Canada is generally recognized as the country that invented modern ice hockey, with a strong link to 19th‑century games in Nova Scotia and the first organized indoor game in Montreal in 1875.

Quick Scoop: Who invented ice hockey?

  • Modern ice hockey is widely considered to have originated in Canada.
  • The first recorded indoor ice hockey game was played in Montreal on March 3, 1875, and this is often treated as the “birth” of organized hockey.
  • Earlier hockey‑like games on ice were played in Windsor and other parts of Nova Scotia in the early 1800s, helping build Canada’s claim as the sport’s birthplace.
  • The sport was influenced by older European stick‑and‑ball games such as shinty, bandy, and field hockey from the British Isles, plus local Indigenous and settler traditions, but the fully formed sport emerged in Canada.

In forum and fan debates today, you’ll still see people argue “Windsor, Nova Scotia vs. Montreal, Quebec,” but they almost always agree on one thing: the country is Canada.

TL;DR: If you’re answering “which country invented ice hockey,” the accepted answer is Canada. 🏒

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.