In 1917, Kendall was instrumental in the forming of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kendall, along with the owners of the Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators and Quebec Bulldogs was fed up with the disagreements with the Toronto franchise owner, Eddie Livingstone. The group, a majority of the directors of the NHA, voted to suspend the operations of the NHA, and form another professional league without Livingstone. The new league, except for its name, was the same league, having adopted the constitution, trophy and playing rules of the NHA. The suspension of the NHA and the formation of the NHL was intended to be only for a single year, but the dispute with Livingstone dragged on. The NHA's championship trophy, the O'Brien Cup, which the Canadiens had won in 1917, would remain in the care of Kennedy until his death in 1921. Just before the 1918–19 season Kendall and the other NHL owners, met without Livingstone and voted to suspend the NHA permanently.