Ice Hockey Leagues in the US and Canada has a lot of different names that people have come to know and love. However some still use their nicknames such as The Badgers, The Flyers or The Admirals. Some fans are known to be diehard fans of a particular hockey league such as The NHL while others follow one of the many minor hockey leagues. Many people watch hockey games from televisions on the weekends and on the days when the big game is on and they do not even care if they play or not.
For many years The North American Professional Hockey League was the top ice hockey league. They have played many years and had several teams. The NHL has six teams to choose from and there are two divisions within it. There is also a qualifying tournament for the Stanley Cup, which has been going for almost 30 years now. The rivalries are so good that the fans love these rivalries, the chemistry and the fierce competition within the league.
In addition to the great competition of the leagues there are several exciting events held throughout the year. One of the biggest surprises of the season was the launch of the NHL expansion that brought the NHL into the ranks of other major sports leagues. There were many good teams around that didn’t make the cut and were left in the playoffs. This was not what many fans wanted to see and so when news of the new expansion was made public many fans boycotted those teams that didn’t qualify. That’s how much they wanted to root for their favorite team and this was the major turning point in the history of the NHL.
Since the NHL expanded so has the hockey league in Canada. There are now six teams to play against and the last week has seen the release of a new ice hockey tournament to be played in Toronto. This will be the first time that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be in the playoffs since joining the league in 1967. There is a lot of support for the team and many have turned out to watch this amazing event in Toronto. Many who have been watching hockey for years now are now tuning in to this wonderful event for their favorite hockey team.
The North American Professional Hockey Association or NHL is another popular hockey league. It has been around for many years but it is a league that do battle with the other professional leagues from the United States. Many Americans fall under the hockey purist side of the argument and believe that the NHL is soft, watered down and not as fun as the other major leagues. Many fans feel the same way but the truth is the NHL has been getting tougher since it was first formed. There is a newer generation of hockey players coming up through college and high schools that are being compared to stars like Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby and John Leglas. This new breed of hockey players are setting the standards that others are trying to emulate.
There is also a professional Hockey League in Russia called the KHL. The league was started in 1992 as a minor league hockey league. The reason for its formation was due to the fact that there weren’t enough potential NHL players in the Russian market so the owners formed a separate league to develop players who could one day play in the NHL. The fans of the KHL love the fact that it is an independent league and does not need to rely on the NHL for their support. So whether you love hockey, the history of different hockey leagues, or even the Russian league you can find something online that will interest you.