History and culture

Where hockey began, the Original Six and the moments fans still talk about.

Where hockey began

Hockey as we know it began in Montreal. The first organized game was played at the Victoria Skating Rink on 3 March 1875. The IIHF named that rink the birthplace of organized hockey in 2002.

Stick games on ice are much older, so no single town owns the whole story.

Who started it

James Creighton grew up in Halifax and moved to Montreal in 1873 to work as an engineer. In 1875, he set up the first organized game. Canada’s government calls him the closest thing hockey has to a founding father.

Before 1875, hockey had no fixed rink, team size or rulebook. The Montreal game added all three.

What the official sources say

Each official body describes the 1875 game in its own words. NHL.com calls it the first organized ice hockey game.

The IIHF calls it the first game announced ahead of time between two named teams. The Government of Canada calls it the first recorded indoor game played before spectators.

Start here

The full guide Where was hockey invented? has the timeline and the older claims.