The

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

's Canadian Division was formed after expansion in 1926. The division existed for 12 seasons until 1938. Despite its name, the division contained at least one team based in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

throughout its existence. Its champion was awarded the O'Brien Trophy. During its run as a separate division, when considered as a whole the Canadian Division was the slightly less successful of the league's two divisions, winning five

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...

championships compared with seven won by the American Division. Under the cross-over playoff format then in use, Canadian Division teams contested just one intra-divisional Finals, compared to three such series played by American Division teams. Notably however, Canadian teams won all twelve division titles and were the only teams from the division to reach the Finals during this time. Also, each of the four Canadian teams then in existence won the Cup at least once.

Division lineups

1926–1927

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...

* Montreal Maroons *

New York Americans The New York Americans, colloquially known as the Amerks, were a professional ice hockey team based in New York City from 1925 to 1942. They were the third expansion team in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the second to play ...

* Ottawa Senators * Toronto St. Patricks

Changes from the 1925–26 season

* The Canadian Division is formed as the result of NHL realignment

1927–1931

* Montreal Canadiens * Montreal Maroons * New York Americans * Ottawa Senators *

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

Changes from the 1926–27 season

* Toronto changed their nickname from the St. Patricks to the Maple Leafs

1931–1932

* Montreal Canadiens * Montreal Maroons * New York Americans * Toronto Maple Leafs

Changes from the 1930–31 season

* The Ottawa Senators took a leave of absence from the league

1932–1934

* Montreal Canadiens * Montreal Maroons * New York Americans * Ottawa Senators * Toronto Maple Leafs

Changes from the 1931–32 season

* The Ottawa Senators returned from their absence

1934–1935

* Montreal Canadiens * Montreal Maroons * New York Americans *

St. Louis Eagles The St. Louis Eagles were a professional ice hockey team that played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Based in St. Louis, the Eagles played for only one year, the 1934–35 NHL season. The team was founded in 1883 as the Ottawa Senators (ori ...

* Toronto Maple Leafs

Changes from the 1933–34 season

* The Ottawa Senators moved to St. Louis, Missouri, to become the St. Louis Eagles

1935–1938

* Montreal Canadiens * Montreal Maroons * New York Americans * Toronto Maple Leafs

Changes from the 1934–35 season

* The St. Louis Eagles folded due to financial problems

After the 1937–38 season

The league collapsed into one single table, reverting to the format of the 1925–26 season, after the Montreal Maroons suspended operations in 1938.

Division champions

* 1927 – Ottawa Senators (30–10–4, 64 pts) * 1928 –

(26–11–7, 59 pts) * 1929 –

(22–7–15, 59 pts) * 1930 – Montreal Maroons (23–16–5, 51 pts) * 1931 –

(26–10–8, 60 pts) * 1932 –

(25–16–7, 57 pts) * 1933 –

(24–18–6, 54 pts) * 1934 –

(26–13–9, 61 pts) * 1935 –

(30–14–4, 64 pts) * 1936 – Montreal Maroons (22–16–10, 54 pts) * 1937 –

(24–18–6, 54 pts) * 1938 –

(24–15–9, 57 pts)

Stanley Cup winners produced

* 1927 – Ottawa Senators * 1930 –

* 1931 –

* 1932 –

* 1935 – Montreal Maroons

References

NHL History
{{NHL divisions

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

Organizations established in 1926 Organizations disestablished in 1938 Ice hockey in Canada