The National Hockey League is born and immediately faces challenges that threaten its survival
The NHL achieves stability with six franchises in the U.S. and Canada that exist to this day
The NHL doubles in size overnight, fueling an era of explosive growth
An influx of international talent makes the NHL into a truly global league
In 2017, the National Hockey League commemorated its 100th anniversary with a list of the 100 Greatest NHL Players. The list was made through voting compiled by a panel of 58 people, including media members, NHL alumni and NHL executives. The list is in alphabetical order rather than ranked.
Scotty Bowman coaches a veteran roster consisting of nine players bound for the Hall of Fame to a five-game Cup Final win against the Carolina Hurricanes and the Red Wings' third Stanley Cup title in six years
The torch is passed as the Presidents' Trophy-winning Oilers defeat the Islanders in five games for their first Stanley Cup title, ending a dynasty that won four straight championships and 19 consecutive series
Powered by nine future Hall of Famers, the Canadiens sweep the Maple Leafs before beating the Bruins in the Final for the second consecutive year to win the third of four straight championships
Goalie Billy Smith allows six goals, none to Wayne Gretzky, and the Islanders sweep the surging Oilers to secure the dynasty's fourth straight championship
Chris Osgood and a team laden with future Hall of Famers cap a challenging season dedicated to injured Vladimir Konstantinov by sweeping the Flyers to win back-to-back championships
Oilers win Presidents' Trophy for a second straight year with three of the four top-scoring players in the League before beating the Philadelphia Flyers in seven games for their third championship in four seasons
Despite Game 4 of the Cup Final in the Boston Garden suspended due to fog, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and company lose just two playoff games, rolling to their fourth Cup title in five years
Captain Serge Savard's team loses a combined 10 regular-season and postseason games, highlighted by Ken Dryden's 14 shutouts, and sweeps the Boston Bruins for the second of four straight titles
From young star Jaromir Jagr to cagey veteran Bryan Trottier, the talent-packed Penguins repeat as champions, adorned with back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies for captain Mario Lemieux
Wayne Gretzky caps a 208-point regular season by setting playoff records for assists and points as the Oilers take a second straight championship in their third consecutive trip to the Final
Preview the upcoming historical documentary, The NHL: 100 years, produced by Emmy Award-winner Ross Greenburg and narrated by Jon Hamm