NHL Teams List

The National Hockey League sports a rich history dating back over a century and features some of the most iconic teams in all of sports. Starting with just six franchises, the NHL has grown into a 32-team league, divided into two conferences with a total of four divisions. Check out our 2024-25 NHL teams list below, learn about the best NHL teams in league history, as well as some of the franchises that have relocated over the years or no longer exist. Or, skate over to our NHL betting odds page to check out the latest lines on your favourite teams and players.

NHL Teams List Alphabetical Order

NHL Team	Location	Conference	Division	Year Founded
Anaheim Ducks	Honda Center	Western Conference	Pacific	1993
Boston Bruins	TD Garden	Eastern Conference	Atlantic	1924
Buffalo Sabres	KeyBank Center	Eastern Conference	Atlantic	1970
Calgary Flames	Scotiabank Saddledome	Western Conference	Pacific	1972
Carolina Hurricanes	Lenovo Center	Eastern Conference	Metropolitan	1972 (1)
Chicago Blackhawks	United Center	Western Conference	Central	1926
Colorado Avalanche	Ball Arena	Western Conference	Central	1972 (2)
Columbus Blue Jackers	Nationwide Arena	Eastern Conference	Metropolitan	2000
Dallas Stars	American Airlines Center	Western Conference	Central	1967 (3)
Detroit Red Wings	Little Caesars Arena	Eastern Conference	Atlantic	1926
Edmonton Oilers	Rogers Place	Western Conference	Pacific	1972 (4)
Florida Panthers	Amerant Bank Arena	Eastern Conference	Atlantic	1993
Los Angeles Kings	Crypto.com Arena	Western Conference	Pacific	1967
Minnesota Wild	Xcel Energy Center	Western Conference	Central	2000
Montreal Canadiens	Bell Centre	Eastern Conference	Atlantic	1909 (5)
Nashville Predators	Bridgestone Arena	Western Conference	Central	1998
New Jersey Devils	Prudential Center	Eastern Conference	Metropolitan	1974 (6)
New York Islanders	UBS Arena	Eastern Conference	Metropolitan	1972
New York Rangers	Madison Square Garden	Eastern Conference	Metropolitan	1926
Ottawa Senators	Canadian Tire Centre	Eastern Conference	Atlantic	1992
Philadelphia Flyers	Wells Fargo Center	Eastern Conference	Metropolitan	1967
Pittsburgh Penguins	PPG Paints Arena	Eastern Conference	Metropolitan	1967
San Jose Sharks	SAP Center	Western Conference	Pacific	1991
Seattle Kraken	Climate Pledge Arena	Western Conference	Pacific	2021
St. Louis Blues	Enterprise Arena	Western Conference	Central	1967
Tampa Bay Lightning	Amalie Arena	Eastern Conference	Atlantic	1992
Toronto Maple Leafs	Scotiabank Arena	Eastern Conference	Atlantic	1917
Utah Hockey Club	Delta Center	Western Conference	Central	1972 (7)
Vancouver Canucks	Rogers Arena	Western Conference	Pacific	1945 (8)
Vegas Golden Knights	T-Mobile Arena	Western Conference	Pacific	2017
Washington Capitals	Capital One Arena	Eastern Conference	Metropolitan	1974
Winnipeg Jets	Canada Life Centre	Western Conference	Central	1999 (9)

NHL Teams List By Division

🍁 List of Canadian NHL Teams in 2025

Hockey is certainly Canada’s game, but currently, there are only seven NHL franchises based in Canada. With a major discrepancy in the Canadian-to-American team ratio, the few Canadian squads hold immense popularity and a rich winning history. Learn how many Canadian teams are in the NHL below, how long each of the Canadian NHL teams has been around, the top players who donned their jerseys, as well as the success achieved in their time as a franchise.

Current Canadian NHL Teams:

• Montreal Canadiens
• Toronto Maple Leafs
• Vancouver Canucks
• Edmonton Oilers
• Calgary Flames
• Ottawa Senators
• Winnipeg Jets

Montreal Canadiens

Older than the National Hockey League itself, no Canadian hockey team is more notable than the Montreal Canadiens. After being founded in 1909, the Canadiens have experienced more success than any other NHL franchise all-time.

