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{{Infobox sports league
| title = National Hockey League<br />{{nobold|{{lang|fr|Ligue nationale de hockey}}}}
| upcoming_season = 2024–25 NHL season
| champion = [[
| champ_season = [[
| most_champs = [[Montreal Canadiens]]<br />(<!--
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
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| commissioner = [[Gary Bettman]]
| headquarters = [[One Manhattan West]]<br>[[Ninth Avenue (Manhattan)|395 Ninth Avenue]]<br>[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]], U.S.
| teams = 32
| countries = [[Canada]] (7 teams)<br />[[United States]] (
| continent = North America
| TV = <!-- This list refers to national broadcasts only, not regional stations. The various Sportsnet channels, TSN, Root Sports, etc. do not belong. -->{{unbulleted list|class=nowrap|
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| website = {{URL|https://www.nhl.com|NHL.com}}
}}
The '''National Hockey League''' ('''NHL'''; {{lang-fr|Ligue nationale de hockey}} {{IPA|fr|liɡ nɑsjɔnal də ɔkɛ|}}, ''LNH'') is a
The National Hockey League was organized at the [[Windsor Hotel (Montreal)|Windsor Hotel]] in [[Montreal]] on November 26, 1917, after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization, the [[National Hockey Association]] (NHA), which had been founded in 1909 at [[Renfrew, Ontario]].<ref>''The National Hockey League Official Record Book & Guide 2009'' 77th Edition, p. 9. New York: National Hockey League (2008)</ref> The NHL immediately took the NHA's place as one of the leagues that contested for the Stanley Cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and foldings left the NHL as the only league left competing for the Stanley Cup in 1926.
At its inception, the NHL had four teams, all in Canada, thus the adjective "National" in the league's name. The league expanded to the United States in 1924, when the [[Boston Bruins]] joined, and has since consisted of both American and Canadian teams. From 1942 to 1967, the league had only six teams, collectively (if not contemporaneously) nicknamed the "[[Original Six]]". The NHL added six new teams to double its size at the [[1967 NHL expansion]]. The league then increased to 18 teams by 1974 and [[1979 NHL expansion|21 teams in 1979]]. Between 1991 and 2000, the NHL further expanded to 30 teams. It added its 31st and 32nd teams in 2017 and 2021, respectively
The NHL is the fifth-highest grossing [[professional sport]] league in the world by [[List of professional sports leagues by revenue|revenue]], after the [[National Football League]] (NFL), [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA), and the
The NHL's regular season is typically held from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. Following the conclusion of the regular season, 16 teams advance to the [[Stanley Cup playoffs]], a four-round tournament that runs into June to determine the league champion. Since the league's founding in 1917, the [[Montreal Canadiens]] have won the most combined NHL titles with 25, winning three NHL championship series before the league took full exclusivity of the Stanley Cup in 1926, and 22 Stanley Cups afterwards.<ref group="nb" name="MTL"/> The reigning league champions are the [[
==History==
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[[File:NHL Logo former.svg|upright|thumb|NHL logo used from 1946 until 2005]]
The NHL fought the WHA for players, losing 67 to the new league in its first season of [[1972–73 WHA season|1972–73]],<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=113}}</ref> including the Chicago Black Hawks' [[Bobby Hull]], who signed a 10-year, $2.5 million contract with the [[Winnipeg Jets (1972–96)|Winnipeg Jets]], then the largest in hockey history.<ref>{{Harvnb|Willes|2004|p=33}}</ref> The league attempted to block the defections in court, but a counter-suit by the WHA led to a Philadelphia judge ruling the NHL's [[reserve clause]] to be illegal, thus eliminating the elder league's monopoly over the players.<ref>{{Harvnb|McFarlane|1990|p=133}}</ref> Seven years of battling for players and markets financially damaged both leagues, leading to a [[NHL–WHA merger|
[[Wayne Gretzky]] played one season in the WHA for the [[Indianapolis Racers]] (eight games) and the [[Edmonton Oilers]] (72 games) before the Oilers joined the NHL for the [[1979–80 NHL season|1979–80 season]].<ref name="LOHGretzky">{{Cite web|url=http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p199901&page=bio&list=#photo|title=The Legends—Wayne Gretzky|access-date=January 18, 2010|publisher=Hockey Hall of Fame|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123203450/http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/LegendsMember.jsp?mem=p199901&page=bio&list=#photo|archive-date=November 23, 2005|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Gretzky went on to lead the Oilers to win four Stanley Cup championships in [[1984 Stanley Cup Finals|1984]], [[1985 Stanley Cup Finals|1985]], [[1987 Stanley Cup Finals|1987]] and [[1988 Stanley Cup Finals|1988]], and set single-season records for goals (92 in [[1981–82 NHL season|1981–82]]), assists (163 in [[1985–86 NHL season|1985–86]]) and points (215 in 1985–86), as well as career records for goals (894), assists (1,963) and points (2,857).