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NHL Facts: 55 Interesting Facts About NHL Teams

Can’t get enough of hockey? Well, neither can we. Every team in the NHL has a fascinating history and fun facts — and this article covers 3 NHL facts for each team, so you can impress your friends and double down on your love for the NHL!

By the way, if you need to generate random NHL teams fast you can also do that on CalculatorWise! Furthermore, if you need a list of NHL Teams in Alphabetical Order in Copy Paste format, go here.

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Interesting NHL Facts about Teams in the Eastern Conference

Boston Bruins

  • The Bruins are the oldest team in the United States and third oldest in the NHL.
  • They have won six Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 2011.
  • Bruins’ legend Bobby Orr scored the famous “flying goal” to win the Stanley Cup in 1970.

Buffalo Sabres

  • The Sabres have never won the Stanley Cup.
  • They were the first NHL team to introduce a third jersey.
  • The team’s mascot, Sabretooth, was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2007.

Carolina Hurricanes

  • The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006, their first and only championship.
  • Their team name is inspired by the hurricanes that frequently hit the North Carolina coast.
  • The team’s pregame tradition is for a group of fans to bang on the glass during player introductions, known as the “Storm Surge.”

Columbus Blue Jackets

  • The Blue Jackets have never won a playoff series.
  • The team’s name is inspired by the Ohio Civil War soldiers who wore blue jackets.
  • Fans throw “Marching Sticks” onto the ice after the Blue Jackets’ first goal of the game.

Detroit Red Wings

  • The Red Wings have won 11 Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 2008.
  • They have the longest playoff streak in North American professional sports, qualifying for the playoffs 25 consecutive seasons from 1991 to 2016.
  • The octopus toss, where fans throw octopuses onto the ice during playoff games, is a famous Red Wings tradition.
guy playing hockey with a net and a sunset

Florida Panthers

  • The Panthers have never won the Stanley Cup.
  • The team’s original owners included singer Gloria Estefan and her husband Emilio Estefan.
  • In 2019, the Panthers hired Joel Quenneville as their head coach, who had won three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Montreal Canadiens

  • The Canadiens are the most successful team in NHL history, winning 24 Stanley Cup championships.
  • They are the only team in NHL history to have won five consecutive championships, from 1956 to 1960.
  • The team’s jersey features the iconic “CH” logo, which stands for “Club de hockey Canadien.”

New Jersey Devils

  • The Devils have won three Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 2003.
  • The team’s name was inspired by a legend about a creature known as the Jersey Devil.
  • Former Devil Martin Brodeur holds many NHL goaltending records, including most career wins and most career shutouts.

New York Islanders

  • The Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from 1980 to 1983.
  • They have been playing their home games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn since 2015, but are expected to return to Nassau Coliseum in 2021.
  • Islanders greats include Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, and Denis Potvin.

New York Rangers

  • The Rangers have won four Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 1994.
  • They were the first NHL team to win the Stanley Cup in the United States, in 1928.
  • The Rangers’ famous “Goal! Goal! Goal!” call was made by Hall of Fame broadcaster Marv Albert during Game 7 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.

Ottawa Senators

  • The Senators have never won the Stanley Cup.
  • The team’s name is a tribute to the original Ottawa Senators, which won multiple Stanley Cup championships in the early 1900s.
  • The Senators’ alternate jersey features a throwback design to the original team’s jerseys.

Philadelphia Flyers

  • The Flyers have won two Stanley Cup championships, in 1974 and 1975.
  • They are known for their rough and tough playing style, earning the nickname the “Broad Street Bullies.”
  • The team’s mascot, Gritty, quickly became a viral sensation after his debut in 2018.
NHL pin

Pittsburgh Penguins

  • The Penguins have won five Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 2017.
  • They are the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998.
  • Penguins legend Mario Lemieux is considered one of the greatest players of all time, and is now the team’s co-owner.

Tampa Bay Lightning

  • The Lightning have won two Stanley Cup championships, in 2004 and 2020.
  • They have had several high-scoring seasons, with forward Steven Stamkos being a key contributor.
  • The team’s pregame ritual involves a player slamming a sledgehammer onto the ice, representing the team’s “thunderous” mentality.

