History

= = Hockey History: toc A game played on ice with a curved bat and a ball existed before Ice Hockey was created in the form of IJScolf, or Colf on ice, which popular in the Low Countries between the Middle Ages and the Dutch Golden Age. The game was played with a wooden curved bat (called Colf or Kolf) and a ball made of wood or leather between two poles or simply convenient nearby landmarks, with the object hitting the chosen point with the least number of strokes. However, most believe that ice hockey evolved from outdoor stick-and-ball games adapted to the icy conditions of Canada in the 19th century. The games of British soldiers and immigrants to Canada, influenced by stick-and-ball games of First Nations, evolved to become a game played on ice skates, often played with a puck, and played with sticks made by the Mi'kmaq of Nova Scotia. The name of hockey itself has no clear origin, though the first known mention of the word 'hockey' in English dates to 1363.

=About the NHL:=

A series of disputes in the National Hockey Association (NHA) with Toronto Blueshirts owner Eddie Livingstone led the other owners, representing the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers,Ottawa Senators, and the Quebec Bulldogs to meet at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal to talk about the NHA's future. Realizing the league constitution left them unable to force Livingstone out, the four teams voted instead to suspend the NHA, and on November 26, 1917, formed the National Hockey League. At this time, there were only six teams in the league. They are referred to as the "Original Six" which includes: Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The National Hockey League presents a number of trophies each year. The most prestigious team award is the Stanley Cup, which is awarded to the league champion at the end of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team that has the most points in the regular season is awarded the Presidents' Trophy. There are also numerous trophies that are awarded to players based on their statistics during the regular season; they include, among others, the Art Ross Trophy or the league scoring champion (goals and assists), the Maurice "Rocket Richard" Trophy for the goal-scoring leader, and the William M. Jennings tro phy for the goalkeeper(s) for the team with the fewest goals against them. = =

= = =The Original Six:= [|Leafs] || Toronto, Ontario |||| 1917 || Current Status: Now, in 2012, the NHL consists of 30 teams located all across Canada and the United States.
 * ~ Team ||~ City ||~ Founded ||~ Joined the NHL ||
 * [|Boston Bruins] || Boston, Massachusetts |||| 1924 ||
 * [|Chicago Blackhawks] || Chicago, Illinois |||| 1926 ||
 * [|Detroit Red Wings] || Detroit, Michigan |||| 1926 ||
 * [|Montreal Canadiens] || Montreal, Quebec || 1909 ||  ||
 * [|New York Rangers] || New York City, New York |||| 1926 ||
 * [|Toronto Maple]

= = =Championship Titles:=
 * ~ Team ||~ Titles ||
 * [|Montreal Canadiens] || 24* ||
 * [|Toronto Maple Leafs] || 13 ||
 * [|Detroit Red Wings] || 11 ||
 * [|Boston Bruins] || 6 ||
 * [|Edmonton Oilers] || 5 ||
 * [|Chicago Blackhawks] || 4 ||
 * [|New York Islanders] || 4 ||
 * [|New York Rangers] || 4 ||
 * [|New Jersey Devils] || 3 ||
 * [|Pittsburgh Penguins] || 3 ||
 * [|Colorado Avalanche] || 2 ||
 * [|Philadelphia Flyers] || 2 ||
 * [|Anaheim Ducks] || 1 ||
 * [|Calgary Flames] || 1 ||
 * [|Carolina Hurricanes] || 1 ||
 * [|Dallas Stars] || 1 ||
 * [|Tampa Bay Lightning] || 1 ||

Sources:
 * [|Ice hockey]
 * [|Toronto Maple Leafs]