<ref name="LOHGretzky" /> In 1988, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in a deal that dramatically improved the league's popularity in the United States. By the turn of the century, nine more teams were added to the NHL: the [[San Jose Sharks]], the [[Tampa Bay Lightning]], the [[Ottawa Senators]], the [[Mighty Ducks of Anaheim]], the [[Florida Panthers]], the [[Nashville Predators]], the [[Atlanta Thrashers]], and, in 2000, the [[Minnesota Wild]] and the [[Columbus Blue Jackets]].<ref name="EOHGretzky">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oilersheritage.com/history/dynasty_highlights_gretzkytrade.html|title=Edmonton's Saddest Hockey Day—The Gretzky Trade|access-date=January 18, 2010|publisher=Edmonton Oilers Heritage Foundation|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201052918/https://www.oilersheritage.com/history/dynasty_highlights_gretzkytrade.html|archive-date=February 1, 2010}}</ref> Also, in the mid to late 1990s, the Quebec Nordiques, original Winnipeg Jets, and Hartford Whalers relocated to Denver, Phoenix, and Raleigh. In 2011, the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg, and the [[Winnipeg Jets]] were revived. On July 21, 2015, the NHL confirmed that it had received applications from prospective ownership groups in [[Quebec City]] and [[Las Vegas]] for possible expansion teams,<ref name="NHL update">{{cite press release|title=Update on NHL expansion application process|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/update-on-nhl-expansion-application-process/c-775295|website=NHL.com|date=July 21, 2015|access-date=July 2, 2022|archive-date=July 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702052940/https://www.nhl.com/news/update-on-nhl-expansion-application-process/c-775295|url-status=live}}</ref> and on June 22, 2016, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the addition of a 31st franchise, based in Las Vegas and later named the [[Vegas Golden Knights]], into the NHL for the [[2017–18 NHL season|2017–18 season]].<ref name="Vegas expansion">{{cite news|last=Rosen|first=Dan|title=Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-expands-to-las-vegas/c-281010682?tid=281011650|website=NHL.com|date=June 22, 2016|access-date=December 5, 2018|archive-date=December 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202065746/https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-expands-to-las-vegas/c-281010682?tid=281011650|url-status=live}}</ref> On December 4, 2018, the league announced a 32nd franchise in [[Seattle]], later named the [[Seattle Kraken]], which joined in the [[2021–22 NHL season|2021–22 season]].<ref name="Seattle expansion">{{cite news|last=Rosen|first=Dan|title=Seattle NHL expansion approved by Board of Governors|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-nhl-expansion-approved-to-be-32nd-team-play-in-2021-22/c-302581450|website=NHL.com|date=December 4, 2018|access-date=December 5, 2018|archive-date=December 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205060729/https://www.nhl.com/news/seattle-nhl-expansion-approved-to-be-32nd-team-play-in-2021-22/c-302581450|url-status=live}}</ref> On April 18, 2024, the Arizona Coyotes suspended operations and sold their hockey assets, including players and other personnel, to a [[Utah Hockey Club|new team]] in [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]].<ref name="BOG announcement">{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-bog-approves-establishment-of-new-franchise-in-utah |title=NHL BOG approves establishment of new franchise in Utah |website=NHL.com |date=April 18, 2024 |access-date=April 23, 2024 |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419170756/https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-bog-approves-establishment-of-new-franchise-in-utah |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="THN-Utah-sale">{{cite web| url = https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-board-approves-new-franchise-in-utah-how-an-arizona-franchise-could-return-in-five-years| title = NHL Board Approves Sale of Coyotes' Hockey Assets to New Franchise in Utah: How an Arizona Franchise Could Return| last1 = Tovell| first1 = Jonathan| last2 = DeRosa| first2 = Michael| last3 = Stoller| first3 = Jacob| date = April 18, 2024| publisher = The Hockey News| access-date = April 23, 2024| archive-date = April 23, 2024| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240423164939/https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-board-approves-new-franchise-in-utah-how-an-arizona-franchise-could-return-in-five-years| url-status = live}}</ref> Two months after Utah's foundation, the Coyotes ceased their efforts to re-activate within the five-year window granted to do so, bringing the NHL back to 32 franchises.<ref name="defunct?">{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/bettman-confirms-meruelo-will-not-be-re-activating-coyotes-franchise/ |title=Bettman confirms Meruelo will not be re-activating Coyotes franchise |website=Sportsnet.ca |date=June 25, 2024 |access-date=June 25, 2024}}</ref>
===Labour<!--This article uses Canadian English spelling--> issues===
