California Hockey Teams: How Many Hockey Teams are in California?
California is a place famous for Disneyland, Silicon Valley, and Hollywood. Different sports teams are also present there. Some are very popular, while others are not. The popularity of a sport depends on the demand and activities of people living there. The NHL also has its teams in this state.
So, what are the California hockey teams? Currently, California has 3 professional NHL teams: the Los Angeles Kings (1967-present), the Anaheim Ducks (1993-present) and the San Jose Sharks (1991-present). In the NHL, they are all part of the Pacific Division.
In the rest of this article, you will learn which teams are part of California hockey, how they have increased the popularity of Hockey in their state, and many more. So, Stay tuned.
Table of Contents
NHL Teams in California
California is a state that has many hockey teams, but only three teams are in the NHL named: The San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks. The AHL teams are Ontario region, San Diego Gulls, San Jose Barracuda, Stockton Heat, and Bakersfield Condor. Some teams are in its northern and western regions.
What is the best hockey team in California?
Kings, Ducks, and Sharks have made many efforts to come in the category of the best team in California.
Current best (2022-23)
The California teams rank in the top 10 categories of the 2022-23 ranking. The Los Angeles was second, San Jose Sharks were seventh, and Anaheim Ducks were eighth. So, according to the ranking, Los Angeles Kings is the Current best team.
Here are the standings in the Pacific Division as of Dec 30, 2022:
| Rank | Team | GP | Wins | Losses | OT | Points |
| 1 | Vegas Golden Knights | 38 | 24 | 12 | 2 | 50 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Kings | 39 | 21 | 12 | 6 | 48 |
| 3 | Calgary Flames | 37 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 41 |
| 4 | Seattle Kraken | 33 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 40 |
| 5 | Edmonton Oilers | 36 | 19 | 15 | 2 | 40 |
| 6 | Vancouver Canucks | 35 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 35 |
| 7 | San Jose Sharks | 37 | 11 | 19 | 7 | 29 |
| 8 | Anaheim Ducks | 36 | 10 | 22 | 4 | 24 |
All-time best (history)
According to the championship titles, San Jose Sharks has won zero Stanley Cups. Anaheim Ducks won one Stanley Cup, and Los Angeles won two.
Los Angeles Kings is the best team of all time, as it is the oldest team in California that has won two Cups and ranked 2nd in the recent ranking.
Northern California Hockey teams
Northern California Hockey teams are a mixture of merchant-sponsored teams and college-sponsored teams. The Northern California Hockey League was operated since the 1940s.
Northern California has seven teams Junior College, Southern Pacific Club, Golden State Milk, Maccabee Club, Pacific Club, U. of California, and Southern Pacific Club. These teams played in Northern California Hockey League during 1940-41.
Is Hockey Popular in California?
Since the 90s, the popularity of hockey is continuously growing in California. Still, it is less popular than other games like basketball and football. One reason behind this is the weather condition.
But it starts gaining popularity due to the following reasons:
- As the Kings won the Stanley Cups two times, the Ducks one time, and the Sharks qualified for the Stanley Cup final many times but didn’t finish as the winning side.
- Another reason is that the Sans Jose Sharks and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim became part of the NHL during the 90s. The Gretzky trade also has a significant impact on hockey popularity in California.
California Stanley Cup Winners
California teams have won three Stanley Cups. In 2007, the Stanley Cup was won by Anaheim Ducks. Los Angeles won 2 Stanley Cups, one in 2012 and the other in 2014. The San Jose Sharks have yet to win any Stanley cup. Angeles Kings is the best team in California, winning 2 cups till now. This team has been trying for 45 years and finally became champions in 2012. Compared with the other Shark and Duck teams, the Kings were in the league for the longest time.
The success of California NHL teams
Los Angeles Kings qualified for the final many times and won the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014. People living in California start taking an interest in Hockey after this championship.
This success led invent of two new teams in this state, Anaheim Ducks and Jose Sharks. In 1988 when Wayne Gretzky was sent to the Kings, it positively impacted the popularity of Hockey in California.
Kings, Ducks, and Sharks have made many efforts to promote Hockey in California.
Is there anyone who has played for every California team?
In history, no player has played with all three teams. At the same time, many players remain part of one or two teams. Anaheim Ducks traded for Joakim Ryan, Los Angele Kings traded for Nike Bonino, have played for Ducks and Sharks, while San Jose Sharks traded for Luke Schenn, Ben Hutton, Carl Hagelin, and Nate Thompson have played with Ducks and Kings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does California have three NHL teams?
California already had its hockey team, the Los Angeles Kings, since the 60s, but ice hockey was not famous due to the warm temperature. With the expansion in Los Angeles in 1967, it was the best time to introduce new teams. So in the 1990s, the NHL establish two new teams in California.
Thus, these teams help to gain good revenue from television and broadcasting.
Which state has more than one NHL team?
There are multiple NHL teams in states other than California, including Florida, New York, California, and Pennsylvania.
Florida and Pennsylvania have two teams, while New York has three teams.
Is hockey growing in California?
Hockey has continuously grown in California since the 90s as new teams, The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and San Jose Sharks, were introduced in this state. Another reason was as the biggest star Gretzky, was traded to Los Angeles.
Conclusion
In conclusion, California has three NHL teams, and Los Angeles Kings is its oldest team. The other two NHL teams are San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks. Minor and women’s hockey teams also play matches on the national and international levels. These teams have done their best to increase the demand for hockey in their state and won Stanley Cups.
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