Playing out of the Bell Centre, the Habs have had a plethora of Hall of Fame talent sporting the red, white, and blue, including Guy LaFleur, Maurice “Rocket” Richard, Jacques Plante, Howie Morenz, and Patrick Roy.

While the Canadiens have found no shortage of success in their illustrious history, in recent years, they have begun a rebuild. With promising young talent such as Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield set to “hold the torch high” into the future, it’s only a matter of time before the French-Canadian team returns to the playoffs.

There’s a long list of all NHL teams who have made a lasting impact on the hockey world, but none has done so to the extent of the Montreal Canadiens.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Sporting a diehard fan base that never wavers through thick and thin, the Toronto Maple Leafs are another iconic team in Canadian sports culture. One of the original six NHL teams, the Leafs have won the second-most Stanley Cups behind only the Montreal Canadiens.

Since being founded in 1917, the Maple Leafs have been a part of several monumental moments in league history. While they have infamously failed to reclaim the Stanley Cup since 1967, they have been one of the most consistently featured Canadian teams in the NHL Playoffs in recent seasons.

In their rich history, the Maple Leafs have had multiple Hall of Famers don the Blue & White, including Dave Keon, Mats Sundin, Daryl Sittler, and Borje Salming.

Currently, the Maple Leafs have several star players on their roster, such as Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander, all hoping to finally break the curse and take the Leafs all the way to the Stanley Cup final.

Vancouver Canucks

The lone British Columbia-based squad of the Canadian Hockey teams in the NHL, the Vancouver Canucks have consistently been one of the top NHL teams in the Western Conference.

Since their inception into the NHL in 1970, The Canucks have come incredibly close to claiming the Stanley Cup in their franchise history. Playing out of Rogers Arena, the Canucks have gone deep in the Stanley Cup Playoffs several times, having lost in the Finals three-times, most recently in 2011 to the Boston bruins.

Some of the legendary players that have played for the Canucks include Henrik & Daniel Sedin, Pavel Bure, and Roberto Luongo.

Rostering several all-star talents such as Elias Petersson and Quinn Hughes, the Canucks are once again positioned for a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Edmonton Oilers

One of two Alberta-based teams in the National Hockey League, the Edmonton Oilers have been a powerhouse since entering into the NHL in 1979 from the WHA.

While the list of NHL teams that have won the Stanley Cup is short, the Oilers have had no shortage of wins in their franchise history. Thanks to their superb teams from the 1980s that featured Hall of Famers such as Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, and the man they call “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky, the Oilers have won the most Stanley Cups of any Canadian team since 1980.

After recently coming up short against the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers are primed for yet another deep playoff run thanks to their elite tandem of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Calgary Flames

The other NHL team in Alberta is the Calgary Flames who have cemented their place in league history with several standout seasons to draw from.

Originally founded in 1972 as the Atlanta Flames, the team was relocated to Calgary in 1980. Upon their arrival to Calgary, the team saw a noticeable uptick in popularity as the rabid hockey fans in Alberta ingratiated the squad right away.

Having reached the Stanley Cup final three times, the Flames etched themselves into NHL history as they join the short NHL team list that can call themselves Stanley Cup Champions after winning it all in 1989.

Some of the top players to ever wear a Flames jersey are Lanny McDonald, Miikka Kiprusoff, Jarome Iginla, and Johnny Gaudreau.

While the Calgary Flames have failed to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs in three of the last four seasons, the upside is still there for the team as they look to get back to postseason contention.

Ottawa Senators

Separate from the Stanley Cup winning team from the early 1900s, this iteration of the Ottawa Senators entered into the NHL in 1992. Alongside the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Sens became just the second Ontario-based squad in the modern NHL.

While they’ve never managed to win the Stanley Cup, the Ottawa Senators have been one of the more successful Canadian ice hockey teams of the past two decades. With deep playoff runs in 2007 and 2017, the Senators have come incredibly close to hoisting the greatest prize in hockey.

The Ottawa Senators have played home to several top talents in NHL history such as Daniel Alfredsson, Dion Phaneuf, and Erik Karlsson. Possessing a young and talented squad entering into the 2024-25 season, the Senators will look to finally break into the playoffs for the first time in five seasons behind the play of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and Thomas Chabot.