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From the [[2017–18 NHL season|2017–18 season]] to the [[2019–20 NHL season|2019–20 season]], the NHL consisted of 31 teams—24 based in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL divided the 31 teams into two conferences: the [[Eastern Conference (NHL)|Eastern Conference]] and the [[Western Conference (NHL)|Western Conference]]. Each conference was split into two [[Division (sport)|divisions]]: the Eastern Conference contained 16 teams (eight per division), while the Western Conference had 15 teams (seven in the Central and eight in the Pacific). The league temporarily realigned for the [[2020–21 NHL season|2020–21 season]] but returned to the previous alignment the following year. With the addition of the Seattle Kraken in 2021–22 to the Pacific Division and the Arizona Coyotes' move from the Pacific to the Central, all four divisions now have eight teams each and both conferences have 16 teams.
The number of NHL teams held constant at 30 teams from the [[2000–01 NHL season|2000–01 season]], when the [[Minnesota Wild]] and the [[Columbus Blue Jackets]] joined the league as expansion teams, until 2017. That expansion capped a period in the 1990s of rapid expansion and relocation, when the NHL added nine teams to grow from 21 to 30 teams, and relocated four teams mostly from smaller, northern cities to larger, more southern metropolitan areas ([[Minneapolis]] to [[Dallas]], [[Quebec City]] to [[Denver]], [[Winnipeg]] to [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], and [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] to [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]]). The league has not contracted any teams since the [[Cleveland Barons (NHL)|Cleveland Barons]] were merged into the [[Minnesota North Stars]] in 1978. The league expanded for the first time in 17 years<ref>{{cite news |last1=Heitner |first1=Darren |title=The NHL Leads the Way in Bringing Pro Sports to Las Vegas |url=http://www.inc.com/darren-heitner/nhl-leads-the-way-in-bringing-pro-sports-to-las-vegas.html |magazine=[[Inc. (magazine)|Inc.]] |date=June 22, 2016 |access-date=June 29, 2016 |archive-date=January 15, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170115212629/http://www.inc.com/darren-heitner/nhl-leads-the-way-in-bringing-pro-sports-to-las-vegas.html |url-status=live }}</ref> to 31 teams with the addition of the [[Vegas Golden Knights]] in 2017,<ref name="Vegas expansion "/> then to 32 with the addition of the [[Seattle Kraken]] in 2021.<ref name="Seattle expansion" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Baker|first=Geoff|title=After years of trying and a cast of characters in between, the NHL will finally put a team in Seattle|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/after-years-of-trying-and-a-cast-of-characters-in-between-the-nhl-will-finally-put-a-team-in-seattle/|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=December 3, 2018|access-date=December 5, 2018|archive-date=December 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204035654/https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/after-years-of-trying-and-a-cast-of-characters-in-between-the-nhl-will-finally-put-a-team-in-seattle/|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2024, a [[Utah
According to ''[[Forbes]]'', in 2023, the top five most valuable teams were four of the "[[Original Six]]" teams and the Los Angeles Kings:
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| {{Sortname|Julien|BriseBois}}
| {{Sortname|Jon|Cooper|Jon Cooper (ice hockey)}}
| ''Vacant''
|-
!scope="row"| [[Toronto Maple Leafs]]
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| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 2000
| {{Sortname|Don|Waddell}}
| data-sort-value="zzz"| ''Vacant''
| {{Sortname|Boone|Jenner}}
|-
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| align=center | 18,573
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | 1974
| {{Sortname|
| {{Sortname|Spencer|Carbery}}
| {{Sortname|Alexander|Ovechkin}}
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| {{Sortname|Brayden|Schenn}}
|-
!scope="row"| [[Utah
| [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, Utah]]
| [[Delta Center]]
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| align=center | 1972
| align=center | 1979
| {{Sortname|
| {{Sortname|Kris|Knoblauch}}
| {{Sortname|Connor|McDavid}}
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| {{Sortname|Mark|Stone}}
|}
'''Notes:'''
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The National Hockey League's rules are one of the two standard sets of professional ice hockey rules in the world, the other being the rules of the [[International Ice Hockey Federation]] (IIHF), as used in tournaments such as the [[Ice hockey at the Olympic Games|Olympics]]. The IIHF rules are derived from the Canadian amateur ice hockey rules of the early 20th century,{{sfn|Podnieks|Szemberg|2007|p=198}} while the NHL rules evolved directly from the [[First indoor hockey game|first organized indoor ice hockey game]] in Montreal in 1875, updated by subsequent leagues up to 1917, when the NHL adopted the existing NHA set of rules. The NHL's rules are the basis for rules governing [[List of ice hockey leagues#Minor professional|most professional]] and [[Canadian Hockey League|major junior ice hockey leagues]] in North America.
