The 32 teams are divided into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. The league expanded gradually as the decades passed, and by the millennium there were 30 teams, not seeing another til 2017, followed by the 32nd team added at the start of the 2021/22 NHL regular season. The United States expansion began in 1924 with the Boston Bruins. The NHL started in 1917, with only four original teams – all based in Canada. The NHL is made up of 32 teams, with 25 in the United States, and seven in Canada. Avalanche a Clear Favorite vs Flames on Monday Night