Toronto Maple Leafs

  • The Maple Leafs have won 13 Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 1967.
  • They are the highest-valued NHL franchise, according to Forbes.
  • The team’s rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens is one of the most intense in the NHL.
toronto maple leafs logo on a shirt

Washington Capitals

  • The Capitals won their first Stanley Cup championship in 2018, led by superstar Alex Ovechkin.
  • They are known for their high-scoring offense, with Ovechkin being one of the greatest goal-scorers of all time.
  • The team’s pregame ritual involves players skating out onto the ice through a cloud of smoke.

Great NHL Facts about Teams in the Western Conference

Anaheim Ducks

  • The Ducks won their first Stanley Cup championship in 2007, led by Conn Smythe Trophy winner Scott Niedermayer.
  • They were originally known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, named after the Disney movie franchise.
  • The team’s alternate jersey features the iconic “D” logo from the Mighty Ducks movies.

Arizona Coyotes

  • The Coyotes have never won the Stanley Cup.
  • They were previously known as the Winnipeg Jets before relocating to Arizona in 1996.
  • The team’s alternate jersey features a desert-inspired design.

Calgary Flames

  • The Flames won their only Stanley Cup championship in 1989, led by Conn Smythe Trophy winner Al MacInnis.
  • They were originally based in Atlanta before relocating to Calgary in 1980.
  • The team’s former mascot, Harvey the Hound, famously had his tongue ripped out by Edmonton Oilers’ coach Craig MacTavish during a game in 2003.

Chicago Blackhawks

  • The Blackhawks have won six Stanley Cup championships, most recently in 2015.
  • They are known for their historic players, including Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Tony Esposito.
  • The team’s Indian head logo has been a topic of controversy, with some calling for it to be changed due to its potential cultural insensitivity.

Colorado Avalanche

  • The Avalanche have won two Stanley Cup championships, in 1996 and 2001.
  • They were previously known as the Quebec Nordiques before relocating to Colorado in 1995.
  • The team’s pregame ritual involves a player throwing a stuffed animal onto the ice, which is then donated to charity.

Dallas Stars

  • The Stars won their only Stanley Cup championship in 1999, led by Conn Smythe Trophy winner Joe Nieuwendyk.
  • They were previously known as the Minnesota North Stars before relocating to Dallas in 1993.
  • The team’s mascot, Victor E. Green, is an alien from the planet “Hockey.”

Edmonton Oilers

  • The Oilers have won five Stanley Cup championships, led by the legendary Wayne Gretzky.
  • They are known for their high-scoring offense, with Gretzky holding numerous NHL records.
  • The team’s mascot, Hunter the Canadian Lynx, is named after former Oilers player and coach Glen Sather.

Los Angeles Kings

  • The Kings have won two Stanley Cup championships, in 2012 and 2014.
  • They are known for their iconic “Forum Blue and Gold” color scheme.
  • The team’s pregame ritual involves a celebrity or athlete slamming a replica of a medieval Kings’ shield with a sword.

Minnesota Wild

  • The Wild have never won the Stanley Cup.
  • They were added to the NHL as an expansion team in 2000.
  • The team’s logo features a stylized depiction of a wild animal, combining a bear, a wolf, and a moose.

Nashville Predators

  • The Predators have never won the Stanley Cup.
  • They are known for their passionate fan base, who have become known for their “smash car” ritual.
  • The team’s mascot, Gnash, is a saber-toothed tiger.

San Jose Sharks

  • The Sharks have never won the Stanley Cup.
  • They are known for their unique logo, which features a shark biting through a hockey stick.
  • The team’s pregame ritual involves a giant shark head being lowered onto the ice as the players skate out.

St. Louis Blues

  • The Blues won their first Stanley Cup championship in 2019, after 51 seasons in the NHL.
  • They are known for their passionate fan base, who have been waiting for a championship for decades.
  • The team’s mascot, Louie the Bear, was named after legendary player Louie DeBrusk.

Vancouver Canucks

  • The Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup.
  • They are known for their unique jersey designs, including the “Flying V” jersey and the “Skate” logo.
  • The team’s pregame ritual involves a video of a killer whale, paying homage to the indigenous culture of the region.

Vegas Golden Knights

  • The Golden Knights have never won the Stanley Cup, but made it to the finals in their first season in 2018.
  • They are the first major professional sports team in Las Vegas.
  • The team’s pregame show features a medieval-themed performance, complete with knights jousting on ice.

In Conclusion

The NHL is non-stop entertainment and competition at the highest level, and now you can bring your love for the game to another level with these fun facts. By the way if you’re doing a hockey draft or fantasy league anytime soon, use our Random NHL Team Generator!

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