National Hockey League history and statistics

NHL History

The National Hockey League is a Major League hockey league that has operated from 1917 to 2025.

NHL Seasons

National Hockey League
Year	Teams	Champion	Runner-Up	Result
	In: Toronto Arenas In: Montreal Canadiens In: Montreal Wanderers In: Ottawa Senators
1917-18	4 Teams	Toronto Arenas	Montreal Canadiens	(10-7) Total Goals
Out: Montreal Wanderers
1918-19	3 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Ottawa Senators	(4-1)
Out: Toronto Arenas	In: Toronto St. Pats In: Quebec Bulldogs
1919-20	4 Teams
Out: Quebec Bulldogs	In: Hamilton Tigers
1920-21	4 Teams	Ottawa Senators	Toronto St. Pats	(7-0) Total Goals
1921-22	4 Teams	Toronto St. Pats	Ottawa Senators	(5-4) Total Goals
1922-23	4 Teams	Ottawa Senators	Montreal Canadiens	(3-2) Total Goals
1923-24	4 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Ottawa Senators	(5-2) Total Goals
	In: Boston Bruins In: Montreal Maroons
1924-25	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Toronto St. Pats	(5-2) Total Goals
Out: Hamilton Tigers	In: New York Americans In: Pittsburgh Pirates
1925-26	7 Teams	Montreal Maroons	Ottawa Senators	(2-1) Total Goals
Out: Toronto St. Pats	In: Detroit Cougars In: Chicago Blackhawks In: Toronto St. Pats/Maple Leafs In: New York Rangers
1926-27	10 Teams	Ottawa Senators	Boston Bruins	(2-0)
Out: Toronto St. Pats/Maple Leafs	In: Toronto Maple Leafs
1927-28	10 Teams	New York Rangers	Montreal Maroons	(3-2)
1928-29	10 Teams	Boston Bruins	New York Rangers	(2-0)
1929-30	10 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	(2-0)
Out: Detroit Cougars Out: Pittsburgh Pirates	In: Detroit Falcons In: Philadelphia Quakers
1930-31	10 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Chicago Blackhawks	(3-2)
Out: Ottawa Senators Out: Philadelphia Quakers
1931-32	8 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	New York Rangers	(3-0)
Out: Detroit Falcons	In: Detroit Red Wings In: Ottawa Senators
1932-33	9 Teams	New York Rangers	Toronto Maple Leafs	(3-1)
1933-34	9 Teams	Chicago Blackhawks	Detroit Red Wings	(3-1)
Out: Ottawa Senators	In: St. Louis Eagles
1934-35	9 Teams	Montreal Maroons	Toronto Maple Leafs	(3-0)
Out: St. Louis Eagles
1935-36	8 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Toronto Maple Leafs	(3-1)
1936-37	8 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	New York Rangers	(3-2)
1937-38	8 Teams	Chicago Blackhawks	Toronto Maple Leafs	(3-1)
Out: Montreal Maroons
1938-39	7 Teams	Boston Bruins	Toronto Maple Leafs	(4-1)
1939-40	7 Teams	New York Rangers	Toronto Maple Leafs	(4-2)
1940-41	7 Teams	Boston Bruins	Detroit Red Wings	(4-0)
Out: New York Americans	In: Brooklyn Americans
1941-42	7 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	(4-3)
Out: Brooklyn Americans
1942-43	6 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Boston Bruins	(4-0)
1943-44	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Chicago Blackhawks	(4-0)
1944-45	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	(4-3)
1945-46	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	(4-1)
1946-47	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Montreal Canadiens	(4-2)
1947-48	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	(4-0)
1948-49	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	(4-0)
1949-50	6 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	New York Rangers	(4-3)
1950-51	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Montreal Canadiens	(4-1)
1951-52	6 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Montreal Canadiens	(4-0)
1952-53	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	(4-1)
1953-54	6 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Montreal Canadiens	(4-3)
1954-55	6 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Montreal Canadiens	(4-3)
1955-56	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Detroit Red Wings	(4-1)
1956-57	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	(4-1)
1957-58	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	(4-2)
1958-59	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Toronto Maple Leafs	(4-1)
1959-60	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Toronto Maple Leafs	(4-0)
1960-61	6 Teams	Chicago Blackhawks	Detroit Red Wings	(4-2)
1961-62	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Chicago Blackhawks	(4-2)
1962-63	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	(4-1)
1963-64	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Detroit Red Wings	(4-3)
1964-65	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Chicago Blackhawks	(4-3)
1965-66	6 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Detroit Red Wings	(4-2)
1966-67	6 Teams	Toronto Maple Leafs	Montreal Canadiens	(4-2)
