Now hockey is most popular in regions of the US with cold winter climates, such as the northeast and the upper Midwest.

The rink was called the North Avenue Ice Palace, which was located in Baltimore, Maryland.

There were five teams from the United States and Ontario that formed the International Ice Hockey Federation.

The 1898 Spalding Athletic Library book includes rules (laws) and results for each league (association).

This league created new designs and rules that helped ice hockey evolve into the game it is today.

[27] During that season, the first NHL game was played in the United States where the Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Maroons 2–1.

Three more American teams the New York Rangers, Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Cougars, joined the NHL in the year 1926.

That same year, the Western Hockey League fell apart and sold most of its players to the new NHL teams.

New Brunswick-born skater Willie O'Ree became the first black ice hockey player in the NHL for the Boston Bruins.

[28] while Val James was the first African American player to compete in the NHL for the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Lord Stanley of Preston was appointed by Queen Victoria to be the Governor General of Canada on June 11, 1888.

His two sons, Arthur and Algernon, convinced their father to donate a trophy that would be considered to be a visible sign of the ice hockey championship.

In 1914 the Portland Rosebuds, an American-based team, joined the Pacific Coast Hockey Association.

[33][34] The United States ice hockey structure includes elements from traditional American scholastic high school and college athletics, affiliated and independent minor leagues, and the unique "Major Junior" leagues.

However in the 2015 season, the Arizona State hockey program made its jump from club to the varsity level.

The Canadians went on to claim three consecutive golds after the sport was permanently transferred to the newly established Winter Olympics in 1924.

In 1936, their streak was ended by the British team that went on to beat the Canadians and tie the Americans, claiming the gold.

[52] The league debuted in January 2024, with three of its six charter franchises located in the US in Boston, New York, and Minnesota.

[56][57] After the 1999 season, ABC, a sister network of ESPN, took over as the NHL's over-the-air broadcast partner in the US, a role it held until 2004.

Following the 2004–05 lockout, the NHL signed a new television contract with NBC, initially with co-existing cable TV rights with OLN/Versus.

Following the 2021 season, the NHL elected to split American TV rights, with ESPN and new partner TNT inking new seven-year contracts.

This deal also allows all Stanley Cup Finals games to air on over-the-air television (in this case ABC), though only on even-numbered seasons.

Movies such as Miracle, The Mighty Ducks, Youngblood, Soul on Ice, and Goon (film) have become part of American culture regarding hockey.

The NHL is trying to grow the sport of ice hockey by attempting to diversify the fanbase and expand from its traditional demographic.

[65][66][67][68] A notable example is the Chicago Blackhawks, who have seen a significant increase in attention from ethnic minorities since their Stanley Cup successes in the 2010s, which has resulted in the team setting up outreach programs for urban youths and low income neighborhoods.

[69][70][71][72] The Washington Capitals also have noteworthy outreach programs for to garner interest ice hockey.

As of spring 2014, the United States has won 16 Olympic medals (gold, silver, and bronze) total.

The USHL is strictly amateur, allowing former players to compete in NCAA college hockey.