What team is no longer in the NHL?

From the beginning of the National Hockey League in 1917, it has been rife with deals, political scandals, and financial issues that led to making the league what it is today.

Let us look back at some franchises that are no longer part of the NHL family anymore.

After playing many seasons in Canadian professional leagues and winning four Stanley Cups, the Wanderers became one of the founding NHL teams in 1917.

Montreal Wanderers (1917-1918)

However, it went off after just six games for two major reasons — their arena was destroyed in a fire and they could not replace many players who went to fight in World War I.

Ottawa Senators (1917-1934)

Founded in 1893, Senators is one of five Canadian teams that created the NHL in 1917. One of the best league teams during the ’20s, they won another four Stanley Cups between 1920 to 1927.

The NHL’s expansion into the US proved fatal to them as their fans had no interest in new rivalries with Boston or Detroit.

Quebec Bulldogs (1919-1920)

Just like the Montreal Wanderers, the Bulldogs played in different Canadian leagues from 1878 to 1917, and were fairly successful, with two Stanley Cup wins in 1912 and 1913.

But when NHL was launched, the Bulldogs — one of the league’s founding teams — were forced to suspend activity and rent out their players to other teams, due to financial and logistical problems centring World War I.

Hamilton Tigers (1920-1925)

After being sold to Ontario businessmen, the Bulldogs became the Hamilton Tigers, an unstable franchise that seemed destined to languish at the bottom of the NHL ranks.

Montreal Maroons (1924-1938)

From the team’s founding in 1924 until its end in 1938, the Maroons were almost always leaders in the league, winning the Stanley Cup twice.

But the team, like many others in the league, struggled due to major economic problems in the 1930s due to the Great Depression.

New York/Brooklyn Americans (1925-1942)

Joining the NHL during the crush of the first US expansion, the Americans were founded from the ashes of the former Hamilton Tigers, purchased for a song after the 1925 players’ strike.

When the US entered World War II, only four players managed to avoid conscription and the team was forced to shut down temporarily.

Pittsburgh Pirates (1925-1930)

After playing as the Yellow Jackets for a decade in an independent hockey league, the Pirates officially became part of the NHL in 1925.

Economic hardship due to the Great Depression forced the Pirates to transfer to Philadelphia at the end of the 1929-30 season, and renamed Philadelphia Quakers.

The other such teams which need to be mentioned are Philadelphia Quakers (1930-1931), St. Louis Eagles (1934-1935), California Golden Seals (1967-1976), Minnesota North Stars (1967-1993), Atlanta Flames (1972-1980), Kansas City Scouts (1974-1976), Cleveland Barons (1976-1978), Colorado Rockies (1976-1982), Quebec Nordiques (1979-1995), Winnipeg Jets (1979-1996), Hartford Whalers (1979-1997), Atlanta Thrashers (1999-2011).