	In: Oakland Seals In: Minnesota North Stars In: Los Angeles Kings In: Philadelphia Flyers In: Pittsburgh Penguins In: St. Louis Blues
1967-68	12 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	St. Louis Blues	(4-0)
1968-69	12 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	St. Louis Blues	(4-0)
1969-70	12 Teams	Boston Bruins	St. Louis Blues	(4-0)
Out: Oakland Seals	In: California Golden Seals In: Buffalo Sabres In: Vancouver Canucks
1970-71	14 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Chicago Blackhawks	(4-3)
1971-72	14 Teams	Boston Bruins	New York Rangers	(4-2)
	In: Atlanta Flames In: New York Islanders
1972-73	16 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Chicago Blackhawks	(4-2)
1973-74	16 Teams	Philadelphia Flyers	Boston Bruins	(4-2)
Out: California Golden Seals	In: Kansas City Scouts In: California Seals In: Washington Capitals
1974-75	18 Teams	Philadelphia Flyers	Buffalo Sabres	(4-2)
1975-76	18 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Philadelphia Flyers	(4-0)
Out: Kansas City Scouts Out: California Seals	In: Colorado Rockies In: Cleveland Barons
1976-77	18 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	(4-0)
1977-78	18 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Boston Bruins	(4-2)
Out: Cleveland Barons
1978-79	17 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	New York Rangers	(4-1)
	In: Hartford Whalers In: Winnipeg Jets In: Quebec Nordiques In: Edmonton Oilers
1979-80	21 Teams	New York Islanders	Philadelphia Flyers	(4-2)
Out: Atlanta Flames	In: Calgary Flames
1980-81	21 Teams	New York Islanders	Minnesota North Stars	(4-1)
1981-82	21 Teams	New York Islanders	Vancouver Canucks	(4-0)
Out: Colorado Rockies	In: New Jersey Devils
1982-83	21 Teams	New York Islanders	Edmonton Oilers	(4-0)
1983-84	21 Teams	Edmonton Oilers	New York Islanders	(4-1)
1984-85	21 Teams	Edmonton Oilers	Philadelphia Flyers	(4-1)
1985-86	21 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Calgary Flames	(4-1)
1986-87	21 Teams	Edmonton Oilers	Philadelphia Flyers	(4-3)
1987-88	21 Teams	Edmonton Oilers	Boston Bruins	(4-0)
1988-89	21 Teams	Calgary Flames	Montreal Canadiens	(4-2)
1989-90	21 Teams	Edmonton Oilers	Boston Bruins	(4-1)
1990-91	21 Teams	Pittsburgh Penguins	Minnesota North Stars	(4-2)
	In: San Jose Sharks
1991-92	22 Teams	Pittsburgh Penguins	Chicago Blackhawks	(4-0)
	In: Ottawa Senators In: Tampa Bay Lightning
1992-93	24 Teams	Montreal Canadiens	Los Angeles Kings	(4-1)
Out: Minnesota North Stars	In: Anaheim Mighty Ducks In: Dallas Stars In: Florida Panthers
1993-94	26 Teams	New York Rangers	Vancouver Canucks	(4-3)
1994-95	26 Teams	New Jersey Devils	Detroit Red Wings	(4-0)
Out: Quebec Nordiques	In: Colorado Avalanche
1995-96	26 Teams	Colorado Avalanche	Florida Panthers	(4-0)
Out: Winnipeg Jets	In: Phoenix Coyotes
1996-97	26 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Philadelphia Flyers	(4-0)
Out: Hartford Whalers	In: Carolina Hurricanes
1997-98	26 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Washington Capitals	(4-0)
	In: Nashville Predators
1998-99	27 Teams	Dallas Stars	Buffalo Sabres	(4-2)
	In: Atlanta Thrashers
1999-00	28 Teams	New Jersey Devils	Dallas Stars	(4-2)
	In: Columbus Blue Jackets In: Minnesota Wild
2000-01	30 Teams	Colorado Avalanche	New Jersey Devils	(4-3)
2001-02	30 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Carolina Hurricanes	(4-1)
2002-03	30 Teams	New Jersey Devils	Anaheim Mighty Ducks	(4-3)
2003-04	30 Teams	Tampa Bay Lightning	Calgary Flames	(4-3)
2005-06	30 Teams	Carolina Hurricanes	Edmonton Oilers	(4-3)
Out: Anaheim Mighty Ducks	In: Anaheim Ducks
2006-07	30 Teams	Anaheim Ducks	Ottawa Senators	(4-1)
2007-08	30 Teams	Detroit Red Wings	Pittsburgh Penguins	(4-2)
2008-09	30 Teams	Pittsburgh Penguins	Detroit Red Wings	(4-3)
2009-10	30 Teams	Chicago Blackhawks	Philadelphia Flyers	(4-2)
2010-11	30 Teams	Boston Bruins	Vancouver Canucks	(4-3)
Out: Atlanta Thrashers	In: Winnipeg Jets
2011-12	30 Teams	Los Angeles Kings	New Jersey Devils	(4-2)
2012-13	30 Teams	Chicago Blackhawks	Boston Bruins	(4-2)
2013-14	30 Teams	Los Angeles Kings	New York Rangers	(4-1)
Out: Phoenix Coyotes	In: Arizona Coyotes
2014-15	30 Teams	Chicago Blackhawks	Tampa Bay Lightning	(4-2)
2015-16	30 Teams	Pittsburgh Penguins	San Jose Sharks	(4-2)
2016-17	30 Teams	Pittsburgh Penguins	Nashville Predators	(4-2)
	In: Vegas Golden Knights
2017-18	31 Teams	Washington Capitals	Vegas Golden Knights	(4-1)
2018-19	31 Teams	St. Louis Blues	Boston Bruins	(4-3)
2019-20	31 Teams	Tampa Bay Lightning	Dallas Stars	(4-2)
2020-21	31 Teams	Tampa Bay Lightning	Montreal Canadiens	(4-1)
	In: Seattle Kraken
2021-22	32 Teams	Colorado Avalanche	Tampa Bay Lightning	(4-2)
2022-23	32 Teams	Vegas Golden Knights	Florida Panthers	(4-1)
2023-24	32 Teams	Florida Panthers	Edmonton Oilers	(4-3)
Out: Arizona Coyotes	In: Utah Hockey Club
2024-25	32 Teams