In this article, we delve into the NHL’s ever-evolving lineup, shedding light on the league’s current roster of teams.
How many NHL teams are there?
There are currently 32 teams in the NHL.
The most recent addition to the league is the Seattle Kraken who joined in 2021.
Read below to see the full list of 32 teams.
There Are 32 NHL Teams
| Team Name | Joined |
|---|---|
| Seattle Kraken | 2021 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 2017 |
| Arizona Coyotes | 2014 |
| Anaheim Ducks | 2006 |
| Minnesota Wild | 2000 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 2000 |
| Nashville Predators | 1998 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 1997 |
| Colorado Avalanche | 1995 |
| Florida Panthers | 1993 |
| Dallas Stars | 1993 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 1992 |
| San Jose Sharks | 1991 |
| New Jersey Devils | 1982 |
| Calgary Flames | 1980 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 1979 |
| Edmonton Oilers | 1979 |
| Washington Capitals | 1974 |
| New York Islanders | 1972 |
| Buffalo Sabres | 1970 |
| Vancouver Canucks | 1970 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 1967 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 1967 |
| St. Louis Blues | 1967 |
| Los Angeles Kings | 1967 |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1932 |
| New York Rangers | 1926 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 1926 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 1926 |
| Boston Bruins | 1924 |
| Ottawa Senators | 1917 |
| Montreal Canadiens | 1917 |
The NHL Is Growing
The NHL has been growing ever since the 1967 expansion, the largest expansion in NHL history.
There were 6 teams added to the NHL in 1967, effectively doubling the size of the league from six teams to twelve.
The teams added in 1967 were:
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Los Angeles Kings
- Philadelphia Flyers
- St. Louis Blues
- Oakland Seals
- Minnesota North Stars
The NHL has only shrunk once following the 1967 Expansion with the merging of the Clevland Barons and Minnesota North Stars in 1978, to form the Dallas Stars – this brought the league down from eighteen teams to seventeen.
However, the league quickly rebounded with four teams being added in 1979:
- Edmonton Oilers
- Winnipeg Jets
- Quebec Nordiques
- Hartford Whalers
The most recent teams to be added to the NHL are the Seattle Kraken and the Vegas Golden Knights, who joined the league in 2021 and 2017 respectively.
The Knights have already found immense success, winning the Stanley Cup in just their sixth NHL season.
In fact, the Knights are the only team in the NHL to never have a losing season, maintaining a win-loss ratio greater than one (more wins than losses) for the entirety of their NHL season history.
25 NHL Teams Have Gone Extinct
| Team Name | Folded |
|---|---|
| Phoenix Coyotes | 2014 |
| Atlanta Thrashers | 2011 |
| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | 2006 |
| Hartford Whalers | 1997 |
| Quebec Nordiques | 1995 |
| Minnesota North Stars | 1993 |
| Colorado Rockies | 1982 |
| Atlanta Flames | 1980 |
| Cleveland Barons | 1978 |
| Kansas City Scouts | 1976 |
| California Golden Seals | 1976 |
| Oakland Seals | 1970 |
| Brooklyn Americans | 1942 |
| New York Americans | 1941 |
| Montreal Maroons | 1938 |
| St. Louis Eagles | 1935 |
| Detroit Falcons | 1932 |
| Philadelphia Quakers | 1931 |
| Detroit Cougars | 1930 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 1930 |
| Toronto St. Patricks | 1926 |
| Hamilton Tigers | 1925 |
| Quebec Athletic Club/Bulldogs | 1920 |
| Toronto Arenas | 1919 |
| Montreal Wanderers | 1918 |
There have been 25 teams that have gone extinct in NHL history.
Many different circumstances lead to an NHL team folding, and it’s usually not as simple as a team deciding to “disband.” Instead, teams are usually transferred from one owner to another and rebranded.
For example, the Toronto Arenas (1917) were a team that was sold to new owners to become the Toronto St. Patricks (1919), who were later sold again, to become the Toronto Maple Leafs (1926).
Similarly, the Oakland Seals (1967) became the California Golden Seals (1970), who became the Clevland Barons (1976), who merged with the Minnesota North Stars in 1993 to become the Dallas Stars.
So these teams didn’t so much “fold” as they were simply transferred and rebranded.
However, other teams such as the Montreal Wanderers and New York Americans were not so lucky and did, in fact, meet abrupt ends.
The Montreal Wanderers (1917) folded after their home arena was burned down in a fire.
The New York Americans (1941) suspended operations in 1945 due to financial struggles and the outbreak of WW2, only to never return to operations.
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