When were the original six teams formed?

Answer 1

The "Original Six" refers to the teams that made up the NHL before the first major expansion in the 1960's. Actually, the term "Original Six" is somewhat misleading as it implies that the NHL was always made up of six teams prior to expansion in 1967. When the New York Americans folded at the end of the 1941/42 season, it left the league with six teams and it remained that way until expansion. Prior to 1942, the NHL had varying numbers of teams as members, not just the so-called "Original Six".