The game of hockey has never been as popular as it is now. With the world-class players of today, the skilled sportsmanship, and the fast-paced action, it is no wonder why. But while the game has grown in popularity, so has the equipment needed to play it. And the biggest arena is one of the mainstays of the game. Here’s a look at the history of the largest hockey arenas and what makes them special.
Table of Contents
The First Arena
The game of hockey did not reach its present-day popularity until after the First World War. Prior to that time, hockey was mostly played by men in groups of two or more. One person – usually the older member of the group – would act as the “puck-marshal,” ensuring that all members of the group followed the rules of fair play, especially when passing the puck. There were no referees back then, so every player had to keep an eye on the game and pay attention to detail.
The game was also called “Glen Hill Hockey” after the village of Glen Hill, New York, which hosted the first officially-scheduled game of hockey ever played. The New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins – arch-rivals since their founding – met on January 19, 1919, and played to a 2–2 draw.
The First World War not only helped popularize hockey, but it also halted all professional sports for several years. When the games did resume, they did so cautiously – especially since many of the sports’ biggest stars were lost in the war. For instance, the legendary Babe Ruth did not return from military service until May 1920. When he did, he found baseball to be extremely unpopular, and he didn’t play his first game until June.
The Golden Era
The 1920s were the golden years of professional hockey. Across North America, teams from the National Hockey League (NHL) were becoming more dominant as the game grew in popularity. Thanks to the efforts of an owner named John Daly, who also happened to be the mayor of Winnipeg at the time, the city set a professional sports attendance record in 1922 when 81,000 fans came to see the Winnipeg Falcons take on the Ottawa Senators.
The decade also saw the establishment of the Western Hockey League (WHL) – the league that would eventually become the “A” side of the NHL – and the American Hockey League (AHL). In 1924, the Toronto St. Patricks became the first team in NHL history to have never lost a home game. For the next six years, they went on an unbeaten streak that is still talked about today. The team’s fans would show up in droves, creating a unique and special atmosphere at their home games. One of the standouts of this era was the Montreal Canadiens, who had many remarkable players during the 1920s: players like Dickie Moore, Elmer Loomis, André Prévost, Georges Vezina, and more. The team’s captain, Joe Hall, would go on to become one of the most popular players of all time, with 2.7 million fans voting for him as the Most Popular Player during the 1924–25 NHL season.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression had a significant impact on professional hockey. Many teams folded, and those that remained were forced to scale back. As a result, the number of hockey arenas dropped from 202 to 148 across North America. The game also became more vulnerable to the elements. In the winter months, temperatures would often plummet, creating an exceptionally cruel playing environment. Many players either didn’t have the means to heat their homes adequately or they just chose to stay indoors – where the climate was more forgiving – instead of braving the elements outside. It was a rough time for everyone, but especially for hockey players.
The Second World War
The Second World War not only saved professional hockey, but it also helped revive it. For years, professional teams and leagues across North America had been practicing “self-isolation” in an attempt to avoid unnecessary risks caused by the conflict. However, on June 5, 1942, the NHL finally decided to end its self-isolation and resume play on a limited basis. The following month, the league would play six more games before going back to its usual schedule.
When the war was over, there was a huge boost to the game’s popularity, and arenas across the country were experiencing an influx of new and returning fans. Teams like the Montreal Canadiens, who had to disband their 1941–42 team after the war because there were no players left to field a team, reformed after the war and went on to win the Memorial Cup in 1946. During the war, hockey became a welcome distraction for many Americans, and it continues to be so to this day.
Expansion
The 1950s were a time of expansion for the NHL. From 1924 to 1935, the league doubled in size – from six to 12 teams – and became more established everywhere, including Canada. In 1950, the Canadiens celebrated their 40th Anniversary by winning their 11th Stanley Cup. The following season, they won their 12th straight Cup. The decade also produced many other memorable moments, including the first-ever trade between the NHL and the Western Hockey League. In 1956, the NHL granted an expansion team – the St. Louis Blues – to the league and increased the number of teams to 14.
The 1950s were also a time of great change for the game of hockey itself. For years, the NHL had been a primarily English-speaking league. But in an attempt to become more international, the league implemented a rule that required all players to be at least half-Canadian. Before the rule, most teams were made up of British and French expats who had moved to Canada after the Great War. As a result of the rule change, more non-English-speaking players joined the league. The rule also resulted in shorter games, as there were fewer stoppages due to the lack of English language skills among referees.
The decade of the 1950s was a time of transition for the game of hockey. The teams that were around when the decade began are still in existence, but many are now in a state of change. The original six teams that founded the NHL in 1917 are still among the elite of the leagues, but they have had to fight for respect and prove themselves every season. In the coming years, we will continue to see change as new teams continue to establish themselves in the NHL and the existing teams adapt to the new climate – and vice versa.