The National Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 33 teams —26 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered to be the top ranked professional ice hockey league in the world, with players from 17 countries as of the 2023–24 season. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) also views the Stanley Cup as one of the "most important championships available to the sport". The NHL is headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.
Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger and owner of Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers, between 1990 and 2008. After leaving the Rangers in 2008, he played three seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Avangard Omsk. He returned to the NHL in 2011 with the Flyers and remained in the league for seven more years before being assigned by the Flames in 2018 to HC Kladno. Having played in 37 professional seasons and over 2,000 professional games, Jágr has had the longest playing career in professional ice hockey history. He is the most productive European player who has ever played in the NHL and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.
Patrick Jacques Roy is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former goaltender and executive. He is the head coach of the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Roy previously served as the head coach for the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, as well as the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history and was hailed in sports media as "king of goaltenders".
Ronald Michael Francis Jr. is a Canadian ice hockey sports executive and former player. He currently serves as the general manager of the Seattle Kraken. He spent most of his career as either a player or executive for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes organization, 23 years in total.
Roderic Jean Brind'Amour is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Patrice Bergeron-Cleary is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League, all with the Boston Bruins. He served as team captain from 2021 until his retirement in 2023. Bergeron played junior hockey with the Acadie–Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for one full season before being selected 45th overall by the Bruins in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He made the immediate jump from junior to the NHL after his draft and joined the Bruins in the 2003-04 season. In international play, Bergeron competed for Canada and won gold medals at the 2004 World Championships, 2005 World Junior Championships, 2010 Winter Olympics, 2012 Spengler Cup, and 2014 Winter Olympics. Bergeron is a member of the Triple Gold Club after winning the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011. He scored two goals, including the Stanley Cup-winning goal, in Game 7 against the Vancouver Canucks.
Patrick Martin Verbeek is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Verbeek played for five teams over a 20-year playing career, earning a Stanley Cup ring with the Dallas Stars in 1999. His nickname, the "Little Ball of Hate", was given to him in 1995 by Glenn Healy after fellow New York Rangers teammate Ray Ferraro was tagged as the "Big Ball of Hate".
Douglas Frederick Wilson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, who later served as general manager of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League, and is currently Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He won the 1984 Canada Cup with Team Canada.
William Edward McCreary Jr. is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 12 games in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1980–81 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1980 to 1988, was spent in the minor leagues.
Peter Maxwell McNab was a Canadian-born American professional ice hockey player. He played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1973 to 1987, with the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils. He later served as the color commentator for the Colorado Avalanche from their inaugural 1995–96 season to the 2022-2023 season before his passing.
Patrick Gerald Elynuik is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 506 games in the National Hockey League. After winning a Memorial Cup as a member of the Prince Albert Raiders in 1985, he was drafted in the first round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft, 8th overall by the Winnipeg Jets. He also played his career for the Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators. He retired in 1997.
Thomas Mark "Tommy, The Bomber" Williams was an American professional ice hockey player. A good skater and shooter, he received his nickname due to an incident in the early 1970s when he joked with Toronto customs officials that his bag contained a bomb. During most of the 1960s, Williams was the only regular American player in the NHL.
Dean Charles Talafous is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played 497 regular season games in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1974 and 1981 for the Atlanta Flames, Minnesota North Stars and New York Rangers as a right winger.
Patrick John Conacher is a Canadian former ice hockey forward. He last played with the Canada men's national ice hockey team during the 1997-98 season. He is currently a scout of amateur hockey for the Vancouver Canucks.
David Richard Hudson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 409 games in the National Hockey League in the 1970s, with the New York Islanders, Kansas City Scouts, and Colorado Rockies. Hudson played for the University of North Dakota before turning professional in 1970. Selected by the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft, he spent two years in their system before being claimed by the expansion Islanders, making his NHL debut with them in 1972. Hudson took the opening faceoff during the first-ever game in Islanders history.
Peter Sturgeon is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. He was drafted by the Boston Bruins with the 36th overall pick in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft. He went on to play in six games in the National Hockey League, all with the Colorado Rockies.
Davis Anthony Drewiske is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Los Angeles Kings and Montreal Canadiens.
Alexander Hudson is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played two regular season and two playoff games in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 1978–79 season. Hudson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Prior to his professional career, Hudson was standout player at the University of Denver.
Carl Hudson is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with Polska Hokej Liga side GKS Katowice. Hudson was most recently signed to ETC Crimmitschau in the German DEL2.
Hudson Fasching is an American professional ice hockey winger, who is currently playing with the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL).
