Which top ten NHL cities are the most hockey crazy right now?

[Fataldogg]

I love how people say New York doesn't have fans. The Rangers have more fans and sell more merchandise than 99% of the NHL and are the most valuable team. Every road game they have, they have thousands of fans in attendance. Jerseys everywhere in Manhattan.

Newsflash, if places like Minnesota and Nashville had to compete with the Yankees [most popular MLB team], Giants [one of the most popular NFL teams], Knicks [one of the most popular NBA teams], then their team wouldn't get all that much exposure either.

New York, Boston, and Philadelphia have far and away the most competitive sports markets in the country.

 

[Inkling]

Not a Leaf fan, but was in Toronto this weekend and the Tavares signing has certainly energized a market that was already energized based upon having a young team with a lot of promise. It takes a lot to compete with the World Cup in Toronto but the JT signing has people excited and kept hockey in the forefront in the offseason.

 

[New Jersey]

If the Yankees make October, hockey season begins with FAR less fanfare and will fly under the radar until the Yanks are eliminated here in the Metropolitan Area.

Speaking on behalf of NYC because I live 20 miles away and I can.

This year the start of hockey season is gonna be a cause for snoozing with the Yankees a legit World Series contender, and for everyone else's reference, yes, baseball is still the most popular sport around here. More than the NFL.

In regards to all the Mets fans who like hockey, I'm sure they'll be excited for the first week of October more than anyone.

To talk about my own team, the Devils play in and identify with Newark, but quite frankly 90% of our fan base is scattered throughout small, dense suburban towns in North and Central Jersey (many of them quite far from both Newark and the Meadowlands when you factor in the traffic congestion we live with) which anyone not familiar with the area have never heard of. Actually, that alone is a big part of our fan bases' identity, and it's why we parade around our arena when we win things. Unless all the New Yorkers who use our roads are cool with us shutting down I-280 and the Skyway for a Stanley Cup parade or something.

Similar logic applies for Islanders fans being scattered throughout small towns in Nassau and Suffolk.

 

[libertarian]

It's what happens when people trust the process.

I would argue Edmonton to be #3 in the league after Montreal and Toronto, the atmosphere here during the playoffs was unlike everything I'd ever seen before. I remember waiting at a bus stop near a elementary school on the day of game 7 against the ducks. And I think there was recess or something going on but I remember just seeing every single kid in the entire school wearing some sort of orange, whether or not it was Oilers gear or not...

I live in Edmonton and don't remember the Oilers ever getting 25,000 people to watch the PO games on a big screen TV outside their arena like another Canadian team did.

 

[LeafFever]

Toronto. Amazing city and centre of the hockey universe.

 

[Jamin]

I love how people say New York doesn't have fans. The Rangers have more fans and sell more merchandise than 99% of the NHL and are the most valuable team. Every road game they have, they have thousands of fans in attendance. Jerseys everywhere in Manhattan.

Newsflash, if places like Minnesota and Nashville had to compete with the Yankees [most popular MLB team], Giants [one of the most popular NFL teams], Knicks [one of the most popular NBA teams], then their team wouldn't get all that much exposure either.

New York, Boston, and Philadelphia have far and away the most competitive sports markets in the country.

New York has more people then BC and Alberta combined. Going by your post no market could ever beat it at anything. That's why you get people arguing quality of fan.

Let's see how the Rangers do this upcoming year after the rebuild letter they sent to fans. If fans stick around awesome, if not selling out sure there are other options but it would definitely look like a lack of loyalty to me

 

[nickschultzfan]

I love how people say New York doesn't have fans. The Rangers have more fans and sell more merchandise than 99% of the NHL and are the most valuable team. Every road game they have, they have thousands of fans in attendance. Jerseys everywhere in Manhattan.

Newsflash, if places like Minnesota and Nashville had to compete with the Yankees [most popular MLB team], Giants [one of the most popular NFL teams], Knicks [one of the most popular NBA teams], then their team wouldn't get all that much exposure either.

New York, Boston, and Philadelphia have far and away the most competitive sports markets in the country.

I live in New York. It's not that their is not hockey fans, but it is diluted. Most people around town are not going to care to talk about the Rangers, Islanders, Devils, or NHL.

 

[westc2]

Based off recent playofffs + roster moves, signings, draft, I'd say maybe something like:

Washington
Vegas
Toronto (Tavares)
Winnipeg
Tampa
Buffalo (Dahlin)
Nashville
Pittsburgh
St. Louis (offseason moves)
San Jose

 

[Hockeyholic]

Based off recent playofffs + roster moves, signings, draft, I'd say maybe something like:

Washington
Vegas
Toronto (Tavares)
Winnipeg
Tampa
Buffalo (Dahlin)
Nashville
Pittsburgh
St. Louis (offseason moves)
San Jose

What does the bolded have to do with " Hockey crazed"? Caps could win three straight cups. They'll never be more popular than the Skins or Nats.

SJ has no business being on that list. Most people in northern California couldn't care less about the Sharks.

Tampa...great market. They aren't more popular than the Bucs or College football.

Vegas: Too early

 

[ChanceVegas]

Vegas is insane for hockey right now. The grassroots has a lot of work to do, since much of it is brand new and facilities are limited, but it is coming along...

No letup for Golden Knights as they elevate youth hockey in Las Vegas

The youth hockey scene has grown tremendously in Nevada in the last year with registration numbers up 15.19 percent from 2016-17, according to USA Hockey. That is a massive increase considering the nationwide growth was only 1.26 percent.

“It’s tremendous,” Flynn said. “I was pleasantly shocked by the number of kids that were making the leap from being casual fans to playing the sport.”

