The Evolution of Hockey

Hockey has changed a lot since James Creighton organized the first indoor ice hockey game in 1875. In fact, you might be surprised to learn just when some now-traditional aspects of hockey actually made their debut.

For instance, the Stanley Cup was first awarded in 1893, even though the NHL itself wasn't established until 1917. The center red line wasn't introduced until 1943, and, even more surprisingly, the curved hockey stick wasn't seen in hockey until the 1960s.

In addition to the changes in the game itself, the National Hockey League has gone through some changes that can be loosely grouped into four distinct eras—the Founding Era, the Original Six Era, the Expansion Era, and the Modern Era.

In the Founding Era, NHL was established after the National Hockey Association collapsed. In the Original Six Era, the NHL shrank to only six teams, only to start growing again in the Expansion Era. Finally, the Modern Era saw many changes in the owner-player relationship.

Hockey has a long and exciting history, and all the changes made along the way have created the game millions of people know and love today. To see more on how hockey has evolved, read the following infographic.