If you’re an American hockey fan, you might have wondered: Which is the biggest hockey league in the USA? The answer is more complex than you might think. In fact, several leagues compete for the title of best hockey league in America. So dive into some of those leagues and see which one takes home the trophy!
NHL
The NHL is the largest and most popular hockey league in North America, with 30 teams from several countries, including Canada, the United States and Europe.
The NHL was founded on November 22nd, 1917, as a merger of three other leagues: The National Hockey Association (founded 1887), the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (founded 1911) and the National Hockey League (founded 1909). At first, it was called “The Canadian Professional Hockey League” but changed its name to “National Hockey League” after World War 1 ended in 1918. Today it’s still considered by many as one of the best leagues, with millions of fans watching their favorite team play yearly!
AHL
The American Hockey League (AHL) is the primary developmental league for the NHL. The AHL consists of 31 teams, with 24 located in the United States and seven in Canada. The league was founded in 1936 and has been operating continuously since then and is also known as “The Duke” after its first president James Henry Norris.
The AHL is considered as second-best professional hockey league in North America after NHL, which stands for National Hockey League. While some of its teams are affiliated with NHL franchises, most are not owned by them directly but by independent owners instead who pay a fee to have their players associated with that organization.
CHL
As you might have guessed, the CHL is not the top hockey league in the USA. It’s a junior league, meaning all its players are under 20 years old. The CHL also has a total of 24 teams and is considered to be the highest level of junior hockey in North America.
The CHL was formed in 1966 when six teams split from another junior league called the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). They renamed their new organization after one of their original clubs—the Saskatoon Blades—and changed its logo from an eagle flying over a waterfall to a Native American warrior holding up a hockey stick behind his head while riding on horseback through open plains.
ECHL
The ECHL is the largest professional hockey league in the United States, with 31 teams, including two in Canada. The league was founded in 1988 and began to play as a minor pro hockey organization with five teams: the Hampton Roads Admirals, Roanoke Valley Rebels, Greensboro Monarchs, Carolina Thunderbirds and Tallahassee Tiger Sharks (now Florida Everblades).
Most of the players in this amateur level have come up through college programs or other lower-level leagues like NCAA Division III or NAHL. However, only some older players who have played professionally at higher levels make their way into these ranks.
There are a lot of great hockey leagues in the United States, but it’s clear that the NHL is the biggest one. That being said, you should keep track of hockey schedules on Direct Tv and other satellite services to make sure to attend every match. However, there are still plenty of opportunities for players who do not make it onto an NHL roster to continue playing as professionals.
