What is the NHL?
The National Hockey League is the professional summit of world hockey — 32 teams across the United States and Canada, founded in Montreal in 1917, playing an 82-game season toward the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Carolina Hurricanes are the 2026 champions, beating Vegas in six games for their second title, captain Jordan Staal the Conn Smythe winner.[1] [2]
| Season | Pool / Format | Host cities |
|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | Carolina Hurricanes | Final: 4–2 vs Vegas Golden Knights — Staal Conn Smythe |
| 2024–25 | Florida Panthers | Final: 4–2 vs Edmonton Oilers — back-to-back |
| 2023–24 | Florida Panthers | Final: 4–3 vs Edmonton Oilers — first title |
| 2022–23 | Vegas Golden Knights | Final: 4–1 vs Florida Panthers |
| 2021–22 | Colorado Avalanche | Final: 4–2 vs Tampa Bay Lightning |
| 2020–21 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Final: 4–1 vs Montreal Canadiens — back-to-back |
| 2019–20 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Final: 4–2 vs Dallas Stars (Edmonton bubble) |
| 2018–19 | St. Louis Blues | Final: 4–3 vs Boston Bruins — first title |
| 2017–18 | Washington Capitals | Final: 4–1 vs Vegas Golden Knights — first title |
| 2016–17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Final: 4–2 vs Nashville Predators — back-to-back |
Stanley Cup champions of the last ten seasons.
How does the NHL work?
A hard salary cap, an entry draft from junior, college and Europe, and a 16-team playoff of best-of-seven rounds — the sport's toughest tournament — for the Stanley Cup, first awarded in 1893 and the oldest trophy in North American professional sport. The league returned its players to the Olympics in 2026 and runs the 4 Nations Face-Off between Games.[2] [3]
Why does the NHL matter?
It is the destination league of hockey worldwide — an NHL contract or draft selection is the sport's defining professional credential, and the Cup's engraved names are its history. Montreal's 24 titles lead all franchises.[2] [4]
References
- NHL — Carolina Hurricanes win 2026 Stanley Cup Final. Accessed August 2026.
- NHL — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- NHL — NHL players on rosters for 2026 Winter Olympics. Accessed August 2026.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — National Hockey League. Accessed August 2026.