To say that hockey is a popular sport in Canada would be an understatement. With a population of only around 30 million, the country has the second-highest number of registered players per capita, after the United States. The game itself is known for encouraging aggressive, competitive play, and having some of the most loyal and passionate fan bases around. This year, as the country prepares to host the 102nd National Hockey League (NHL) Season, tickets are selling at an incredible rate, and the demand for souvenirs is at an all-time high.
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History
Though its history dates back to a 1916 exhibition game between members of the Toronto Arenas amateur ice hockey club and West Toronto Railers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the sport didn’t catch on in North America until the 1950s. The first NHL All-Star Game took place in 1959, and the following year the Montreal Canadiens established themselves as the preeminent hockey team in North America, going 54-22-12 that season and finishing 1st overall in the NHL.
The 1960s were a golden age for hockey, with some of the biggest and most historic rivalries in the history of the sport unfolding. Between the rise of the super-team in the 1970s and the retirement of Bill Masterton in 2006, there was a 13-year gap without a single professional hockey league season. During that time, the quality of play in the sport dipped, and the game itself became less about skill and more about individual superstitions and strength.
The Present Day
Since the 2007-08 NHL Season, the league has slowly started to turn the corner. Under the leadership of Commissioner Gary Bettman, the NHL has adjusted their schedule to start later and end earlier, and has put a renewed emphasis on skill and strategy, rather than sheer physical strength.
In 2018, the league saw its first season since the Great Recession of 2008 without a single game being postponed due to bad weather. Last year, 82 games were played without a single postponement, and the trend seems to be heading in the right direction.
NHL In Canada
The NHL is a semi-professional sport in Canada. Since its founding in 1917, the league has maintained a strong relationship with the Amateur Hockey Association (AHA), which oversees all amateur and junior hockey in the country. Through the AHA, the NHL offers an exemption to all players, no matter what level, and allows them to play professionally while also continuing to compete in the amateur realm. Some of the top athletes in the country, including many future NHLers, start out their careers in junior hockey and then move on to the professional ranks.
The AHA is one of the strongest and most prominent hockey organizations in the country, and the fact that it sanctions junior and amateur hockey in Canada makes it all the more essential for the NHL to continue to support the sport.
NHL & The Olympics
Both the NHL and the Olympics have Canadian connections that go back many years. The Winter Olympics, which Canada co-hosts annually with the United States, was originally considered an ‘alternative’ event to the Summer Olympics. It initially consisted of just figure skating, but has grown in popularity rapidly in the past few decades, and now includes hockey, which was introduced to the country in 1920. The summer games, which also have a semi-pro league (the G League), began as the football-equivalent event and then grew to include hockey.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the NHL, and as part of the celebrations, the league will be featured prominently at the winter games in February, participating for the first time in the Winter Olympics since 1920. The NHL is one of the three leagues that make up the Canadian Hockey Association along with the G1 and G2 leagues. Teams from the G2 will also be participating in the Olympics for the first time in history. The games thus mark a return to form for the NHL after a 13-year break.
Player Development
One of the unique things about hockey is that it does not require much in the way of facilities. It can be played in any publicly-accessible area with a sheet of ice, and though the game has several ‘stadiums’ and ‘pitches’ around North America, teams generally prefer to use the term ‘rink’ when referring to their hockey arena. Even the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Stadium, which has a seating capacity of over 19,000, does not host an outdoor game every year. As a result, much of the fanfare and community surrounding an NHL game comes from the players themselves. Many teams bring their alumni back for special games and events, and the fans show up in large numbers, creating an environment that is both engaging and nostalgic.
Ticket Prices
The cost of a regular-season NHL game varies by location and date, but is generally between $30 and $100, with a few select games costing more than $100. For non-game days, such as holiday or Sunday games, tickets are much more affordable, going for around $15-$30. While some people might consider this to be a rip-off, the fact is that hockey is a much more affordable sport to attend than some other North American professional sports leagues. This is due to a combination of factors, including the lack of luxury boxes, the later start times, and the extensive use of temporary seating. In today’s NHL, many games are played before a half-empty arena.
What Is The Difference Between The NHL, AHL, and OHL?
The NHL is the highest level of professional hockey in North America. It is considered to be the ‘Super-League’, and consists of 12 teams, which are divided into two conferences, the Eastern and Western divisions. Each team plays 48 games during the regular season, with three games against each other team in the conference, and one game against a team from the other conference. Teams can qualify for the playoffs by winning their division and then go head-to-head in a two-game series, the winner being determined by points accumulated during the season. If a team wins both games of a series against another team, the winner will advance to the next round, and so on until there is a single champion remaining. Most people who enjoy watching hockey play will tell you that the best parts of the game come from the playoffs.
The AHL is the junior league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The term ‘AHL’ actually stands for ‘American Hockey League’, and was originally used as a reference to the league’s headquarters in Troy, New York, where the bulk of the teams are based. The primary season is much like that of the NHL, with 12 teams divided into two conferences and playing 48 games against each other. In the postseason, however, teams face off in a three-game, series-style round robin to determine a championship. The winning team is then awarded the Calder Cup.
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) is the top level of junior hockey in Canada. It is considered to be the ‘Master League’, and is divided into three divisions: the Ontario, Eastern, and Western. Each team plays 48 games during the regular season, with six games against each other team in their division, and two games against teams from the other divisions. The top four teams in each division then advance to the playoffs, where they face off in a series of four, two-game series to determine a champion. The winning team is then awarded the Spengler Cup.
All three leagues operate under the auspices of the Canadian Hockey Association (CHA), which was originally established in 1912 as the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The CHA oversees all amateur and junior hockey in the country, and also operates the Hockey Canada National Teams, which represent the country in international competitions including the Olympics and the World Cup, among others.