The NHL [[hockey rink]] is {{convert|200|x|85|ft|m|sigfig=4}},<ref name="rink">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule02.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060409150309/http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule02.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 9, 2006 |title=Dimensions of Rink |year=2005 |website=National Hockey League |access-date=June 8, 2006 }}</ref> approximately the same length but much narrower than IIHF standards. A [[Ice hockey rink#Goaltender trapezoid ("Martin Brodeur" Rule)|
[[File:Bruins at Devils on Apr 2 2008 (85).jpeg|thumb|[[New Jersey Devils]] goaltender [[Martin Brodeur]] (top left) positions himself along the net during a 2008 game against the [[Boston Bruins]]. Brodeur's exploits led the NHL in 2005 to delineate the trapezoidal area behind the net to limit where the goaltender can legally play the puck behind the goal line.]]
The league has regularly modified its rules to counter perceived imperfections in the game. The penalty shot was adopted from the [[Pacific Coast Hockey Association]] to ensure players were not being blocked from opportunities to score. For the 2005–06 season, the league changed some of the rules regarding being offside. First, the league removed the "offside pass" or "two-line pass" rule, which required a stoppage in play if a pass originating from inside a team's [[Ice hockey rink#Zones|defending zone]] was completed on the offensive side of the centre line, unless the puck crossed the line before the player.<ref name="newoffside">{{Cite news|title=Relaunching the Game |author=CBC Sports |publisher=[[CBC.ca]] |date=July 22, 2005 |access-date=June 10, 2006 |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/rule_changes.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060516050646/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/indepth/cba/features/rule_changes.html |archive-date=May 16, 2006 }}</ref> Furthermore, the league reinstated the "tag-up offside" which allows an attacking player a chance to get back onside by returning to the neutral zone.<ref name="newoffside" /> The changes to the offside rule were among several rule changes intended to increase overall scoring,<ref name="newoffside" /> which had been in decline since the expansion years of the mid-nineties and the increased prevalence of the [[neutral zone trap]]. Since 2005, when a team is guilty of [[Icing (ice hockey)|icing the puck]] they are not allowed to make a line change or skater substitution of any sort before the following [[face-off]] (except to replace an injured player or re-install a [[extra attacker|pulled goaltender]]).<ref name="icing">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule81.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514155000/http://www.nhl.com/rules/rule81.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 14, 2013 |title=Icing |website=National Hockey League |access-date=March 1, 2013 |year=2005 }}</ref> Since 2013, the league has used ''hybrid icing'', where a [[Official (ice hockey)#Linesman|linesman]] stops play due to icing if a defending player (other than the goaltender) crosses the imaginary line that connects the two face-off dots in their defensive zone before an attacking player is able to. This was done to counter a trend of player injury in races to the puck.<ref name="icing" />
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|-
|scope="row"| [[Carolina Hurricanes]]
| 1
|-
|scope="row"| [[Florida Panthers]]
| 1
|-
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==International competitions==
===Club participation===
{{main|List of international games played by NHL teams}}▼
{{
[[File:Challenge Cup 1979.jpg|thumb|upright|Challenge Cup Trophy for the [[1979 Challenge Cup (ice hockey)|1979 Challenge Cup series]] between NHL All Stars and the [[Soviet Union national ice hockey team|Soviet national team]]]]
