The National Hockey League's American Division was formed after expansion in 1926. The division existed for 12 seasons until 1938. Its champion was awarded the Prince of Wales Trophy.
During its run as a separate division, the American Division was the slightly more successful of the league's two divisions. American Division teams won seven Stanley Cup championships compared with five won by the Canadian Division and contested three intra-divisional Finals under the cross-over playoff format then in use, compared to only one such Finals between two Canadian Division teams.
Division lineups
1926–1930
Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Cougars New York Rangers Pittsburgh Pirates
Changes from the 1925–26 season The American Division is formed as the result of NHL realignment. The Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Pirates join the American Division. The Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Cougars and New York Rangers are admitted as expansion teams. (The Black Hawks and Cougars acquired the contracts of the Portland Rosebuds and Victoria Cougars, respectively, from the disbanding Western Hockey League however the league does not consider the Chicago and Detroit franchises to be continuations of the defunct WHL teams.)
1930–1931
Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Falcons New York Rangers Philadelphia Quakers
Changes from the 1929–30 season The Detroit Cougars change their name to the Detroit Falcons The Pittsburgh Pirates moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to become the Philadelphia Quakers
1931–1933
Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Falcons New York Rangers
Changes from the 1930–31 season The Philadelphia Quakers folded due to financial problems
1933–1938
Boston Bruins Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings New York Rangers
Changes from 1932–33 season The Detroit Falcons change their name to the Detroit Red Wings
After the 1937–38 season The league collapsed into one single table, reverting to the format of the 1925–26 season, after the Montreal Maroons folded in 1938.
Division champions 1927 – New York Rangers (25–13–6, 56 pts) 1928 – Boston Bruins (20–13–11, 51 pts) 1929 – Boston Bruins (26–13–5, 57 pts) 1930 – Boston Bruins (38–5–1, 77 pts) 1931 – Boston Bruins (28–10–6, 62 pts) 1932 – New York Rangers (23–17–8, 54 pts) 1933 – Boston Bruins (25–15–8, 58 pts) 1934 – Detroit Red Wings (24–14–10, 58 pts) 1935 – Boston Bruins (26–16–6, 58 pts) 1936 – Detroit Red Wings (24–16–8, 56 pts) 1937 – Detroit Red Wings (25–14–9, 59 pts) 1938 – Boston Bruins (30–11–7, 67 pts)
Stanley Cup winners produced 1928 – New York Rangers 1929 – Boston Bruins 1933 – New York Rangers 1934 – Chicago Black Hawks 1936 – Detroit Red Wings 1937 – Detroit Red Wings 1938 – Chicago Black Hawks
See also History of the National Hockey League
References NHL History