Hockey is an extremely popular sport around the world, especially in Canada and the United States. It is a game that combines elements of ice hockey, soccer, and rugby. The National Hockey League (NHL) alone boasts of over a thousand registered players per season. While the game itself is not that old, the origins of how we play hockey today can be traced back to the 1800’s.
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Early Days
The modern game of hockey actually started back in the 1800’s, when a few Canadian professional hockey teams established themselves as the best in the world. The sport wasn’t popularized in Canada until the 1880’s, when several independent professional teams joined together to form the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). Several rival teams were established in response to this formation, which eventually led to the creation of the NHL in 1917.
The first professional hockey game was played on December 31, 1885, and was contested between the Montreal Shamrocks and the Toronto Hockey Club. The Shamrocks were winning the game 7-4 until a blizzard interrupted the action, allowing the Toronto hockey club to fight their way to a 9-7 victory.
The Great One
While the early days of the game were contested between teams in Canada, it wasn’t until World War I that hockey became a popular sport internationally. In 1916, the first World Hockey Championship was held in Stockholm, Sweden. While Canada and the United States dominated the early part of the 20th century, the popularity of the sport grew rapidly in Europe. Today, hockey is a popular sport in Europe, Asia, and in certain parts of North America.
One Country, Two Leagues
Hockey isn’t just played in Canada and the United States, but is also popular in Europe. Two of the most popular hockey leagues are the NHL (National Hockey League) and the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Most of the players in the NHL are American and Canadian, while most of the players in the SHL are from Sweden and Finland. Other popular hockey leagues include the Russian Professional Hockey League and the Czech Extraliga.
Rugby Progeny
Hockey is related to and was initially inspired by rugby. There are several subtle differences between the two sports, including size and speed of the athletes, and the playing field. Like hockey, rugby has been a popular sport in Europe for many years. Like hockey, rugby was initially dominated by British and Irish expatriates, and was played on frozen lakes. As the game evolved in the 20th century, rugby became faster and more sophisticated, eventually leading to the development of today’s rugby union.
In 1883, a Scottish doctor named Andrew Carnegie commissioned a study on the pros and cons of hockey vs. rugby. According to his research, hockey was far more popular in the North, and was appealing to the working classes. Rugby was initially more suitable for the leisure classes. Because of this, Carnegie suggested that a form of rugby akin to hockey could be devised, which he called ‘rugby football’. This new sport combined elements of the two games to create a hybrid that was faster and more action-packed than either of its predecessors. The first rugby football match was played on January 22, 1885, with Hoddinott’s vs. Rest of England, and the rules were eventually standardized in 1886.
An American Sports Legacy
While the United States didn’t play a large role in the formation of the NHL, one of the organizations behind the league was actually based in Chicago, Illinois. The National American Hockey League was established in 1908, and was initially composed of several professional teams from the American Midwest. The NHL quickly became popular in the United States, and eventually expanded to Canada, where it remains today as one of the most popular sports leagues. While Canadian ice hockey is hugely popular, the United States also has a fairly large community of hockey fans.
One Final Note
Hockey is a team sport, which means that everyone on the field or rink has a role to play. The on-ice actions of the individual players affect the game in numerous ways. The tactics of the individual teams, the physicality of the players, and the strategies of the coaches all contribute to what makes a hockey game exceptional. The ability to control the pace of the game, adapt to the situation at hand, and outwit your opponent is what makes for a great game.