasts several teams with strong histories. The Philadelphia Flyers, for example, won the Conference Semifinals over the Boston Bruins, despite a late goal by the Bruins. They went on to defeat the Montreal Canadiens in five games in the Conference finals before losing to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup. Several teams have also won the championship in the Western Conference. The Los Angeles Kings, meanwhile, beat the San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference Quarterfinals and went on to win the Stanley Cup against the New York Rangers.