The National Hockey League is a North American professional hockey league that has franchises in both the U.S. and Canada. Hockey is the national sport of Canada, so it is no surprise that the league was formed in Montreal in 1917. The first 25 years of the league were marred by financial difficulties, and the league that was 10 teams was reduced to six by 1942. The next 25 years became known as the “Original Six” era and was the most important time in the league’s history.
Now the NHL is comprised of 30 teams, 24 in the U.S. and six in Canada. The league is often viewed as the fourth most popular sport in North America behind the NBA, MLB and the NFL. Despite that, teams in major cities and Canada are among the best selling tickets on the secondary market especially during playoff time. Like any other sport, NHL’s championship round, the Stanley Cup, is the most popular event in hockey.
