20 Things Every Fan Should Know About The NHL

By Amanda Sklarek

20 Things Every Fan Should Know About The NHL

Los Angeles Kings — Whether you have been a hockey fan for seven months or 30 years, these are 20 things every NHL fan should know.

20. The NHL Was Founded in 1917

NHL

20. The NHL Was Founded in 1917

NHL founded — The NHL was established in Montreal, Canada on Nov. 26, 1917. That makes the league 97 years old!

19. Stan Mikita is Credited With Curving The Hockey Stick

Stan Mikita

19. Stan Mikita is Credited With Curving The Hockey Stick

Chicago Blackhawks — Stan Mikita and former teammate Bobby Hull are often considered to be the first players to curve their sticks and use them regularly. Mikita may have discovered the "banana blade" on accident, but make no mistake that it is one of the greatest innovations in the history of hockey.

18. The Stanley Cup Has Been Awarded Every Year But Two Since 1914

Hockey fans

18. The Stanley Cup Has Been Awarded Every Year But Two Since 1914

NHL lockout — Due to a disastrous Spanish flu epidemic, the Stanley Cup was not awarded in 1919. The Stanley Cup would also go without being engraved in 2005 because of a season long lockout.

17. Shootouts Started in 2005

NHL shootout

17. Shootouts Started in 2005

Buffalo Sabres — The shootout hasn't always been around. It made its debut in 2005 and is used during regular season games.

16. 12 Teams Have Never Won The Stanley Cup

Alexander Ovechkin

16. 12 Teams Have Never Won The Stanley Cup

Washington Capitals — The 12 clubs that have never hoisted the Cup include the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, Arizona Coyotes, San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild.

15. The Winter Classic Began in 2008

Winter Classic

15. The Winter Classic Began in 2008

2008 Winter Classic — The most modern day tradition in the NHL began in 2008 when the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins faced off in a regular season outdoor game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y. Since then, the Winter Classic has been held on or around New Year's Day and remains an exhilarating event for players and fans.

14. Zdeno Chara Holds The Record For The Fastest Slap Shot in The NHL

Zdeno Chara

14. Zdeno Chara Holds The Record For The Fastest Slap Shot in The NHL

Boston Bruins — At the 2012 NHL All-Star Skills Competition, Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins cranked a slap shot that sent a puck flying at a high speed of 108.8 mph. Chara beat his own record of 105.9 mph that was set the year before.

13. The Earliest Hockey Games Were Played With Cow Dung

cows

13. The Earliest Hockey Games Were Played With Cow Dung

cows — The hockey puck has come a long way, as it was once made out of frozen cow dung. This method was used in outdoor games in the 1800s.

12. There Has Been One Death From Injuries Directly Suffered in an NHL Game

Bill Masterton

12. There Has Been One Death From Injuries Directly Suffered in an NHL Game

Minnesota North Stars — In 1968, Bill Masterton — who was not wearing a helmet as helmets were not mandatory at the time — was knocked unconscious after a forceful hit. Masterton received treatment at the arena and was eventually taken to a nearby hospital. He died 30 hours later of internal brain injuries.

11. Not Every Team Has a Mascot

Iceburgh

11. Not Every Team Has a Mascot

Pittsburgh Penguins mascot — The Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers are the only three teams in the league without a mascot.

10. Goaltenders Have Been Credited With Goals 12 Times

Martin Brodeur

10. Goaltenders Have Been Credited With Goals 12 Times

New Jersey Devils — There have been 12 goaltenders who have been credited with scoring goals. Martin Brodeur has scored a total of three, which is the most in NHL history.

9. NHL Players Make an Average $2.4 Million a Year

Florida Panthers

9. NHL Players Make an Average $2.4 Million a Year

NHL — NHL players are the fifth highest paid players in all professional sports leagues. NBA players place first, raking in about $ 4.5 million a year.

8. There Are Six Original NHL Teams

Toronto Maple Leafs

8. There Are Six Original NHL Teams

Montreal Canadiens — From 1942 to 1967, the NHL housed a total of six teams. Those six teams were the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers.

7. Red Wings Fans Throw Octopuses On The Ice

Octopus

7. Red Wings Fans Throw Octopuses On The Ice

Al Sobotka — In 1952, two brothers who owned a market tossed an octopus onto the ice at the Red Wings' old arena, the Old Red Barn. The sea creature's eight legs symbolized the number of playoff wins necessary for the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup. Since then, throwing these fantastic creatures on the ice during playoff games has become a fun and whacky tradition among Red Wings fans.

6. Wayne Gretzky Holds 61 NHL Records

Wayne Gretzky

6. Wayne Gretzky Holds 61 NHL Records

New York Rangers — "The Great One" holds the most records in NHL history. Gretzky is the leading point-scorer and is the only player to topple 200 points in one season.

5. Hockey Pucks Are Kept in a Freezer Before Game Time

Hockey pucks

5. Hockey Pucks Are Kept in a Freezer Before Game Time

Pucks — Since hockey pucks are made of vulcanized rubber, they are stored in a freezer and frozen before each game. Freezing the pucks eliminates bouncing and helps with glide. An average hockey game uses about a dozen pucks.

4. There Are Two Hockey Hall of Fames

Hockey Hall of Fame

4. There Are Two Hockey Hall of Fames

Hockey Hall of Fame Toronto — The original Hockey Hall of Fame came in 1943 and is located in Toronto, Canada. The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 and is positioned in Eveleth, Minn.

3. There Are Three Stanley Cups

Bailey

3. There Are Three Stanley Cups

Los Angeles Kings — The original Stanley Cup is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The second one is on display at the HHOF for fans to interact with, and the final one travels with the Stanley Cup champions every summer.

2. The Montreal Canadiens Have The Most Stanley Cup Wins

Montreal Canadiens

2. The Montreal Canadiens Have The Most Stanley Cup Wins

NHL — The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times. The last time the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup was in 1993.

1. The Stanley Cup Was Donated by Lord Stanley

Original Stanley Cup

1. The Stanley Cup Was Donated by Lord Stanley

Lord Stanley — The Stanley Cup is named after Lord Stanley of Preston, who gifted the cup in 1892 as an award to Canada's top amateur hockey club. Lord Stanley bought the cup in London for 10 guineas, which was about $ 50 at the time.

Amanda Sklarek is a Pittsburgh Penguins/NHL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter @amandabukowski, “Like” her on Facebook or add her to your network on Google.

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