There are 32 teams in the NHL in the 2026-27 season: 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. They are split into two conferences of 16 and four divisions of 8: the Atlantic and Metropolitan in the East, the Central and Pacific in the West.
The NHL has grown from four teams in 1917 to 32 today. Here is every team, how the league is organized, and which clubs play in Canada. Each team name links to its page on Tonight.hockey, with tonight's game, TV channel and playoff odds.
How many NHL teams are there?
There are 32 NHL teams in 2026-27. Every one of them plays 84 regular-season games, and 16 make the playoffs.
The league is organized into:
- Two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, 16 teams each.
- Four divisions: the Atlantic and Metropolitan (East), and the Central and Pacific (West), 8 teams each.
Canadian clubs are marked CAN. Tap a team for tonight's game, TV channel and playoff odds.
What are the Canadian NHL teams?
There are 7 NHL teams in Canada: the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montréal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets.
Three of them, Montréal, Ottawa and Toronto, play in the Atlantic Division. Winnipeg plays in the Central, and Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver play in the Pacific. The other 25 teams are in the United States.
The last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup was the Montréal Canadiens, in 1993. See Stanley Cup history for the champions.
How many teams are in each NHL division?
Each division has 8 teams. Teams play their division rivals most often: 4 times each this season, compared with 3 games against the other teams in their conference and 2 against each team in the other conference. Division standings also decide most playoff spots, because the top three in each division qualify automatically. See how NHL standings work.
Which are the newest NHL teams?
The most recent additions:
| Team | First NHL season | How it joined |
|---|---|---|
| Utah Mammoth | 2024-25 | Formed when the Arizona Coyotes' hockey operations moved to Salt Lake City. Played its first season as the Utah Hockey Club. |
| Seattle Kraken | 2021-22 | Expansion team |
| Vegas Golden Knights | 2017-18 | Expansion team; reached the Stanley Cup Final in its first season and won the Cup in 2023 |
Before those, the NHL expanded between 1991 and 2000, adding San Jose, Ottawa, Tampa Bay, Anaheim, Florida, Nashville, Atlanta (later moved to Winnipeg), Columbus and Minnesota.
What were the Original Six?
From 1942 to 1967 the NHL had just six teams: the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montréal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. They are known as the Original Six, even though they were not the league's founding members. All six still play today, and games between them carry extra history. In 1967 the league doubled to 12 teams, the start of the expansion era. Our history of hockey guide covers the full story.
How many teams make the NHL playoffs?
Sixteen of the 32: the top three in each division plus two wild cards per conference. Read how the NHL playoffs work.
How many teams are left in the NHL playoffs?
That depends on the date. The playoffs start in April with 16 teams and halve after every round: 8 teams in the second round, 4 in the conference finals, and 2 in the Stanley Cup Final. During the regular season, the playoff picture shows which teams are currently in position and each team's odds of getting there.
Which cities have more than one NHL team?
The New York area has three: the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, the New York Islanders on Long Island and the New Jersey Devils in Newark. California also has three, the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks, and Florida has two, the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. In Canada, Alberta has the Battle of Alberta between Calgary and Edmonton, and Ontario has Ottawa and Toronto. Those in-state and cross-town matchups are some of the loudest games on the schedule.
Which teams are the most popular?
There is no official answer, but the traditional powers, especially the Original Six and the Canadian clubs, have huge national followings. Pick your team below to get its game time, channel and odds every night.
Frequently asked questions
- How many NHL teams are there?
- There are 32 NHL teams in the 2026-27 season, 25 in the United States and 7 in Canada.
- How many Canadian teams are in the NHL?
- 7: the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Montréal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets.
- What are the four NHL divisions?
- The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions make up the Eastern Conference, and the Central and Pacific divisions make up the Western Conference. Each division has 8 teams.
- What is the newest NHL team?
- The Utah Mammoth, who joined in 2024-25 as the Utah Hockey Club after the Arizona Coyotes' hockey operations moved to Salt Lake City. The newest expansion team is the Seattle Kraken, who began play in 2021-22.
- What are the Original Six NHL teams?
- The Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montréal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs, the six teams that made up the NHL from 1942 to 1967.
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