The National Hockey League (NHL) has a long history of teams that no longer operate in the same form or place where they once played. Since the league began in 1917, franchises have folded, merged, renamed, or relocated for many reasons: bankruptcy, poor attendance, arena problems, changing ownership, or league expansion and contraction. Some teams stopped existing entirely; others continued under new names or in new cities. The rival World Hockey Association (WHA) and its later merger with the NHL also affected franchise continuity.

Scope and definitions

For the purposes of a list of defunct and relocated teams it helps to distinguish three categories: teams that ceased operations and have no continuing franchise, franchises that relocated and remain active under a new city or name, and clubs that merged with another franchise. Name changes or rebranding that did not interrupt franchise continuity are not treated as defunct. Records and historical attribution are governed by the league’s recognition of franchise continuity in each case.

Examples of teams that folded or disappeared

  • Early-era clubs that dissolved: teams from the league’s first decades often folded during economic downturns; examples include clubs that lasted only a few seasons in the 1920s and 1930s.
  • New York Americans / Brooklyn Americans: an early New York franchise that ceased operations during the World War II era.
  • Montreal Maroons and other interwar clubs: successful in their time but later disbanded as markets consolidated around fewer teams.
  • St. Louis Eagles and Philadelphia Quakers: relocations or rebrandings that ultimately ended in franchise failure rather than long-term survival.

Notable relocations and surviving continuations

  • Quebec Nordiques → Colorado Avalanche: a franchise move that brought hockey to a new market and led to early success for the relocated club.
  • Winnipeg Jets (original) → Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes: an example of a team moving to a larger U.S. media market, with a complex later history.
  • Hartford Whalers → Carolina Hurricanes: a WHA-origin team that joined the NHL then relocated to a different U.S. market.
  • Minnesota North Stars → Dallas Stars and Atlanta Flames → Calgary Flames: moves from U.S. to Canadian markets or between U.S. cities driven by ownership and arena situations.
  • Kansas City Scouts → Colorado Rockies → New Jersey Devils: a multi-step relocation that resulted in one of the modern NHL franchises.
  • Cleveland Barons: a short-lived NHL franchise that merged with another club rather than surviving independently.

Relocations are common in North American professional sports; when a team moves the league must decide how to allocate history and records. Some relocated franchises retain their historical records and statistical continuity, while other defunct names remain as distinct chapters in hockey history.

Why teams fold or move and the legacy they leave

Economic factors — gate receipts, television markets, arena deals, and ownership stability — are the primary drivers of moves and closures. The result is a patchwork of memories and loyalties: some cities eventually regain NHL hockey under a different franchise (for example, a later Winnipeg team adopted the Jets name), while others keep the story of a bygone club in local lore. Fans, memorabilia, and rivalries persist, and the history of defunct and relocated teams is an important part of the NHL’s evolving landscape.

For a detailed roster of every defunct or relocated franchise, including seasons of operation and subsequent disposition, consult specialized historical lists and archives maintained by the league and hockey historians. Such compilations clarify which franchises ceased entirely, which merged, and which continue in new locations.