In a game of hockey, the object is to score more goals than the opposing team. A goal is scored when the puck crosses the red line in the net. The puck may deflect off any ice surface or a player’s body, including feet, before crossing the line. It is also possible for a goal to be disallowed if it does not completely cross the line. The NHL’s goaltenders and defencemen are responsible for preventing opponents from scoring, but forwards must be offensively skilled as well.
Each team plays 82 regular season games to determine the division champions and overall league leader, the Presidents’ Trophy winner. The playoffs are held between the top teams in each conference. Each series is best-of-seven, with the first-round winners advancing to the next round. The two winners of each conference then play one another in the Conference Finals. The two winners of the Conference Finals then meet in the Stanley Cup Final.
The NHL is committed to inclusiveness on the ice, in locker rooms and in the boardroom. The league’s social impact platform, NHL Unites, celebrates fans of every race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, age and socio-economic status. In addition, the NHL invests in communities across North America to increase access and opportunity for boys and girls of all backgrounds to play hockey.
A new generation of NHL players has emerged in recent decades from Eastern European countries such as Czech Republic, Slovakia and Russia, following the collapse of political/ideological restrictions on movement of professional athletes. This has resulted in a influx of players from this region into the NHL, including notable stars such as Daniel Sedin, Henrik Lundqvist and Jaromir Jagr.
The NHL’s Board of Governors is responsible for the appointment and removal of the Commissioner, the hiring and firing of team executives and other administrative personnel, the purchase and sale of franchises, and other issues. The Board meets twice a year, usually in June and December, at locations to be determined by the Commissioner.
In 1924, the Boston Bruins became the first American club to join the NHL. The NHL expanded in 1926 to include the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks. The Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Cougars and the New Orleans Americans were added in the 1930s.
The NHL currently has 30 clubs in the United States and Canada. It is headquartered in New York City and has an extensive international reach with broadcast rights to more than 260 markets. In addition to the NHL’s official broadcast partners, its games are available on ESPN and WBS Sports in the United States; CBC, TVA Sports and Sportsnet in Canada; and NHL Network, TSN and Prime Video in more than 160 other countries.
The NHL was founded in 1917 as the National Hockey Association (NHA). Its inaugural season began in 1920 and included a total of 23 teams, including the Montreal Maroons, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs and Winnipeg Warriors.