national_hockey_league | mostchampions | montreal_canadiens <sep> the national hockey league (nhl; french: ligue nationale de hockey—lnh, french pronunciation: [liɡ nasjɔnal də ɔkɛ]) is a professional ice hockey league in north america comprising 32 teams—25 in the united states and 7 in canada it is considered to be the top ranked professional ice hockey league in the world, and is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the united states and canada the stanley cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in north america, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season the nhl is the fifth-wealthiest professional sport league in the world by revenue, after the national football league (nfl), major league baseball (mlb), the national basketball association (nba), and the english premier league (epl)the national hockey league was organized at the windsor hotel in montreal on november 26, 1917, after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization, the national hockey association (nha), which had been founded in 1909 in renfrew, ontario the nhl immediately took the nha's place as one of the leagues that contested for the stanley cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and foldings left the nhl as the only league left competing for the stanley cup in 1926 
montreal canadiens have won the national hockey league the most times.the national hockey league was organized at the windsor hotel in montreal on november 26, 1917