The National Hockey League (NHL) is a premier professional ice hockey league in North America, featuring 32 teams—25 in the U.S. and 7 in Canada. Founded in 1917, it’s renowned for fast-paced, physical play on ice, where players skate, pass, and shoot a puck toward opponents’ nets to score. Each team plays 82 regular-season games, competing for the Stanley Cup, awarded annually to the playoff champion. The sport demands skill, speed, and strategy, with positions like forwards, defensemen, and goalkeepers. Iconic teams include the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, with rivalries fueling intense, thrilling matchups.