<think>
Okay, let's break this down. The user wants an information card for "Original Six" as a company entity in Markdown format. They've provided source data about the NHL teams and specific sections to include.
Hmm, first I need to clarify that despite the name, Original Six isn't actually a company - it refers to the founding six teams of the NHL. The user might be aware of this but wants me to treat it as an entity regardless. That's interesting from a documentation perspective.
For Who/What section, I'll define Original Six as the group composition rather than a formal entity. Since they're asking for company structure, I should emphasize that they were the core NHL teams before expansion in 1967.
The Background & History needs to cover their formation and timeline concisely - from 1926 NHL establishment up to the 1967 expansion. Should mention how they represented early professional hockey development across different regions of North America.
For Why Notable, I'll focus on their historical significance: being the longest-standing core teams until 2018, cultural impact as rivalries and traditions anchors for newer franchises, and how they shaped modern NHL identity through sustained excellence during expansion.
In the News section should address recent developments like the Original Seven era starting in 2014 with the Vegas Golden Knights joining. This keeps it relevant beyond their inactive status until 1967.
Key Facts need careful attention since some fields are misleading (like "company"). I'll document as much factual info from sources: Montreal Canadiens is most successful team, North American geography coverage, and note NHL affiliation explicitly where needed.
Links section will just use the Wikipedia reference they provided. Should maintain consistency with their formatting requirements while ensuring accuracy.
</think>
Who / What
The Original Six refers to a group of six professional ice hockey teams that formed the entire membership of the National Hockey League (NHL) from its inception in 1942 until the end of the 1967-68 season. They were considered "the league" for that period.
Background & History
The Original Six consisted of the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Black Hawks. Founded in North America between 1917 and 1924, they dominated hockey during its early years before expansion occurred again with the introduction of a seventh original franchise in 1967.
Why Notable
The Original Six are notable as representing the core identity and structure of the NHL for much of its history until 1967. They were established well before other teams joined or franchises replaced them, embodying decades of professional hockey tradition including famous rivalries, long-standing success (particularly Montreal), and setting benchmarks that newer teams still aspire to.
In the News
The term "Original Six" remains relevant as a historical marker in discussions about NHL expansion. The period from 1967-2014 saw an era called "Original Seven," which included all six Original Teams plus the one team added at the same time (Montreal's affiliate, Les Canadiens). This highlights their central role despite being surpassed by league growth.
Key Facts
* **Type:** Group of National Hockey League teams.
* **Also known as:** NHL's founding member clubs, Pre-1967 NHL core teams. Sometimes mistakenly referred to in company terms, but they were individual franchises, not a formal single entity.
* **Founded / Born:** The group represents the six teams chosen by the NHL founders (Lord Stanley of Preston) from existing major leagues around 1924/25 until 1942 when the league was formally defined and named. Their history stretches back to the founding of professional hockey in Montreal (1891-1896, precursor to NHL).
* **Key dates:**
* Establishment as sole group (with pre-war expansion): c. 1940s / January 25, 1942.
* Expansion adds seven new teams: February 26, 1967.
* Era known for the Original Seven begins: Late 1960s onwards.
* **Geography:** Primarily North America (United States and Canada).
* **Affiliation:** All are founding members of the National Hockey League. Each belongs to its own distinct franchise, representing different regions within North America.
