20 Things Even Hockey Fans Didn’t Know About the NHL

With the 2024 NHL postseason wrapping up, we thought it was a good time to take a deeper look into the National Hockey League. The NHL has been around in an official capacity since 1917, and there have been some incredible players and amazing moments throughout the course of the league's history. We believe that hockey is underappreciated when it comes to the major sports, so it's time to learn more about the league with the 20 things you didn't know about the NHL.

Even if you're a die-hard hockey fan, there are some facts that you likely didn't know. For instance, did you know that a player was once traded for $1 or that the first hockey puck was made out of cow dung? How about the fact that an emergency goalie could be picked out of the crowd at any time? Did you know where the Stanley Cup originated or that some players who win it use it as dinnerware? You probably didn't know that the Pittsburgh Penguins once had an actual penguin for a mascot. We have all that and other awesome facts, including how fast the players skate, who has the most wins, and how the pucks are prepared for the game.

To determine the various things you didn't know about the NHL, 24/7 Tempo scoured many different online sports sources, including ESPN and NHL.com. We also checked out hockey blogs, such as The Hockey Writers and The Rink Live. All in all, we think you'll be amazed at some of these facts. (If this article excites you and you want to learn more about this great sport, check out this list of the best-known hockey teams in America.)

To start, one thing you likely didn't know about the National Hockey League is when the first goal was scored. The first official game was on December 19, 1917. The first goal was scored by Dave Ritchie of the Montreal Wanderers against the Toronto Arenas. Every once in a while, a goalie also gets a point. The first goalie to score a goal was Billy Smith of the New York Islanders, and he performed the feat on November 28, 1979.

Back in 1993, player Kris Draper was traded to the Red Wings for just $1 and future considerations. He was drafted in the third round as the 62nd overall pick. It was such a notorious trade that he got the name the "One Dollar Man." Draper continued to play for the Red Wings for 17 seasons. He scored 158 goals during that time. He also helped the team win four Stanley Cups. Compare that to the first million-dollar trade, which was when the Boston Bruins signed Bobby Orr to five years at $200,000 per year.

One thing you likely didn't know about hockey in general is when the first indoor game was ever played. In 1875, the first game was played at Victoria Skating Rink. It took place in Montreal, Quebec. Even though it was indoors, the rink was still made of naturally frozen ice. Variations of hockey were likely played before this, but this is the first recorded indoor game.

A professional hockey player can do amazing things. During the game, the puck needs to travel quickly before the other players catch up. Before modern technology, player Bobby Hull hit the fastest wrist shot at 105 mph. Later on, after new technology was developed that could better judge speed, player Zdeno Chara recorded the fastest slap shot at a blazing fast 108.8 mph. It's amazing what some of these players can do with just a flick of the wrist.

While the puck is being shot at amazing speeds, the players themselves are also going pretty fast. On average, an NHL player will travel above 20 mph during the game as they skate from net to net. Some players even go above 30 mph from time to time.

Like in the other major league sports, many NHL players have unique pre-game routines to psyche themselves up for the game. Many won't get on the rink until they've done their routine. Player Brian Boyle wouldn't hit the ice without first having a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal. Meanwhile, Patrick Marleau juggles three pucks before getting onto the ice. In addition to being a superstition, juggling also helps his hand-eye coordination.

Like every sport, the NHL has its share of wild trades. However, there have never been two teams that permanently switched arenas. In 1980, Harold Ballard, the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs offered Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington the chance for their teams to switch arenas. Ballard was supposedly in money trouble, so he offered his historic Maple Leaf Gardens and asked to trade arenas and get $50 million. However, the trade never went through.

Many of the most talented hockey players also have amazing skills away from the ice. For instance, Drew Doughty is a fan of Shakespearean plays, and he even takes acting classes. Then there's Tom Wilson, who is a prodigy of another athletic pursuit: table tennis. Meanwhile, Wayne Simmonds loves to play soccer during his free time. There's also super goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who is an amazing golfer. Finally, player Auston Matthews is a talented sculptor.

