American Division (NHL)

The National Hockey League's American Division was formed after expansion in 1926. The division existed for 12 seasons until 1938.

During its run as a separate division, the American Division was the slightly more successful of the league's two divisions. American Division teams won seven Stanley Cup championships compared with five won by the Canadian Division and contested three intra-divisional Finals under the cross-over playoff format then in use, compared to only one such Finals between two Canadian Division teams.

Bruins

Black Hawks

Cougars

Rangers

Pirates

1926-30 American Division Teams

• Boston Bruins
• Chicago Black Hawks
• Detroit Cougars
• New York Rangers
• Pittsburgh Pirates

• The American Division is formed as the result of NHL realignment.
• The Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Pirates join the American Division.
• The Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Cougars and New York Rangers are admitted as expansion teams. (The Black Hawks and Cougars acquired the contracts of the Portland Rosebuds and Victoria Cougars, respectively, from the disbanding Western Hockey League however the league does not consider the Chicago and Detroit franchises to be continuations of the defunct WHL teams.)

Bruins

Black Hawks

Falcons

Rangers

Quakers

1930-31 American Division Teams

• Boston Bruins
• Chicago Black Hawks
• Detroit Falcons
• New York Rangers
• Philadelphia Quakers

• The Detroit Cougars change their name to the Detroit Falcons
• The Pittsburgh Pirates moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to become the Philadelphia Quakers

Bruins

Black Hawks

Falcons

Rangers

1931-33 American Division Teams

• Boston Bruins
• Chicago Black Hawks
• Detroit Falcons
• New York Rangers

• The Philadelphia Quakers folded due to financial problems

Bruins

Black Hawks

Red Wings

Rangers

1933-38 American Division Teams

• Boston Bruins
• Chicago Black Hawks
• Detroit Red Wings
• New York Rangers

• The Detroit Falcons change their name to the Detroit Red Wings

The league collapsed into one single table, reverting to the format of the 1925–26 season, after the Montreal Maroons folded in 1938.

• 1927 – New York Rangers (25–13–6, 56 pts)
• 1928 – Boston Bruins (20–13–11, 51 pts)
• 1929 – Boston Bruins (26–13–5, 57 pts)
• 1930 – Boston Bruins (38–5–1, 77 pts)
• 1931 – Boston Bruins (28–10–6, 62 pts)
• 1932 – New York Rangers (23–17–8, 54 pts)
• 1933 – Boston Bruins (25–15–8, 58 pts)
• 1934 – Detroit Red Wings (24–14–10, 58 pts)
• 1935 – Boston Bruins (26–16–6, 58 pts)
• 1936 – Detroit Red Wings (24–16–8, 56 pts)
• 1937 – Detroit Red Wings (25–14–9, 59 pts)
• 1938 – Boston Bruins (30–11–7, 67 pts)

• 1928 – New York Rangers
• 1929 – Boston Bruins
• 1933 – New York Rangers
• 1934 – Chicago Black Hawks
• 1936 – Detroit Red Wings
• 1937 – Detroit Red Wings
• 1938 – Chicago Black Hawks

• History of the National Hockey League

• NHL History