NHL Hockey Quiz
Stanley Cup dynasties, Ovechkin's 895th goal and the Original Six: 15 questions for hockey fans.
What is the name of the trophy awarded to the NHL champion?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup was donated in 1892 by Lord Stanley of Preston, Canada's Governor General, as a challenge trophy for amateur teams, and it has been the NHL's championship prize since 1926.
Unlike most trophies, the same Cup is passed on each year, and every winning player's name is engraved on it.
How many players does each team have on the ice at full strength, including the goaltender?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
6
A team at full strength skates six players: a goaltender, two defencemen and three forwards, a centre and two wingers, with penalties reducing a side to five or even four skaters.
Teams often pull the goalie for an extra attacker late in a game, leaving the net empty to chase a tying goal.
How long is each period in an NHL game?
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20 minutes
An NHL game has three 20-minute periods of stop-time play, with a 60-minute regulation game followed by overtime and a shootout if tied in the regular season.
Regular-season overtime is five minutes of three-on-three hockey, but playoff overtime is full 20-minute periods until someone scores.
Which NHL team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden?
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New York Rangers
The New York Rangers have played at Madison Square Garden since the team's founding in 1926, sharing the famous Manhattan arena with the NBA's Knicks, while the Islanders play on Long Island.
The Rangers ended a 54-year drought by winning the Stanley Cup in 1994, with Mark Messier famously guaranteeing a Game 6 win in the semifinal.
What has a player achieved when they score a "hat trick"?
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Three goals in one game
A hat trick is three goals by one player in a single game, and fans traditionally celebrate by throwing their hats onto the ice, which arena staff then gather up.
A "Gordie Howe hat trick" is the unofficial term for a goal, an assist and a fight in the same game.
Which franchise has won the most Stanley Cups?
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Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, including five in a row from 1956 to 1960 and four straight from 1976 to 1979.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are second with 13, but have not won since 1967, the longest drought in the league.
Which of these teams is not one of the NHL's Original Six?
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Philadelphia Flyers
The Original Six are the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Bruins, Rangers, Red Wings and Blackhawks, the only NHL teams from 1942 until the 1967 expansion added six more, including the Flyers.
The Flyers were the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, in 1974, with the brawling Broad Street Bullies.
Which trophy is awarded to the NHL's most valuable player in the regular season?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy has gone to the regular-season MVP since 1924, as voted by hockey writers; the Vezina is for goaltenders and the Norris for defencemen.
Wayne Gretzky won the Hart nine times, including eight in a row from 1980 to 1987.
With which team did Wayne Gretzky win all four of his Stanley Cups?
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Edmonton Oilers
Gretzky won the Cup with the Edmonton Oilers in 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988 before his shock trade to the Los Angeles Kings in August 1988.
The Oilers won a fifth Cup without him in 1990, led by his old linemate Mark Messier.
Who broke Wayne Gretzky's career goals record by scoring his 895th goal in April 2025?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Alex Ovechkin
Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored number 895 on April 6, 2025 against the New York Islanders, passing a record Gretzky had held for 31 years.
Ovechkin did it at age 39 despite missing 16 games that season with a broken leg.
Which team won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, beating the Edmonton Oilers in both Finals?
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Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers beat Edmonton in seven games in 2024 and in six games in 2025, becoming the first repeat champions since Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021.
Sam Reinhart scored four goals in the 2025 clincher, a 5 to 1 win in Game 6.
Which team won the 2026 Stanley Cup, its first championship since 2006?
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Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights four games to two, clinching with a 3 to 0 shutout in Las Vegas on June 14, 2026.
Captain Jordan Staal, at 37, became the oldest winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Which goaltender holds the NHL record for career regular-season wins, with 691?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Martin Brodeur
Martin Brodeur won 691 regular-season games, almost all with the New Jersey Devils between 1991 and 2014, and he also holds the record for career shutouts with 125.
Brodeur also won three Stanley Cups with the Devils, in 1995, 2000 and 2003, and Olympic gold with Canada in 2002.
Which player won the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP even though his team lost the Final?
Got a hunch? Pick the answer that feels right.
Connor McDavid
Connor McDavid led all scorers with 42 playoff points for Edmonton in 2024 and became only the sixth player from a losing team to win the Conn Smythe.
The previous losing-side winner was goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère of Anaheim in 2003, and the Oilers lost the 2024 Final in seven games.
Which team won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983?
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New York Islanders
The New York Islanders, led by Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin, won four straight Cups before losing the 1984 Final to the young Edmonton Oilers.
The Islanders won 19 consecutive playoff series during that run, a record for North American professional sport.
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All Sports quizzes →About the NHL Hockey Quiz
The Stanley Cup is the oldest trophy in North American pro sport, and the names engraved on it tell the league's story. The Montreal Canadiens have won it 24 times, the Islanders won four straight in the early 1980s, and in April 2025 Alex Ovechkin scored his 895th goal to pass Wayne Gretzky's record that had stood for 31 years.
These 15 questions cover the rules and trophies, the Original Six, the dynasties, the record holders, and the recent champions from Florida and Carolina. The opening questions suit anyone who has watched a game, and the later ones are for fans who know which players won the Conn Smythe without lifting the Cup. Each answer includes an explanation and a bonus fact.
