A Short History of the NHL Franchises

by Michael W. Godfrey (with additions by Stewart M. Clamen)

Source: 1989-90 NHL Official Guide and Record Book

1917

NHL formed with Montreal Canadiens (MC), Montreal Wanderers (MW), Ottawa Senators (OS) and Quebec Bulldogs (QB). Later Toronto Arenas (TA) admitted as fifth team. QB decides not to operate during its first year.

1918

The home arena that both Montreal teams share burns down. MC switch to another, while MW decide to disband. QB sold but stay in Quebec but don't operate in 1918-19 either. QB players "loaned" to other teams.

1919-20

QB come back to life, "loaned" players are returned. TA become the Toronto St. Pats (TSP).

1920-21

QB moved to Hamilton. Special draft of other NHL teams helps strengthen new Hamilton team (H? -- anyone know what this team was called?)

1923-24

Boston granted first US NHL franchise (BB). I presume that they were called the Bruins from day one, maybe I'm wrong.

1924-25

Montreal Maroons (MM) come to life at the new Montreal Forum. MC soon also shift to Forum. Hamilton finishes first, but players go on strike demanding $200 each to play a final series against the semi-final winner. NHL, in a typical NHL move, suspends all players and fines them $200 each. NHL title goes to semi-final winner MC who then defeat WHCL champ Victoria to win Stanley Cup. After this year, Stanley cup automatically goes to NHL champ. Note: it is *not* true that the players went on strike because they were forced to move to Hamilton.

1925-26

NHL drops Hamilton from league. Most players re-signed by newly- created New York Americans (NYA) -- of course most if not all of the NYA are Canadian. Also Pittsburgh gets a franchise -- the Pirates (PP). A confused Babe Ruth is the opening night centre-fielder. A confused British government has the team captain hanged for piracy.

1926-27

New York Rangers (NYR), Chicago Black Hawks (CBH) and Detroit Cougars (DC) all granted franchises. NHL now has ten teams in two divisions (Canadian and US). TSP are sold and become the Toronto Maple Leafs (TML) much to the annoyance of English teachers across the country.

1927-28

DC change name to Falcons (DF).

1928-29

PP move to become Philadelphia Quakers (PQ) who only last one season. No jokes about "wild oats".

1929-30

PQ drop out. OS drop out for one season. Maple Leaf Gardens is completed. A woman calling herself Yolanda Smythe is found loitering around the construction site.

1932-33

St. Louis applies for a franchise. NHL thumbs its nose saying that the travel costs would make life difficult.

1933-34

DF change name to Detroit Red Wings (DRW). V. I. Lenin installed as new head coach.

1934-35

Ottawa team moves to St. Louis to become Eagles (SLE). There is a movement afoot to have Parliment sent there as well.

1935-36

SLE folds, snap election called. MC have very poor record and as punishment are sent to Toronto ... errr as recompense MC is granted first crack at all French-Canadian players for three years.

1936-37

MM leave NHL. There are now seven NHL clubs.

1941-42

NYA become Brooklyn Americans (BA), yooze guys.

1942-43

BA withdraws from league, complaining about the neighbourhood. There are now six teams left -- the "original six" of MC, TML, BB, CBH, NYR and DRW.

1944-66

During this time, several other US cities try to get franchises, such as Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Cleveland. None succeed. Nyah nyah!

1967-68

There are 6 new teams: California Seals (CS), Philadelphia Flyers (PF), Los Angeles Kings (LAK), St. Louis Blues (SLB), Minnesota North Stars (MNS) and Pittsburgh Penguins (PP). CS become Oakland Seals (OS) in December. There are now two divisions: East (containing the "original six") and West (containing the expansion teams). A generation of kids grow up thinking that Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are on the west coast.

1970-71

OS become California Golden Seals (CGS). Vancouver Canucks (VC) and Buffalo Sabres (BS -- hey, not a bad name!) see the light of day. Vancouver, the western-most of all NHL cities, is of course put into the East division. Chicago moves from the East to the West division. Uh huh. There are now three Canadian teams, each with a nationalistic nickname. The Ottawa Civil Servants are denied a franchise, however, when they refuse to play games outside of 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday with a month off at Christmas.

1972-73

New York Islanders (NYI) and Atlanta Flames (AF) come into existence.

1974-75

Kansas City Scouts (KCS) and Washington Capitols (WC -- another good name considering their initial level of play!) are admitted. The NHL is broken up into four divisions for the first time.

1976-77

CGS move to Cleveland and become the Barons (CB). KCS move to Denver and become the Colorado Rockies (CR).

1978-79

Cleveland and Minnesota merge into one team, called MNS. I don't know why this was called a "merger" when one team simply disappeared into the other.

1979-80

The unthinkable happens, four WHA teams come into the NHL: Edmonton Oilers (EO), Winnipeg Jets (WJ), Quebec Nordiques (QN) and New England Whalers who change their name to the Hartford Whalers (HW). I may be the only net.fan who has seen the NEW, but not the HW in person.

1980-81

AF move to Calgary, retaining the Flames name (CF). Obviously, logic has nothing to do with this!

1982-83

CR move to New Jersey to become the Devils (NJD).

1983-1991

All quiet on the hockey front, but certain naughty Americans (and some Canadians) continue to make noise about wanting "a piece of the action". In 1989-90, TML win 3 games in a row; there is rioting in the streets when it is revealed that this is one of the signs of Armageddon.

1991-92

San Jose Sharks (SJS) begin playing in the Cow Palace in San Francisco, while a new arena is built in San Jose. Their cool black jerseys sell very well.

1992-93

Hockey comes to Florida and returns to Canada's capital as the Tampa Bay Lightning (TBL) and Ottawa Senators (OS). OS wins its opening game against MC, making them undefeated in 59 years. In anticipation of something, MNS shortens its name to Minnesota Stars (MS).

1993-94

MS moves to Dallas and becomes the Dallas Stars. The Mighty Ducks (TM, Disney Corp.) of Aneheim (MDA) and the Miami Panthers (FP) join the league.