National Hockey League

Who owns the NHL?
The NHL is owned collectively by its 32 member team owners through a trade association structure. Each team is independently owned by individuals, families, or ownership groups, and these teams collectively own the NHL. Gary Bettman serves as Commissioner, appointed by the team owners. The league office in New York City coordinates operations between the member franchises.

Is the NHL publicly traded?
No, the NHL is not publicly traded as a league. Individual NHL teams are privately owned. The league itself is a trade association owned by its 32 member teams.

What is the NHL's annual revenue?
The NHL projected revenue between $7.5 billion and $8 billion for the 2025-26 season, up from approximately $6.5 billion the prior year. Revenue is expected to increase further in 2026-27 when the new Rogers Communications media deal in Canada takes effect, more than doubling the league's annual Canadian media revenue.

When was the NHL founded?
The NHL was founded on November 26, 1917, in Montreal, Quebec, as the successor to the National Hockey Association (NHA). Frank Calder served as the first NHL president from 1917 until his death in 1943.

Who is the NHL Commissioner?
Gary Bettman has served as NHL Commissioner since February 1, 1993, making him the longest-serving commissioner among the four major North American professional sports leagues. Under his tenure, the league has expanded from 24 to 32 teams and revenue has grown from approximately $400 million to between $7.5 billion and $8 billion.

Who won the 2026 Stanley Cup?
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, winning their first championship since 2006. Goaltender Joel Bussi recorded a shutout in the clinching Game 6. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour, who captained Carolina to its 2006 title, became the first person to win the Stanley Cup with the same franchise as both captain and head coach.

What are the NHL's media rights deals?
In the United States, the NHL's current seven-year agreements with ESPN/ABC and TNT run through the 2027-28 season. In Canada, a new 12-year deal with Rogers Communications takes effect in 2026-27, worth C$11 billion (approximately US$7.7 billion) and more than doubling the league's average annual Canadian media revenue to approximately C$917 million per season.

The NHL was founded on November 26, 1917, in Montreal, Quebec, as the successor to the National Hockey Association (NHA), which had been established in 1910. The league was formed after a dispute between NHA team owners and Eddie Livingstone, owner of the Toronto Blueshirts, led the other owners to create a new league. Frank Calder, a Canadian ice hockey executive, served as the first NHL president from 1917 until his death in 1943. The NHL's championship trophy, the Stanley Cup, predates the league itself, having been donated by Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892.

The NHL expanded to the United States in 1924 with the addition of the Boston Bruins, marking the beginning of its transformation into a binational league. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the league faced challenges including the Great Depression and competition from rival leagues, but maintained its position as the premier professional hockey organization in North America.

The Original Six era (1942-1967) established the NHL's dominance in professional hockey, featuring only six teams: the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks. This era featured legendary players including Maurice Richard, Gordie Howe, and Bobby Orr. The league expanded dramatically in 1967, doubling in size from six to twelve teams, and continued to add teams through the 1970s.

The NHL merged with the rival World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1979, absorbing four WHA teams including the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, and Hartford Whalers. This merger brought Wayne Gretzky into the NHL, where he would become the league's all-time leading scorer and a transformative figure for the sport's popularity.

Gary Bettman became the NHL's first Commissioner in 1993, succeeding Gil Stein. Bettman's tenure has been marked by significant growth but also three labor stoppages. The 2004-05 season was canceled entirely due to a lockout, making the NHL the first major North American sports league to lose an entire season to a labor dispute. The lockout resulted in the introduction of a salary cap, which has since promoted competitive balance. Subsequent lockouts shortened the 2012-13 season to 48 games and the 2020-21 season to 56 games (though the latter was primarily caused by the COVID-19 pandemic).

The league has expanded several times under Bettman, reaching 32 teams with the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017 and the Seattle Kraken in 2021. The Utah Mammoth joined the league in 2024, when the Arizona Coyotes franchise was relocated to Salt Lake City.

The 2025-26 season was a record-setting year for the NHL. Regular season attendance reached 23.16 million, with teams playing to 96% of capacity. Playoff viewership on ESPN/ABC in the United States was up materially, with the Western Conference Final averaging 2.2 million viewers, up 44% from the prior year. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, winning the series 4-2. Goaltender Joel Bussi recorded a shutout in Game 6 to secure Carolina's first championship since 2006. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour, who captained Carolina to its 2006 title, became the first person to win the Stanley Cup with the same franchise as both captain and head coach.

The NHL has faced several controversies and challenges throughout its history.

The league has experienced three labor stoppages under Commissioner Bettman. The 2004-05 season was canceled entirely due to a lockout, the first time a major North American sports league lost a full season to a labor dispute. The 2012-13 season was shortened to 48 games by another lockout. The 2020-21 season was shortened to 56 games, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each work stoppage damaged fan goodwill and raised questions about the league's labor relations.

The NHL has faced scrutiny over player safety, particularly regarding concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The league has implemented rule changes and concussion protocols, but critics argue that fighting, which remains permitted under NHL rules, contributes to head injuries. The NHL settled a class-action lawsuit with retired players over concussion-related claims in 2018 for approximately $18.9 million, a fraction of the NFL's $1 billion settlement.

The league has faced controversy over its handling of sexual assault allegations. In 2022, an investigation revealed that the Chicago Blackhawks failed to act on allegations that a former video coach sexually assaulted a player in 2010. The Blackhawks were fined $2 million by the NHL. The incident led to resignations of two executives and raised questions about the league's handling of player safety and misconduct.

The NHL's expansion to non-traditional markets has been both praised and criticized. While teams like the Vegas Golden Knights have been successful on and off the ice, the relocation of the Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City in 2024 was controversial. The Coyotes' owner, Alex Meruelo, had failed to secure a new arena, and the league facilitated the sale of the franchise to Ryan and Ashley Smith, who relocated the team to Utah. The move left Arizona without an NHL team despite the league's stated commitment to the market.

The league has also faced criticism for its environmental footprint, particularly the energy consumption of ice rinks and the carbon emissions associated with team travel. The NHL has implemented sustainability initiatives, including the NHL Greener Rinks program, but environmental groups have called for more aggressive action.