You will find 15 multiple choice questions here, each with four options. Difficulty: Medium. Most people finish in about 6 minutes, and every answer comes with a short explanation and one extra fact worth keeping.
How to play
Read the question and pick one of the four answers. The correct answer is revealed straight away with a short explanation, then press Next question to keep going. At the end you get your score out of 15 and a full review of your round. Play again any time and the questions arrive in a fresh order. There is no timer and no account.
Good to know before you play
Who holds the NHL record for career goals?
Alex Ovechkin, who passed Wayne Gretzky's 894 goals with his 895th on April 6, 2025 against the New York Islanders.
Which team has won the most Stanley Cups?
The Montreal Canadiens, with 24 championships, the last of them in 1993.
Who won the Stanley Cup in 2026?
The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights four games to two, their second Cup and first since 2006.
Answer key: all 15 questions with explanations
- What is the name of the trophy awarded to the NHL champion?
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup was donated in 1892 by Lord Stanley of Preston, Canada's Governor General, as a challenge trophy for amateur teams, and it has been the NHL's championship prize since 1926. Unlike most trophies, the same Cup is passed on each year, and every winning player's name is engraved on it. - How many players does each team have on the ice at full strength, including the goaltender?
6 A team at full strength skates six players: a goaltender, two defencemen and three forwards, a centre and two wingers, with penalties reducing a side to five or even four skaters. Teams often pull the goalie for an extra attacker late in a game, leaving the net empty to chase a tying goal. - How long is each period in an NHL game?
20 minutes An NHL game has three 20-minute periods of stop-time play, with a 60-minute regulation game followed by overtime and a shootout if tied in the regular season. Regular-season overtime is five minutes of three-on-three hockey, but playoff overtime is full 20-minute periods until someone scores. - Which NHL team plays its home games at Madison Square Garden?
New York Rangers The New York Rangers have played at Madison Square Garden since the team's founding in 1926, sharing the famous Manhattan arena with the NBA's Knicks, while the Islanders play on Long Island. The Rangers ended a 54-year drought by winning the Stanley Cup in 1994, with Mark Messier famously guaranteeing a Game 6 win in the semifinal. - What has a player achieved when they score a "hat trick"?
Three goals in one game A hat trick is three goals by one player in a single game, and fans traditionally celebrate by throwing their hats onto the ice, which arena staff then gather up. A "Gordie Howe hat trick" is the unofficial term for a goal, an assist and a fight in the same game. - Which franchise has won the most Stanley Cups?
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, including five in a row from 1956 to 1960 and four straight from 1976 to 1979. The Toronto Maple Leafs are second with 13, but have not won since 1967, the longest drought in the league. - Which of these teams is not one of the NHL's Original Six?
Philadelphia Flyers The Original Six are the Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Bruins, Rangers, Red Wings and Blackhawks, the only NHL teams from 1942 until the 1967 expansion added six more, including the Flyers. The Flyers were the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, in 1974, with the brawling Broad Street Bullies. - Which trophy is awarded to the NHL's most valuable player in the regular season?
Hart Memorial Trophy The Hart Memorial Trophy has gone to the regular-season MVP since 1924, as voted by hockey writers; the Vezina is for goaltenders and the Norris for defencemen. Wayne Gretzky won the Hart nine times, including eight in a row from 1980 to 1987. - With which team did Wayne Gretzky win all four of his Stanley Cups?
Edmonton Oilers Gretzky won the Cup with the Edmonton Oilers in 1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988 before his shock trade to the Los Angeles Kings in August 1988. The Oilers won a fifth Cup without him in 1990, led by his old linemate Mark Messier. - Who broke Wayne Gretzky's career goals record by scoring his 895th goal in April 2025?
Alex Ovechkin Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored number 895 on April 6, 2025 against the New York Islanders, passing a record Gretzky had held for 31 years. Ovechkin did it at age 39 despite missing 16 games that season with a broken leg. - Which team won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2024 and 2025, beating the Edmonton Oilers in both Finals?
Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers beat Edmonton in seven games in 2024 and in six games in 2025, becoming the first repeat champions since Tampa Bay in 2020 and 2021. Sam Reinhart scored four goals in the 2025 clincher, a 5 to 1 win in Game 6. - Which team won the 2026 Stanley Cup, its first championship since 2006?
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Vegas Golden Knights four games to two, clinching with a 3 to 0 shutout in Las Vegas on June 14, 2026. Captain Jordan Staal, at 37, became the oldest winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. - Which goaltender holds the NHL record for career regular-season wins, with 691?
Martin Brodeur Martin Brodeur won 691 regular-season games, almost all with the New Jersey Devils between 1991 and 2014, and he also holds the record for career shutouts with 125. Brodeur also won three Stanley Cups with the Devils, in 1995, 2000 and 2003, and Olympic gold with Canada in 2002. - Which player won the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP even though his team lost the Final?
Connor McDavid Connor McDavid led all scorers with 42 playoff points for Edmonton in 2024 and became only the sixth player from a losing team to win the Conn Smythe. The previous losing-side winner was goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère of Anaheim in 2003, and the Oilers lost the 2024 Final in seven games. - Which team won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983?
New York Islanders The New York Islanders, led by Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin, won four straight Cups before losing the 1984 Final to the young Edmonton Oilers. The Islanders won 19 consecutive playoff series during that run, a record for North American professional sport.
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