Club hockey history is largely NHL history. North American franchises have competed for the Stanley Cup since 1893, building the sport's lineage over more than a century — topped by the Montreal Canadiens with 24 titles. Yet no account of the club landscape is complete without CSKA Moscow, which dominated the Soviet league for thirteen straight years and supplied the backbone of the national team through the Cold War era.
The twelve clubs below are ranked by weighing championship totals, dynasty density, and how much they changed the game itself. "League titles" means Stanley Cup wins for NHL clubs and the combined Soviet league plus KHL Gagarin Cup count for CSKA. Arena capacity and club history reflect the 2024–25 season.
Key teams
Montreal Canadiens
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HC CSKA Moscow
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Toronto Maple Leafs
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Detroit Red Wings
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Edmonton Oilers
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Boston Bruins
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New York Islanders
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Chicago Blackhawks
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Pittsburgh Penguins
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New York Rangers
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Colorado Avalanche
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Tampa Bay Lightning
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