Why did the NHL have only six teams for many years before it expanded

The National Hockey League (NHL) was founded in 1917 with six teams: the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Arenas, and Quebec Bulldogs. The league remained at six teams for over 25 years due to a number of factors, including:

Lack of interest in expansion: The NHL was initially based in Eastern Canada and the United States, and there was little interest in expanding to other regions.
Travel difficulties: Travel was difficult and expensive in the early 20th century, making it challenging to add teams from distant cities.
Financial constraints: The NHL was a small league with limited financial resources, making it difficult to support additional teams.
Competition from other sports: Hockey faced competition from other popular sports such as baseball, football, and basketball, which made it harder to attract fans and players.
World War II: The NHL suspended operations during World War II, which further delayed expansion plans.

After the war, the NHL finally began to expand, adding teams in Chicago, Detroit, and New York in 1946. The league continued to grow steadily over the following decades, reaching its current total of 32 teams in 2021.

When was the NHL founded? - 1917
How many teams were in the NHL when it was founded? - 6
Why was there little interest in NHL expansion for many years? - Lack of interest from potential markets and travel difficulties
What factors contributed to the NHL's financial constraints? - Small league size and limited resources
Which sports did the NHL face competition from? - Baseball, football, and basketball

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Why did the NHL have only six teams for many years before it expanded?

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