In addition to the Russian clubs, NHL clubs had participated in several international club exhibitions and competitions with various European-based clubs. The first exhibition game to feature an NHL team against a European-based team (aside from clubs based in the former Soviet Union) was in December 1977, when the New York Rangers faced [[HC Kladno|Poldi Kladno]] of the [[Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League]]. In the 2000s, the NHL organized four [[NHL Challenge]] series between NHL and European clubs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webarchive.iihf.com/fi/channels0809/victoria-cup/records/index.html|title=Records NHL vs. Europe|publisher=International Ice Hockey Federation|date=October 2, 2008|access-date=March 4, 2022|website=webarchive.iihf.com|archive-date=March 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304215545/http://webarchive.iihf.com/fi/channels0809/victoria-cup/records/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The NHL continued to organize exhibition games between NHL and European teams before the beginning of the NHL season; those games were known as the NHL Premiere from 2007 to 2011 and as the NHL Global Series since 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/2022-nhl-global-series-teams-announced/c-333214498|title=Predators-Sharks, Avalanche-Blue Jackets to play in NHL Global Series|date=21 April 2022|access-date=24 August 2022|publisher=NHL Enterprises|website=www.nhl.com|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421211425/https://www.nhl.com/news/2022-nhl-global-series-teams-announced/c-333214498|url-status=live}}</ref> The last
NHL clubs have also participated in IIHF-organized club tournaments. The most recent IIHF-organized event including an NHL club was the [[2009 Victoria Cup]], between the Swiss [[National League A]]'s [[ZSC Lions]] and the Chicago Blackhawks.
===Pemittance of NHL players in international competitions===
▲In addition to the Russian clubs, NHL clubs had participated in several international club exhibitions and competitions with various European-based clubs. The first exhibition game to feature an NHL team against a European-based team (aside from clubs based in the former Soviet Union) was in December 1977, when the New York Rangers faced [[HC Kladno|Poldi Kladno]] of the [[Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League]]. In the 2000s, the NHL organized four [[NHL Challenge]] series between NHL and European clubs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://webarchive.iihf.com/fi/channels0809/victoria-cup/records/index.html|title=Records NHL vs. Europe|publisher=International Ice Hockey Federation|date=October 2, 2008|access-date=March 4, 2022|website=webarchive.iihf.com|archive-date=March 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304215545/http://webarchive.iihf.com/fi/channels0809/victoria-cup/records/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The NHL continued to organize exhibition games between NHL and European teams before the beginning of the NHL season; those games were known as the NHL Premiere from 2007 to 2011 and as the NHL Global Series since 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/2022-nhl-global-series-teams-announced/c-333214498|title=Predators-Sharks, Avalanche-Blue Jackets to play in NHL Global Series|date=21 April 2022|access-date=24 August 2022|publisher=NHL Enterprises|website=www.nhl.com|archive-date=April 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220421211425/https://www.nhl.com/news/2022-nhl-global-series-teams-announced/c-333214498|url-status=live}}</ref> The last NHL exhibition game involving a European club occurred during the [[List of international games played by NHL teams#2022 NHL Global Series|2022 NHL Global Series]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-global-series-returning-next-season-games-in-finland-czech-republic-switzerland-germany/c-330511310|title=NHL Global Series returning next season in Europe|website=NHL.com|date=February 4, 2022|access-date=March 4, 2022|last=Rosen|first=Dan|archive-date=February 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221094029/https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-global-series-returning-next-season-games-in-finland-czech-republic-switzerland-germany/c-330511310|url-status=live}}</ref> NHL clubs have also participated in IIHF-organized club tournaments. The most recent IIHF-organized event including an NHL club was the [[2009 Victoria Cup]], between the Swiss [[National League A]]'s [[ZSC Lions]] and the Chicago Blackhawks.
▲{{
The NHL has also permitted its players to participate in international competitions among [[List of national ice hockey teams|national teams]]. The annual [[Ice Hockey World Championships]] is held every May, at the same time as the Stanley Cup playoffs. Because of its timing, NHL players generally only join their respective country's team in the World Championships if their respective NHL team has been eliminated from Stanley Cup contention.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thehockeynews.com/news/with-fewer-nhl-stars-world-championship-has-been-full-of-upsets|title=With fewer NHL stars, World Championships has been full of upsets|last=Ellis|first=Steven|date=May 24, 2021|access-date=March 4, 2021|website=thehockeynews.com|publisher=Roustan Media|archive-date=March 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304215544/https://thehockeynews.com/news/with-fewer-nhl-stars-world-championship-has-been-full-of-upsets|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2007, the [[International Ice Hockey Federation]] (IIHF) formalized the "[[Triple Gold Club]]", the group of players and coaches who have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal and the Stanley Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Winner of three-team tourney to get Victoria Cup|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2863711|date=May 8, 2007|access-date=February 9, 2009|publisher=[[ESPN]]|agency=Associated Press|archive-date=February 18, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218160509/http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2863711|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="expands">{{cite web|title=Triple Gold Club expands to 22 |url=http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/article/triple-gold-club-expands-to-22/ |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |date=June 5, 2008 |access-date=February 8, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218074948/http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/article/triple-gold-club-expands-to-22/ |archive-date=February 18, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=PR & Media Activities|url=http://www.iihf.com/100-years/100-years-of-ice-hockey/pr-media-activities.html|website=International Ice Hockey Federation|access-date=February 8, 2009|archive-date=July 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717012859/http://www.iihf.com/100-years/100-years-of-ice-hockey/pr-media-activities.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The term had first entered popular use following the [[2002 Winter Olympics]], which saw the addition of the first Canadian members.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Welcome to the Triple Gold Club: Blake, Sakic, Shanahan: New members to elite club: Olympics, worlds, Stanley Cup|work=[[National Post]]|author=Barnes, Don|date=February 25, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Triple Gold Club awaits Canadian trio|author=Scanlan, Wayne|work=[[Edmonton Journal]]|date=February 24, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Skating a fine line|url=http://slam.canoe.ca/2002GamesColumnistsPreGames/buffery_dec26-sun.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718071422/http://slam.canoe.ca/2002GamesColumnistsPreGames/buffery_dec26-sun.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 18, 2012|last=Buffery|first=Steve|newspaper=[[Toronto Sun]]|date=December 26, 2001|access-date=February 9, 2009}}</ref>
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The NHL estimates that half of its fan base roots for teams in outside markets. So, beginning in 2008, the NHL started to shift toward using digital technology to market to fans to capitalize on this.
The debut of the [[NHL Winter Classic|Winter Classic]], an outdoor regular season NHL game held on [[New Year's Day]] in [[2008 NHL Winter Classic|2008]], was a significant success for the league. The game has since become an annual staple of the NHL schedule. Coverage of "Hockey Day in America," later rebranded as [[Hockey Weekend Across America]] with TNT, allowed for multiple games to be broadcast in the United States on the national rights holder.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=552854|title=NBC Sports to air nine hours of NHL coverage this Sunday with "Hockey Day in America" on NBC & "Heritage Classic" on Versus|publisher=NHL Enterprises, L. P.|date=February 15, 2011|website=NHL.com|accessdate=June 1, 2024|archive-date=June 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240601203412/https://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=552854|url-status=live}}</ref> These improvements led NBC and the cable channel [[Versus (TV channel)|Versus]] to sign a 10-year broadcast deal, paying US$200 million per year for both American cable and broadcast rights; the deal will lead to further increases in television coverage on the NBC channels.
This television contract has boosted viewership metrics for the NHL. The [[2010 Stanley Cup playoffs]] saw the largest audience in the sport's history "after a regular season that saw record-breaking business success, propelled largely by the NHL's strategy of engaging fans through big events and robust digital offerings."<ref>"[http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=531630 Stanley Cup Playoffs attract largest audience ever] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203164219/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=531630 |date=December 3, 2010 }}", "NHL.com", June 14, 2010</ref> This success has resulted in a 66 percent rise in NHL advertising and sponsorship revenue. Merchandise sales were up 22 percent, and the number of unique visitors on the NHL.com website was up 17 percent during the playoffs after rising 29 percent in the regular season.<ref>Klayman, Ben. "[http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/14062010/6/finance-interview-nhl-ad-sponsorship-revenue-66-pct-year.html NHL ad, sponsorship revenue up 66 pct this year]", "Yahoo! News", June 14, 2010 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100619232943/http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/14062010/6/finance-interview-nhl-ad-sponsorship-revenue-66-pct-year.html |date=June 19, 2010 }}</ref>
==See also==
{{portal|Ice hockey|Canada|United States}}
* [[List of NHL records (individual)]]
* [[List of NHL records (team)]]
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