An aspect that you likely didn't know about the NHL is that they have an emergency goalie rule. Goalies can be tough to come by, so there is a list of emergency goalies who can play if no one on the team's roster is available. Typically, it will be a goalie that's not even on the team at all. In many cases, the emergency goalie comes to the game, gets dressed, and sits on the bench. However, once in a while, though very rarely, an emergency goalie can be called in.

The official NHL website once claimed that back when hockey was brand new, it wasn't played with a puck as we know it today. Instead, the pucks were hand-crafted out of cow dung. Apparently, the material was solid, stayed on the ground, and was able to glide back and forth. It's a good thing that the puck evolved since then.

If you watch just one hockey game, you'll see how hard the players work. They are constantly zipping back and forth and getting into heated altercations along the way. Scoring a goal can be very difficult, especially on skates. To top it all, the players are packed into heavy padding and equipment. Put all that together and it's no surprise that some players can lose 5-8 pounds per game. Granted, that's typically water weight, but it's still amazing. The sport is very difficult, and that's one of the reasons why there are two intermissions.

One thing you likely didn't know about the NHL is that they experimented with live animals as the mascots. At least one team did. During the 1960s, Jack McGregor, owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins received a live penguin on loan from the Pittsburgh Zoo. He called him Penguin Pete. The idea went so far that McGregor ordered custom ice skates for the penguin so it could learn to skate. It didn't work and the penguin ended up getting pneumonia and being returned to the zoo, where he passed away.

Over time, there have been many incredible hockey players with amazing records. One of those players is Henri Richard, who has won more Stanley Cups than any other player. There's also Dan Girardi, who had 1,846 blocked shots, which was the most in the league. Finally, Matt Martin had the most hits in one season. He had 382 hits during the 2014-2015 season.

One thing you didn't know about the NHL but seems obvious after you learn it is that pucks used during hockey games are frozen prior to play. They're frozen because that prevents the punk from jumping up in the air and hitting a player or the fans. Before the game, about 12 pucks are frozen. That way, a puck can be substituted when a used one thaws.

When you go to a hockey game or see one on TV, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the ice is super thick in the rink. After all, that's what it looks like. However, the truth is that the ice is only three-quarters of an inch thick. That's for a reason. Thinner ice freezes faster and harder, allowing the players to build up some amazing speed.

The Stanley Cup started with Fredrick Arthur, also known as Lord Stanley of Preston, who was the Governor-General of Canada. He bought the decorative cup for 10 guineas while he was in London. He got it in 1892 and donated it to an amateur hockey club in Canada. The trophy was first awarded and presented to the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association in 1893, and the rest is history.

There have been many successful teams in the National Hockey League, but none compare to the list of victories attributed to the Montreal Canadiens. During the course of their existence, they've earned 24 Stanley Cup wins. That's impressive in itself, but it's even more amazing when you consider the 2nd place team in this regard is the Toronto Maple Leafs, and they've only won 13 Stanley Cups. At this point, it seems unlikely that any team will catch up to the Canadiens.

Speaking of the big trophy, did you know that after a team wins the Stanley Cup, each player gets to bring it home and keep it for 24 hours? While it's in their possession, the players can do anything they want with it. Some even use the bowl at the top to hold snacks, while others drink juice, soda, or whatever they want out of it. It makes sense since the top of the trophy is technically a punch bowl. Don't worry. A watcher typically goes along with the trophy to ensure that it's not lost or broken during these antics.

What may be most shocking about this list of facts is that the NHL does not require players to wear mouthguards. When worn, mouthguards can protect players from broken teeth and jaws when getting hit in the face, and they also help the players from biting down on their tongues. Still, the league gives them the option to wear them or not and many choose not to use them.

For 20 years, Wayne Gretzky was the GOAT of professional hockey. If you're a fan of the sport, you likely know that. But, did you know how many accolades he achieved during his career? He won the Stanley Cup four times, won nine Hart Trophies (most valuable player), and landed five Lady Byng Trophies (sportsmanship award). He is even the highest scorer, with 2,857 career points. (If you want to learn more about him and some of the other greats of the sport, check out our list of the best athletes ever to play hockey.)