Sportico, an influential website devoted to the business side of the sport, has branded the Toronto Maple Leafs as the most valuable franchise in the National Hockey League. According to their data, the Maple Leafs have an estimated worth of $2 billion.
No other NHL team managed to reach the $2 billion mark, with the closest one being the New York Rangers at $1.87 billion. The Montreal Canadiens are at $1.58 billion, the Chicago Blackhawks at $1.36 billion, and the Boston Bruins at $1.31 billion round up the top five.
The interesting thing about Sportico’s list of most valuable NHL franchise is that the Seattle Kraken already rank 14th with an estimated value of $860 million. The Kraken have just one NHL game under their belt, joining the league as its 32nd team ahead of the 2021-22 season.
On the other hand, the Tampa Bay Lightning’s consecutive Stanley Cup wins in the past two seasons didn’t help the franchise to even crack the top 15. They are currently sitting at number 18 with a value of $805 million.
The Arizona Coyotes are branded as the least valuable NHL team at $410 million. This might have to do with the uncertainty surrounding the franchise, as they will soon have to vacate the Gila Arena after the city of Glendale opted not to extend their lease.
According to Sportico, the average value of an NHL team is $934 million, while “the combined fair market value” of all 32 franchises is $30 billion.
