The Boston Bruins became the NHL’s first United States-based franchise in 1924.
The Bruins entered the National Hockey League for the 1924–25 season, making Boston the league’s first American home. Their first NHL game was played on December 1, 1924, at Boston Arena against the Montreal Maroons. Boston won 2–1, with Smokey Harris scoring the franchise’s first goal.
The club was established by Charles Adams, a grocery magnate who wanted to bring professional hockey to Boston. The Bruins initially played at Boston Arena before moving to the Boston Garden in 1928. That historic venue remained their home for 67 seasons, helping make the team one of the NHL’s most recognizable franchises.
The wording can cause confusion because other famous American teams joined soon afterward. The New York Rangers and Detroit Cougars, later the Red Wings, also entered the NHL in 1926, while the Chicago Black Hawks joined that same expansion era. Boston’s distinction is specifically being first among NHL franchises located in the United States, not being the oldest hockey club in America.