176 articles
Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers, NHL expansion team (1999-2011), the league's 28th franchise, owned by Time Warner then Atlanta Spirit; one playoff berth (2007); relocated to Winnipeg in 2011 as the second Winnipeg Jets.
Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins, NHL team founded November 1, 1924 as the league's first US franchise; six Stanley Cups (1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, 2011); play at TD Garden, owned by the Jacobs family since 1975.
Bruce McNall
Bruce McNall, American coin dealer and former Los Angeles Kings owner who traded for Wayne Gretzky in 1988, chaired the NHL Board of Governors, and served prison time for $236 million bank fraud.
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres, NHL team in Buffalo, New York, founded 1970; two-time Stanley Cup Finalist (1975, 1999), home of KeyBank Center, Pegula-owned, ended NHL-record 14-year playoff drought with 2025-26 Atlantic Division title.
Calder Memorial Trophy
Calder Memorial Trophy, NHL rookie of the year award, first awarded 1932-33, voted by the PHWA; named for NHL president Frank Calder; 2025-26 winner Matthew Schaefer, youngest ever at 18 years, 223 days.
Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames, NHL ice hockey club in Calgary, Alberta (formerly Atlanta Flames, 1972-1980); Pacific Division, Western Conference; won the 1989 Stanley Cup, three Final appearances, owned since 1994 by a four-partner group led by N. Murray Edwards, moving from the Saddledome to Scotia Place in 2027.
California Golden Seals
California Golden Seals, also the California Seals and Oakland Seals, were an NHL expansion franchise (1967-1976) based in Oakland, owned by Charles O. Finley, known for white skates, before relocating to Cleveland as the Barons and merging with the North Stars in 1978.
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes, NHL team in Raleigh, N.C., formerly the Hartford Whalers (NHL entry 1979, relocated 1997). Two-time Stanley Cup champions (2006, 2026), owned by Tom Dundon since 2018, coached by Rod Brind'Amour, playing at Lenovo Center.
Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks, formerly Black Hawks, NHL ice hockey team founded 1926, an Original Six franchise. Six Stanley Cups (1934, 1938, 1961, 2010, 2013, 2015); named for owner Frederic McLaughlin's WWI 86th Infantry Division.
Cleveland Barons (NHL)
Cleveland Barons (NHL): NHL team 1976-78, the relocated California Golden Seals, playing at Richfield Coliseum; finished last-tier in the Adams Division both seasons and merged into the Minnesota North Stars in 1978.
Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche, NHL team in Denver, Central Division; formerly the Quebec Nordiques, relocated 1995. Three Stanley Cups (1996, 2001, 2022), four Presidents' Trophies, home at Ball Arena.
Colorado Rockies (NHL)
Colorado Rockies (NHL), formerly the Kansas City Scouts, a Denver-based NHL team from 1976 to 1982 at McNichols Arena; moved in 1982 to become the New Jersey Devils; name later taken by the MLB Rockies.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL expansion team (awarded 1997, began play 2000-01) in the Metropolitan Division; plays at Nationwide Arena; named for Ohio's Civil War Union heritage; owned by the McConnell family with Nationwide as minority owner.
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy, also known as the Conn Smythe Memorial Trophy and Stanley Cup MVP, is awarded annually to the most valuable player of the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars, NHL Western Conference ice hockey team in Dallas, Texas; formerly the Minnesota North Stars (1967-1993). Won the 1999 Stanley Cup on Brett Hull's triple-overtime goal; six Final appearances; moving to a Plano arena by 2031.
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings, NHL Original Six franchise founded September 25, 1926 as the Detroit Cougars, later Detroit Falcons; 11 Stanley Cups, most among American-based NHL teams; plays at Little Caesars Arena since 2017 after Olympia Stadium and Joe Louis Arena.
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers, NHL team in Edmonton, Alberta (Pacific Division). Five Stanley Cups 1984-1990; lost the 2024 and 2025 finals to Florida; 2025-26 first-round exit to Anaheim; McDavid and Draisaitl lead the core.
Eric Lindros trade
Eric Lindros trade: June 1992 deal sending the 1991 first-overall pick's rights from the Quebec Nordiques to the Philadelphia Flyers for Forsberg, Ricci, Hextall, Duchesne, Huffman, picks, and $15 million, confirmed by arbitrator Larry Bertuzzi over a rival Rangers deal.
Eric Tulsky
Eric Tulsky, Carolina Hurricanes general manager (10th in franchise history, named June 18, 2024), former chemist with a UC Berkeley PhD and 27 U.S. patents who rose from hockey blogger and analytics VP to GM, winning the 2026 Stanley Cup.
Expansion draft
NHL expansion draft: special draft stocking new franchises' rosters from existing teams' unprotected players. Held since 1967; 2017 Vegas rules change produced the most successful first-year team; Seattle drafted 30 players in 2021.
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are an NHL ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, founded in 1992, and winners of the Stanley Cup in 2024 and 2025.
Gary Bettman
Gary Bettman, first NHL commissioner since February 1, 1993, former NBA general counsel under David Stern; presided over three lockouts, the salary cap, expansion from 24 to 32 teams, and revenue growth to about $6.2 billion.
Hart Memorial Trophy
Hart Memorial Trophy, NHL most valuable player award since 1924, voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association; Gretzky won a record nine times; 2025-26 winner Nikita Kucherov.
Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers, formerly New England Whalers, WHA (1972) and NHL (1979-1997) hockey team in Hartford, Connecticut; relocated 1997 to become the Carolina Hurricanes; famed Peter Good whale-tail logo and 'Brass Bonanza' goal song.
Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada, often abbreviated HNIC, is a Canadian television program that has broadcast NHL games on Saturday nights since 1952, a national viewing ritual.
Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena, Detroit's city-owned riverfront arena (1979-2017), home of the Red Wings and four Stanley Cup wins, host of the 1980 RNC, demolished 2019-2020 for Water Square redevelopment.
Kansas City Scouts
Kansas City Scouts, NHL expansion team 1974-76 at Kemper Arena; awarded 1972 for $6 million; 27-110-23 all time; became Colorado Rockies in 1976 and New Jersey Devils in 1982.
List of current NHL captains and alternate captains
Current NHL captains and alternate captains, 2026-27: 29 of 32 teams have captains; Columbus, Detroit, Vancouver vacant; Crosby longest-tenured since 2007; Chabot most recent appointment.
List of defunct and relocated National Hockey League teams
Defunct and relocated NHL teams: Brooklyn Americans, Cleveland Barons, Kansas City Scouts, Quebec Nordiques, Winnipeg Jets, Hartford Whalers, Atlanta Thrashers, Arizona Coyotes; key moves, mergers, and dates.
List of family relations in the NHL
List of family relations in the NHL: documented brother, father-son, uncle-nephew, and cousin ties among NHL players, coaches, and executives, including the Sutters, Sedins, Staals, Hughes, Hulls, and Howes.