Winnipeg Jets

The newest of the current Canadian NHL teams, the second iteration of the Winnipeg Jets broke into the NHL in 2011. The original Winnipeg Jets franchise was moved to Phoenix, where they later became the Arizona Coyotes which has now become the Utah Hockey Club.

The present-day Winnipeg Jets replaced the Atlanta Thrashers and has been a major upgrade for the league in both quality of play as well as the amount of dedication from local fans. Since making their return to Manitoba, the Jets have been as solid as they come, having made the playoffs in six of the last seven years.

In that time the Jets have had several faces come through their organization such as current stars Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, and Kyle Connor. Once again primed for a postseason appearance, the Jets are hopeful to reach their first Stanley Cup Final in club history.

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The Best NHL Teams in NHL History

It’s often argued amongst hockey fans which NHL teams are the best in the history of the league. Below we’ve provided our analysis on the Top 5 squads in NHL history and what they’ve done in order to earn this notoriety.

1. Montreal Canadiens

Having claimed the most Stanley Cup victories of any team in NHL history, the Montreal Canadiens are easily the best team in NHL history. Holding the record for Stanley Cup wins at 23, the Habs have by far and away been the most dominant team in league history.

The Canadiens are also the last Canadian franchise to have hoisted the Stanley Cup, with their 1993 win marking the last victory from a team North of the border.

The best Montreal Canadiens season came in 1976, in which the Habs won 60 games and racked up 132 points in the season standings, en route to winning the second of four-straight Stanley Cups. This was the best single season in terms of points and wins and each record stood for several decades, respectively.

The Canadiens also hold the distinction of having the most overall wins in NHL history for both regular and postseason play, further solidifying their spot at #1 on our top NHL teams list.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs

While the Maple Leafs haven’t claimed a Stanley Cup victory since 1967, it’s undeniable that they are one of the top teams in league history.

Having won the second-most Stanley Cup victories in league history with 13, the Maple Leafs were built on a winning culture. With the spirit of their diehard fans always behind their team, the Leafs have continued to remain competitive and have made several deep playoff runs in the process.

The Maple Leafs currently hold the third-most win in NHL history, as well as

Additionally, in the present day, the Toronto Maple Leafs are arguably the best team in the NHL right now. Only time will tell if they can break their 58-year dry spell as they continue to solidify their spot as one of the best teams in NHL history.

3. Detroit Red Wings

Another original six team that has made a major impact on the history of the NHL, the Detroit Red Wings certainly need to be included when talking about the best NHL teams of all-time.

Having finished atop the NHL standings several times in their over a century-long run in the league, the Red Wings lay claim to 11 Stanley Cup victories. One of three teams to have reached double-digit Stanley Cup victories, the Wings have remained competitive through each era of the NHL.

With their last Stanley Cup victory coming in 2008, the Red Wings have stood the test of time and come out the other side still a powerhouse.

The best Red Wings season came in the 1995-96 season as they broke the record for the most wins in a single regular season at 62, a record that would stand until 2023 when it was broken by the Boston Bruins.

Hoping to continue building upon their legacy in the years to come, the Red Wings are undoubtedly one of the best teams in NHL history.

4. Edmonton Oilers

Expanding from the original six teams, the history of the NHL can’t be told without mentioning the success of the Edmonton Oilers.

Since coming into the league in 1979, the Oilers immediately cemented themselves as the team to beat in the NHL, rattling off five Stanley Cup wins from 1980-1990, appearing in the Stanley Cup Final in eight of the 10 matchups of the 1980s.

Since coming into the NHL, only the Pittsburgh Penguins have won as many Stanley Cups, with five wins since 1979. Of teams that have played at least 100 playoff games, the Oilers hold the best overall win percentage at 58.2%.

Coming off of a Stanley Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers, the Oilers, led by Connor McDavid appear to be the best NHL team in the league and sit atop most current NHL power rankings. With their continued success into the modern era, it’s only a matter of time before the Oilers return to the mountaintop and claim the franchise’s sixth Stanley Cup victory.

5. Tampa Bay Lightning

Still a fairly new squad compared to other teams on this best NHL team’s list, the Tampa Bay Lightning have quickly established themselves as one of the top franchises to ever play in the NHL.

