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When did the NHL’s first expansion occur?

Everyone associates NHL expansion, at least the first one, with 1967–68 when the league added six new U.S. teams (Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota North Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Oakland Seals, now defunct). However, the league had contracted and expanded a number of times before the days of the fabled but misnamed Original Six (Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers, and Boston Bruins). At the NHL’s inception in 1917 there were only four clubs — Toronto Arenas (later Maple Leafs), Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators (the originals), and Montreal Wanderers. The last were gone within a couple of weeks when their arena burned down. The Quebec Bulldogs (later the Hamilton Tigers, and still later part of the New York Americans) came onboard in 1919. However, the first actual expansion occurred in 1924–25 when the Montreal Maroons and the Boston Bruins signed up. The next season the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Americans, both now long expired, started playing. Then, in 1926–27, things really began cooking when the Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers, and Detroit Cougars (now the Red Wings) joined the party, bringing league membership to a height of 10 clubs. It wouldn’t be that numerous again until 1967–68. Today the NHL has 30 teams (24 in the United States, six in Canada).