The Boston Bruins became the NHL’s first U.S.-based franchise when they joined the league in 1924.
Boston was awarded an NHL franchise on November 1, 1924, and played its first game that December. The team was founded by grocery magnate Charles Adams, who wanted to bring professional hockey to Boston. The Bruins’ first home was Boston Arena, now known as Matthews Arena.
The Bruins entered during a period when the NHL was expanding beyond Canada. The league had been founded in Montreal in 1917, and all of its original franchises were Canadian. Boston’s arrival helped establish the NHL as a major North American league.
The New York Americans also began play in 1925, followed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Rangers. The Bruins remain one of the NHL’s oldest continuous franchises and won their first Stanley Cup in 1929.