In just 33 years, the Lightning have reached the promised land three times with Stanley Cup victories in 2004, 2020, and 2021. In that brief time period, the Lightning have continued to excel in the playoffs, holding the fourth-best win percentage at 56.6%.

While there have been teams that have won the Stanley Cup more times than the Lightning since their inception, no team has risen to such great heights in such a short time span as the Lightning.

Honourable Mention: Vegas Golden Knights

It’s still early in their NHL tenure, but the Vegas Golden Knights have come out of the gates red hot to begin their franchise history. In their inaugural season, the Golden Knights pulled off one of the biggest underdog stories of all time, reaching the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Washington Capitals.

Undeterred, the Golden Knights continued to contend at the top of the league standings, capturing the 2023 Stanley Cup title in the process. The Golden Knights currently hold the highest points earned per game percentage in NHL history at 62.7%, along with the highest win percentage in NHL Playoff history at 60%.

This amount of success in such a short time span is almost unheard of in professional sports, and has the Golden Knights’ trajectory pointed toward all-time great status in just eight seasons of play.

A Brief History of NHL Teams

The first NHL season began in 1917, with a variety of teams moving in and out of the league’s ranks. This was settled in 1942 with the original six: the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

The first expansion for The NHL occurred 1967 with six teams joining the NHL with present day mainstays, the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and St. Louis Blues, as well as the now relocated Minnesota North Stars (now Dallas Stars) and California Golden Seals which later became the Cleveland Barons, who then merged with the Minnesota North Stars.

More teams would soon follow in the 1970s as the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks would join the NHL in 1970, as well as the New York Islanders and Atlanta Flames (later Calgary Flames) in 1972. In 1974 another pair of teams would be added in the Kansas City Scouts (now the New Jersey Devils), and the Washington Capitals.

The next major expansion in the NHL would be in 1979 after the NHL and WHA merged into one league, bringing the Edmonton Oilers, Hartford Whalers (now Carolina Hurricanes), Quebec Nordiques (now Colorado Avalanche), and the original Winnipeg Jets (now Utah Hockey Club) with it.

The NHL wouldn’t see expansion for over a decade, but would grow exponentially throughout the 1990s. The San Jose Sharks and the Ottawa Senators would kick off expansion in 1991, with the Tampa Bay Lightning following them in 1992, the Florida Panthers and Anaheim Ducks in 1993, the Nashville Predators in 1998, and the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999.

The new millennium would also bring a host of new teams with the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets in 2000, as well as the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, and the Seattle Kraken in 2021.

With the constant growth of the league, the NHL has seen changes in its formatting, including how standings are determined, division and conference types, and playoff formats.

Defunct NHL Teams

• Brooklyn Americans (1942)
• Cleveland Barons (defunct and merged with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978)
• Hamilton Tigers (1925)
• Montreal Maroons (1938)
• Montreal Wanderers (1918)
• Philadelphia Quakers (1931)
• St. Louis Eagles (1935)

Relocated NHL Teams

• Arizona/Phoenix Coyotes became the Utah Hockey Club
• Atlanta Flames became the Calgary Flames
• Atlanta Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets
• California Golden Seals became the Cleveland Barons
• Colorado Rockies became the New Jersey Devils
• Hartford Whalers became the Carolina Hurricanes
• Kansas City Scouts became the Colorado Rockies
• Minnesota North Stars became the Dallas Stars
• Ottawa Senators became the St. Louis Eagles
• Pittsburgh Pirates became the Philadelphia Quakers
• Quebec Bulldogs became the Hamilton Tigers
• Quebec Nordiques became the Colorado Avalanche
• Original Winnipeg Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes

Expansion of NHL Teams: New Additions

The Seattle Kraken was confirmed as the NHL’s 32nd franchise. Its debut occurred in the 2021-22 season.

The newest team in the NHL currently is the Utah Hockey Club, which absorbed the assets of the Arizona Coyotes. They made their NHL debut in the 2024-25 season.

There are rumors of other cities interested in joining the NHL, such as Quebec City and Hamilton, as well as a second Toronto-based team in Canada. In the United States, Houston and Kansas City have been identified as potential expansion candidates. In an official statement, the NHL announced it is happy to have 32 teams in the league and is not looking at further expansion at his current time. 

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