Granted, Nevada’s growth numbers are inflated because the starting point was so low. Even with the increase there are still only 1,592 registered with USA hockey in the state.

USA Hockey registration numbers are only a fraction of those participating in the sport, but it’s a good indicator for growth, and specifically which areas are growing the most. Nevada saw a massive spike in women’s and girls’ hockey with a rise of 59.7 percent compared to the national growth of 4.65 percent.

The 6-and-under age group also rose exponentially with a 144 percent rise from 34 to 83 participants over the last year.

Flynn said he expects the overall participation numbers in Nevada to grow from 30 to 40 percent for next year.​

 

[saxonmiller]

Relative to other markets, Winnipeg has to be at the very top, or at the very least in the top 3. It is all Jets all the time, and the latest playoff run has exacerbated the excitement across not only Winnipeg, but all of Manitoba.

We have a very strong CFL team and a perennial favourited American Association baseball team, but the Jets are always the talk of the town, and I will argue that Winnipeg is overloaded with joy and hyped for the team here.

 

[Peggy]

gotta put winnipeg in the top 5 right now

guarantee there was more buzz and hype in the hockey world for Winnipeg than any other team that's not Washington

20-30k ppl showing up outside of the arena during the playoffs

 

[LetsGoBLUES91]

St Louis is constantly in the top 5 of US television ratings for everything from random Wednesday night Rivalry games to the SCF. Well ahead of some of the cities being mentioned. It's also the 2nd team in St Louis after the Cardinals, and they've even been pushing that lately.

Obviously Canada is nuts, and so are Minnesota and Buffalo. I'd put STL up against any other US market as far as "hockey-crazy".

And imagine if they ever actually won something. Woof.

 

[McFlash97]

I live in Edmonton and don't remember the Oilers ever getting 25,000 people to watch the PO games on a big screen TV outside their arena like another Canadian team did.

it has something to do with the 30000 plus burning jerseys and breaking windows during the 2006 run. City banned this, If the Oilers make it far again and the ice district is done, expect 40 or 50,000 plus around the arena district including the ice district

 

[sapperdaddy]

What does the bolded have to do with " Hockey crazed"? Caps could win three straight cups. They'll never be more popular than the Skins or Nats.

SJ has no business being on that list. Most people in northern California couldn't care less about the Sharks.

Tampa...great market. They aren't more popular than the Bucs or College football.

Vegas: Too early

Caps are way more popular than the Nationals. They could arguably be ahead of the Skins now as well. One main reason is that the Virginia and Maryland fanbases aren't split with the Caps like they are with the NFL and MLB. Two, this town was starving for a championship. Washington Sports fans were some of the most pessimistic fans on the planet. This cup pretty much brought back hope and enjoyment to sports here. It also helps that the team pretty much as a whole is extremely likable.

Skins have an accessibility problem as well ever since the move into MD, as well as arguably the most hated owner in sports, and its starting to boil over.

 

[GodEmperor]

1.Toronto
2.Winnipeg
3.Vegas
4.Washington
5.Boston
6.Minnesota
7.Edmonton
8.Nashville
9.Philadelphia
10.Montreal

Only reason I'm ranking Montreal so low is because everyone knows how bad the team is and how bad the GM is, it's very difficult to be "hockey crazy" in terms of anticipation and looking forward to the year when you know it's going to be a disaster and your GM could f*** up big time with no consequences.

If we're just saying who has the most rabid fans, it'd be a more straight forward question.

 

[Hockey4Lyfe]

Anywhere that a city has an NFL and MLB team, the NHL team is probably third in line, in terms of attendance and revenue being brought in.

Not really sure if that is how you gauge how crazy a town is but that’s how it will probably always be.

 

[Quiet Jack]

Toronto. Amazing city and centre of the hockey universe.

You've replied like ten times in this thread saying this. We are fully aware of your opinion at this point. Is this your new hill to die on? Previous hill being about the Sabres rebuild being ahead of the Leafs. I think you have 400 posts devoted to that.

 

[fashi13]

Caps are way more popular than the Nationals. They could arguably be ahead of the Skins now as well. One main reason is that the Virginia and Maryland fanbases aren't split with the Caps like they are with the NFL and MLB. Two, this town was starving for a championship. Washington Sports fans were some of the most pessimistic fans on the planet. This cup pretty much brought back hope and enjoyment to sports here. It also helps that the team pretty much as a whole is extremely likable.

Skins have an accessibility problem as well ever since the move into MD, as well as arguably the most hated owner in sports, and its starting to boil over.

This...all great points too.

 

[Maestro84]

In no particular order:
Montreal
Toronto
Minnesota
Detroit
Pittsburgh
Chicago
Boston
New York
Vancouver
Nashville

 

[Bank Shot]

I live in Edmonton and don't remember the Oilers ever getting 25,000 people to watch the PO games on a big screen TV outside their arena like another Canadian team did.

People in Edmonton bought tickets to stand in the concourse of the arena during the game and watch the play on the assorted TVs.

 

[Deegee]

This thread said best hockey fans, not best NHL fans. If you think about it from support of hockey all the way down to Jr B levels, some cities nominated here wouldn't make the cut.

 

[yzerman]

My list of today

1 Montreal
2 Toronto
3 Edmonton
4 Minnesota
5 Winnipeg
6 Boston
7 Vancouver
8 Detroit
9 New york
10 Buffalo

 

[JPT]

Holy thread bump, Batman

 

[MNRube]

If it’s hockey, then it’s the 7 Canadian teams + Minnesota, Buffalo and Boston/Detroit. If it’s NHL, then other markets come into play.