Who were the Original Six NHL teams: Exploring the legacy and records of hockey's most historic franchises

By Ryan Gagne

Modified May 26, 2024 03:05 GMT

The Original Six Era lasted from 1942 to 1967, and it came to fruition after the Brooklyn Americans folded operations after the 1941-42 season.

During these 25 years, six teams, including the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Detroit Red Wings, challenged for the Stanley Cup.

After the NHL's growth in the mid-1960s, it expanded from six franchises to 12 in 1967, with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota North Stars (now Dallas), and Oakland Seals.

Since the first expansion, the NHL has grown to 32 teams, with the Vegas Golden Knights (2017) and Seattle Kraken (2021) being the latest franchises to join the league.

However, enthusiasts of hockey history love to talk about the golden era of the game, the Original Six era, during which Hall of Famers like Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, Dit Clapper, George Armstrong, and Terry Sawchuk built their legacies.

Considering all six teams from this era are still in operation in 2024, they are held in higher regard than the other 26 teams in the league whenever they are mentioned in conversations.

Who were the Original Six NHL teams?

1. Chicago Blackhawks (1926)

Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, the last Original Six team to win the Stanley Cup

W-L-T-OT record: 2,889-2,905-814-198

Stanley Cup titles: 6 (last 2015)

Today's Blackhawks began at the start of the 1926-27 season as the Chicago Black Hawks. After almost sixty years as one stylization, ownership removed the space in the name, shortening it to Blackhawks in 1986.

Unfortunately, the Blackhawks have the fewest wins of the Original Six teams, having failed to record 3,000 wins yet. Although, Chicago did win the Stanley Cup in 1934 and 1938 before winning a third one in 1961 with Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull in the lineup.

Like a handful of teams on this list, the Blackhawks would go 49 years between titles, winning three in five years in 2010, 2013, and 2015 with future Hall of Famers Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

Despite the lack of championships, Chicago only missed the playoffs once from 1959 to 1997.

2. Detroit Red Wings (1926)

W-L-T-OT record: 3,097-2,683-815-212

Stanley Cup titles: 11 (last 2008)

The Red Wings joined the NHL for the 1926-27 season as the Detroit Cougars. After four seasons, they changed names to the Detroit Falcons, settling on the iconic Red Wings name in 1932-33.

The franchise had won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 1936 and 1937 and collected seven titles in total by 1955. Some of the game's greatest players, such as Howe, Sawchuk, and Alex Delvecchio, all wore the famous winged wheel in their careers during the Original Six era.

After expansion, Detroit struggled to stay competitive, going 42 years without a championship. Then, from 1997 to 2008, they won four more titles to have the third-most Stanley Cup banners in NHL history with 11.

3. New York Rangers (1926)

W-L-T-OT record: 3,037-2,785-808-176

Stanley Cup titles: 4 (last 1994)

The Rangers play in the World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, and are the only team ever to call Broadway home. Despite having built-in rivalries with the New York Islanders (Long Island) and New Jersey Devils (East Rutherford), the best Rangers battles usually involve other Original Six teams.

New York joined the NHL in 1926-27, winning the Stanley Cup in their second season and reaching the league's top again in 1933. Then, in 1940, the Rangers won their final championship for 54 years before Mark Messier ended the then-longest title drought in league history in 1994.

Out of the Original Six teams, New York has won the fewest championships, with just four, but some of the game's greatest have worn blue, including Wayne Gretzky, Henrik Lundqvist, Brian Leetch, Rod Gilbert, and Phil Esposito.

4. Boston Bruins (1924)

The Boston Bruins in 2024 are the latest Original Six team to celebrate a centennial season.

W-L-T-OT record: 3,404-2,461-791-216

Stanley Cup titles: 6 (last 2011)

The Boston Bruins were the first American expansion team in NHL history, joining in 1924. For a century, the Bruins have been one of the model franchises in professional sports, fielding competitive teams for decades.

Boston won a Stanley Cup title in their fifth season (1929) before winning two more in 1939 and 1941. They wouldn't win another championship until 1970, and they won again in 1972, when Bobby Orr's style changed the game forever.

Besides scoring the most iconic goals ever photographed, he's the only defenseman to win a scoring title.

As mentioned, the Bruins were another Original Six franchise with a lengthy title drought. They went 39 years between rings, last winning in 2011. During the 2022-23 season, Boston compiled the greatest regular season of all time with a 65-12-5 record and 135 points, both NHL records.

5. Toronto Maple Leafs (1917)

W-L-T-OT record: 3,150-2,897-783-202

Stanley Cup titles: 13 (last 1967)

The Maple Leafs won the first NHL Stanley Cup title in 1917 as the Toronto Arenas. After two seasons, they altered the name to the Toronto St. Patricks, winning another title under that name.

Then, in 1926, the team was renamed to the iconic Maple Leafs we all know, love, and despise today. After winning another title in 1932, Toronto would play and lose in the Final six more times before winning again in 1942.

With a win in 1944, the Maple Leafs would claim five out of the following seven Stanley Cups, with their final victory in 1951. Despite a few appearances in the Final between wins, Toronto wouldn't be champions again until 1962. They would go on to claim the next two Cups in 1963 and 1964 before their final title in 1967.

Since the NHL expanded in 1967, the Maple Leafs remain the only Original Six team not to win the Stanley Cup. Meanwhile, they haven't even returned to the Final and now hold the NHL record for longest championship drought, which is 57 and counting.

6. Montreal Canadiens (1917)

Championship banners at the Bell Centre, Montreal, QC

W-L-T-OT record: 3,556-2,432-837-208

Stanley Cup titles: 24 (last 1993)

The Canadiens join the Bruins and Rangers as the only Original Six teams never to change their names since their inception in 1917.

Although they lost to Toronto in the first NHL Stanley Cup Final, over the next 106 years, the Canadiens have become the greatest franchise in professional hockey history and only rival MLB's New York Yankees (27) for most league championships with 24.

As the winningest franchise in both the regular season and playoffs, it's no surprise to know some of the game's greatest skaters have all played for Bleu Blanc Rouge, including Henri Richard (a record 11 Stanley Cups), Jean Beliveau, Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden, Guy Lafleur, and the first goalie to wear a mask, Jacques Plante.

Not only are the Canadiens one of two teams (with the New York Islanders) to win four consecutive Stanley Cups, but they are also the only NHL team to win five straight, achieving this feat from 1956 to 1960.

Playing in Montreal is not for the faintest of hearts, as the Bell Centre, the largest arena in the league, seats over 21,000 hockey fans. However, wearing one of the most iconic jerseys of an Original Six franchise is an honor many young French kids dream of.