Best Cities for Hockey Fans in 2026 – WalletHub Study

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko

With the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals around the corner and the NHL projected to have a record $6.8 billion in revenue this season, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its report on the Best Cities for Hockey Fans in 2026, as well as expert commentary.

To determine the best places for hockey fans,

WalletHub compared 75 U.S. cities across 21 key metrics. The data set ranges from the performance level of the city’s professional and college teams to minimum season ticket prices to stadium capacity.

Best vs. Worst

• The Carolina Hurricanes’ performance level, is 2.5 times better than that of the San Jose Sharks.
• The Denver Pioneers’ performance level, is 4.3 times better than that of the Miami RedHawks.
• Sunrise, Florida, has the lowest average ticket price for an NHL game, which is three times lower than in Las Vegas, the city with the highest.
• Los Angeles has the highest team franchise value, which is 2.4 times higher than in Columbus, Ohio, the city with the lowest.

To view the full report and your city’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-cities-for-hockey-fans/13283

“Hockey is one of the most underappreciated sports in America, but its popularity is steadily growing, bringing in record-breaking revenue and attendance. The best cities for hockey provide good opportunities to watch high-performing NHL teams in person, and sometimes NCAA teams as well. They also have some of the most dedicated fans in the country.”
–
“Boston is the best city for hockey fans, and it’s home to the Boston Bruins, which has the fifth-most regular season wins in NHL history. The Bruins are the third-most valuable NHL team in the league, worth $2.9 billion, and have won six Stanley Cups, bringing Boston the third-most of any city. In addition, Boston has three Division 1 teams, the Boston College Eagles, Boston University Terriers, and Northeastern University Huskies, who have collectively brought Boston 10 NCAA championship titles, the most of any city.”

– Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Expert Commentary

What are the biggest challenges facing the business of professional hockey today?

“Pro hockey always will have a wildly fanatic core fan base. The numbers are clear: The National Hockey League set another attendance record in 2025-2026, with NHL rinks playing to 98% capacity leaguewide. But the NHL still suffers from a lack of individual player marketing. These are some of the greatest athletes in the world, but most of them can walk down the street in any NHL city without being recognized. Professional hockey must work to seriously market the images of its greatest stars if it wishes to continue to grow its fan base.”
Theodore Curtis – