Are you a hockey enthusiast? Then, you will certainly find this collection of hockey facts curious. Delve into the history of your favourite sport and expand your knowledge with this short and entertaining article.
The origins of hockey
Even though hockey seems to be a very specific kind of sport, its origins are rather blurred. Actually, there are several theories about the roots of hockey. According to some researchers, the game was developed in Canada in the middle of the 1800s. As you can imagine, the first players of hockey were enjoy this sport on the pond while playing with homemade sticks. Presumably, the game was invented in Ontario.
Still, there are many historians who are sure the game was already known to people in the 1700s. These researchers believe the first people to play this breath-taking game were either the Irish or French.
The first indoor hockey game
Certainly, there is a great difference between playing hockey on a frozen pond and enjoying it on an ice rink especially when the one is located indoors.
Such indoor hockey games has been organised since 1875. The very first game of such a type took place on the third of March. Victoria Skating Rink located in Montreal was the home of the first indoor hockey game. During the game there were two teams and each of them had nine players. The majority of the players participating in the first indoor hockey game were the students of McGill University.
The creation of NHL
Any real devotee of hockey knows that the National Hockey League also known as NHL was created on November 22 more than a hundred of years ago. The exact year of the establishment of the league was 1917.
When the Stanley Cup is awarded?
The award of the Stanley Cup has been taking place every two year since 1914. Prior to that year the award had been given every year.
Interestingly, there were two years in which the award did not take place. The first time was in 1919 because of the Spanish flue pandemic when the Montreal Canadians’ members were stricken with the disease. The next case happened almost in a century. It was in 2005, when there was a lockout of the work and the award was cancelled.
Why is the Stanley Cup is the Stanley Cup?
Have you ever thought about why the famous Stanley Cup is actually named after Stanley? Certainly, this is not an accident. The Cup bears the name of Lord Stanley of Preston who was a Canadian Governor General. The trophy was his donation in 1893.