The NHL is a league with a lot of history beginning in 1917. There have been many changes to the rules, team names, intensity of the sport, equipment, salaries and how the game is played.
The rules have been added to adjust for the pace, safety, and overall way of playing the game. For instance, the game is played 5-on-5 during regulation but during overtime it’s 3-on-3. The NHL decided to enhance the game by changing overtime to 3-on-3 in the 2016-2017 season. Another rule is rule #8.3. This rule says it is required for any players who are bleeding to get off the ice. The bleeding must be stopped. If any equipment is contaminated it must be removed by cleaning or exchanging.
One of the best examples of how the game has changed is the fact that the NHL started with six teams and they now have 31, with the recent addition of the Las Vegas Knights. The original six teams were Chicago Black Hawks (Yes that was how it was spelled that long ago), Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
The goalie’s equipment has changed in subtle ways. The mask being the main part of the change. When the league started, the goalies did not wear any type of head protection. In 1927, Elizabeth Graham wore a fencing mask to protect her teeth. In 1959, Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens was forced to wear a mask after getting needing stitches. In 1974, Andy Brown was the last goalie to play without a mask. Obviously, as the goalie’s equipment has changed so has the players as the game has become more intense.
Even the salaries have changed, at the beginning they were offered about $400 a month to play for a professional level team, at this point the smallest contract is around $400,000 to $600,000 and the largest contract is held currently by Alexander Ovechkin at $124 million.
In short the game of hockey is one that will outlast us all, as it is a sport of evolution. It has no precise date of beginning, but it has managed to change with the growth of players and the times. The sport continues to adjust as the competiveness and quality of players grows.
