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NHL

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a winter pro ice hockey league, founded on November 26, 1917 in Montreal, Canada. The league once consisted of only six teams in the US and Canada, with the original six teams being the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers. Although there have been several expansions over the years, the original six teams remain in the league. Today, the NHL consists of 31 teams, including 24 in the US and seven in Canada, and is considered to be one of the premier professional ice hockey leagues in the world. The NHL season consists of 162 games per regular season, where teams battle to get the coveted Stanley Cup and represent their country in the playoffs. The playoffs begin after the regular season ends and feature 16 teams competing for the Stanley Cup. During playoffs, the format is a best-of-seven series for each playoffs round. The most popular players in the current season include struggling Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs; big name Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues; Russian Magician Evgeni Malkin from the Pittsburgh Penguins; Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers; and multi-talented Patrice Bergeron from the Boston Bruins. The NHL has several prestigious awards each season, including Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player displaying excellence each season; the Calder Memorial Trophy, given to the top rookie player; the Ted Lindsay Award, chosen by the players themselves to recognize the best player each year; and the James Norris Memorial Trophy, given to the top defenseman in the league. Hockey's history with the NHL dates back to the early 1900s, and its history is present to this day in the form of records and statistics. Some of the most iconic records in hockey against teams include the Detroit Red Wings with most consecutive seasons with at least one player scoring 90 points; the Montreal Canadiens with the most Stanley Cup Championships (24); and the Toronto Maple Leafs with the most consecutive playoff appearances (29). During the 2020-2021 season, Edmonton Oilers superstar, Connor McDavid, broke a long-standing NHL record of Hart Trophy winners scoring more than 120 points with his 126 points. With its rich history and current figures in the ice hockey arena, the NHL continues to be a beloved worldwide professional league and brings entertainment to its viewers across the world.