Thread: History of NHL Expansion

This is a cool little chart. Wierd seeing the old divisions and where some teams used to be

It's weird that in 1974-78, the Kings were in the same division as Detroit, Montreal, Pittsburgh and Washington. Traveling must have been atrocious in that time period.

Canucks 70-74 must have had some crappy traveling as well.

I was 18 and a sophomore in college at the start of the season in 1967. Those 6 teams from the right on the very top row were hockey to me before then. Bobby Orr was transforming hockey and the Leafs were the best team around.

Originally Posted by VCRW

I was 18 and a sophomore in college at the start of the season in 1967. Those 6 teams from the right on the very top row were hockey to me before then. Bobby Orr was transforming hockey and the Leafs were the best team around.

I always like reading what long time Kings/NHL fans have to say about the game, since I've only been a fan since the 02/03 season. Just out of curiosity, were you a die-hard hockey/NHL fan before the Kings came into the league? If so...who was your team before the first expansion?

Originally Posted by Palffy3314

I always like reading what long time Kings/NHL fans have to say about the game, since I've only been a fan since the 02/03 season. Just out of curiosity, were you a die-hard hockey/NHL fan before the Kings came into the league? If so...who was your team before the first expansion?

I grew up outside of Boston and I played hockey my whole life. I missed the Milt Schmidt era with the Bruins and they weren't a very good team until the late 60s. I loved watching the Canadiens Flying Frenchmen team of the 50s and early 60s. Seeing Rocket Richard, Henri Richard, Beliveau and Geoffrion (and so many others) was a special treat. That wide open style of play drove me from Pee Wees through high school. I always wanted to put on that red sweater and fly like the wind.

Severe injuries took me out of my college hockey dreams but by that time Orr had come into the league and the Bruins finally had a team to get behind. I loved watching those guys. All my experiences at the Boston Garden were memorable but the day I got Gordie Howe's autograph will always stand out. Sure wish I had that program from 1957 now.

I loved how Vancouver started in the East.

The NHL version of the Atlanta Braves in the NL West and the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC West.

thanks for posting that chart. i'm a much more visual person so it sinks in more for me to see something like that than just a list of names.

i've got a bobby orr story, too, but it has nothing to do with hockey. lol. my husband's friend's mom dated him and had no idea who he was (knew nothing about hockey). i can't even imagine what planet she was on living on. ended up marrying a well to do ophthalmologist in SLC instead, somewhat recently divorced. could've maybe been mrs. orr. womp womp.

Originally Posted by lunchbox

thanks for posting that chart. i'm a much more visual person so it sinks in more for me to see something like that than just a list of names.

i've got a bobby orr story, too, but it has nothing to do with hockey. lol. my husband's friend's mom dated him and had no idea who he was (knew nothing about hockey). i can't even imagine what planet she was on living on. ended up marrying a well to do ophthalmologist in SLC instead, somewhat recently divorced. could've maybe been mrs. orr. womp womp.