The National Hockey League (NHL), is a professional ice hockey league in North America with a total of 32 teams, consisting of 25 teams in the United States and 7 teams in Canada.
The NHL organizes its teams into two conferences: the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, each further divided into divisions. The Eastern Conference features 16 teams, split into eight per division, while the Western Conference also consists of 16 teams, with teams spilt into eight per division.
More recently, the NHL expanded for the first time in 17 years with the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, bringing the total number of teams to 31, and expanded further to 32 teams with the inclusion of the Seattle Kraken in 2021.
NHL Team Owners 2024
Every NHL team employs a holding company structure for its assets, often involving intricate layers of corporations. In cases where teams are owned by publicly held corporations, they are denoted by the corporation's chairman. Additionally, the NHL Governor identifies each team's representative on the NHL Board of Governors, the authoritative body overseeing the league. In most instances, this representative is the majority or plurality owner of the respective club.
The list of NHL team owners provides a detailed insight into the diverse ownership landscape within the league. Ranging from long standing owners like Jeremy Jacobs of the Boston Bruins, who has been involved since 1975, to newer entrants such as the Seattle Kraken's ownership group led by David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Tod Leiweke, who joined the league in 2018, each franchise reflects a unique combination of leadership and financial structures.
The purchase prices and acquisition years showcase the evolution and value appreciation of these teams over time. Noteworthy is the Molson Family's substantial investment in the Montreal Canadiens in 2009, making it one of the highest-priced acquisitions in the list.
The following is a list of current National Hockey League franchise owners:
| Teams | Principal Owner(s) | NHL Governor | Operating Entities | Purchase Price | Year Purchased |
| Anaheim Ducks | Henry Samueli | Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club LLC | $70,000,000 | 2005 | |
| Arizona Coyotes | Alex Meruelo | IceArizona Acquisition Co., LLC | $300,000,000 | 2019 | |
| Boston Bruins | Jeremy Jacobs | Boston Professional Hockey Association, Inc | $10,000,000 | 1975 | |
| Buffalo Sabres | Terry and Kim Pegula | Terry Pegula | Pegula Sports and Entertainment; Hockey Western New York, LLC | $165,000,000 | 2011 |
| Calgary Flames | N. Murray Edwards | Calgary Sports and Entertainment | $16,000,000 | 1980 | |
| Carolina Hurricanes | Tom Dundon | Gale Force Sports And Entertainment, LLC; Carolina Hurricanes Hockey Club | $420,000,000 | 2018 | |
| Chicago Blackhawks | Danny Wirtz | Chicago Blackhawk Hockey Team, Inc. | $1,000,000 | 1954 | |
| Colorado Avalanche | Ann Walton Kroenke | Josh Kroenke | Kroenke Sports & Entertainment; Colorado Avalanche, LLC | $202,000,000 | 2000 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | John P. McConnell | Colhoc Limited Partnership; The Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey Club | $80M & $173M | 1997 & 2012 | |
| Dallas Stars | Tom Gaglardi | Dallas Stars LP | $240,000,000 | 2011 | |
| Detroit Red Wings | Marian Illitch | Christopher Ilitch | Ilitch Holdings Inc.; Olympia Entertainment; Detroit Red Wings, Inc. | $8,500,000 | 1982 |
| Edmonton Oilers | Daryl Katz | Rexall Sports Corporation; Oilers Entertainment Group | $170,000,000 | 2008 | |
| Florida Panthers | Vincent Viola | Sunrise Sports and Entertainment; Florida Panthers Hockey Club, Ltd. | $160,000,000 | 2013 | |
| Los Angeles Kings | Philip Anschutz and Edward P. Roski | Philip Anschutz | Anschutz Entertainment Group, The Los Angeles Kings Hockey Club LP | $113,300,000 | 1995 |
| Minnesota Wild | Craig Leipold | Minnesota Sports and Entertainment; Minnesota Wild Hockey Club, LP | $225,000,000 | 2008 | |
| Montreal Canadiens | Molson Family | Geoff Molson | Club de hockey Canadien, Inc. | $575,000,000 | 2009 |
| Nashville Predators | Herb Fritch | Predators Holdings LLC | $174,000,000 | 2007 | |
| New Jersey Devils | David Blitzer and Josh Harris | Tad Brown | Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment | $320,000,000 | 2013 |
| New York Islanders | Jon Ledecky and Scott D. Malkin | Scott D. Malkin | New York Islanders Hockey Club, LP | $485,000,000 | 2016 |
| New York Rangers | James L. Dolan | The Madison Square Garden Company, New York Rangers Hockey Club | $195,000,000 | 1997 | |
| Ottawa Senators | Estate of Eugene Melnyk | Senators Sports & Entertainment; Ottawa Senators Hockey Club Limited Partnership | $92,000,000 | 2003 | |
| Philadelphia Flyers | Brian L. Roberts | Dan Hilferty | Comcast Spectacor; Philadelphia Flyers, LP | $150,000,000 | 1996 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | Ronald Burkle and Mario Lemieux | David Morehouse | Fenway Sports Group; Lemieux Group LP | $107,000,000 | 1999 |
| San Jose Sharks | Hasso Plattner | Sharks Sports and Entertainment; San Jose Sports & Entertainment Enterprises; San Jose Sharks, LLC | $147,000,000 | 2002 | |
| Seattle Kraken | David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer and Tod Leiweke | David Bonderman | Seattle Hockey Partners | $650,000,000 | 2018 |
| St. Louis Blues | Tom Stillman | SLB Acquisition Holdings LLC; St. Louis Blues Hockey Club, L.P. | $180,000,000 | 2012 | |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Jeffrey Vinik | Lightning Hockey LP | $93,000,000 | 2010 | |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | Larry Tanenbaum | Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Ltd.; Kilmer Sports, Inc. | $263M & $1B | 1996 & 2012 | |
| Vancouver Canucks | Francesco Aquilini | Canucks Sports & Entertainment | $207,000,000 | 2005 | |
| Vegas Golden Knights | Bill Foley | Black Knight Sports & Entertainment, Hockey Vision Las Vegas | $500,000,000 | 2016 | |
| Washington Capitals | Ted Leonsis | Monumental Sports and Entertainment | $85,000,000 | 1999 | |
| Winnipeg Jets | Mark Chipman and David Thomson | Mark Chipman | True North Sports & Entertainment, Ltd. | $170,000,000 | 2011 |
FAQ's On List of NHL Team Owners
A. The NHL consists of a total of 32 teams, with 25 teams located in the United States and 7 teams in Canada.
A. During this period, the NHL transitioned from 31 teams to 32, with changes in team composition and realignment for the 2020–21 season, which later reverted to the previous alignment.
A. The last expansion in the NHL occurred in 2021 with the inclusion of the Seattle Kraken, bringing the total number of teams to 32.
A. NHL teams employ a holding company structure for their assets, often involving complex layers of corporations. The principal owner(s) hold the majority or plurality stake, with the NHL Governor typically being the majority or plurality owner.
A. The Montreal Canadiens, owned by the Molson Family, had one of the highest purchase prices, acquiring the franchise for $575,000,000 in 2009, reflecting a significant investment in the team.
