Hockey is a very popular sport in the United States. Ever since the first ice rink was built in Baltimore back in 1894, hockey’s popularity has been on the rise across the country. The Northeast and upper Midwest part of the country were among the first to adopt hockey due to the cold climate.

However, as the National Hockey League (NHL) expanded, this sport has spread all over the states. Today, many hockey fans inform themselves about NHL picks and rely on betting guides if they plan on placing a friendly wager. With that in mind, let’s have a closer look at the increasing popularity of hockey in the U.S.

The spread of hockey across the U.S.

Hockey originated in Canada but it quickly made its way to the U.S. After Canadian immigrants brought the sport down south, the first known formal game of ice hockey in the United States was organized in 1893.

The match between Yale University and Johns Hopkins University is generally considered to be the start of modern-day ice hockey in the States. However, it wasn’t until 1917 that the National Hockey League was created and became one of the major professional sport leagues in the U.S.

The birth of the minor leagues

After the NHL was founded, hockey quickly became one of the most popular sports across the nation. The development of minor leagues, such as the American Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) quickly came to be.

College hockey also became very popular with the annual tournament called the Frozen Four where students who participate in the tournament get drafted into the NHL teams. There are both junior and senior hockey leagues in the U.S. today.

Women’s hockey

The popularity of hockey in the U.S. continued to grow as time went by. Women were also interested in the sport which led to the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) to be established in 2015. Women played hockey even before that but they weren’t officially recognized back then.

In fact, the Ivy League Women’s Hockey has existed since 1965. After that, the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance officially debuted in 1997. Although not many women play hockey, it’s still a popular sport among them. As of 2018, there are five women’s hockey teams in the NWHL.

Closing Words

Hockey has been around for some time now thanks to the Canadians. Each year, this sport grows in popularity all over the U.S. As popularity continues to grow, there’s more interest from both those who want to play hockey and those who want to watch it.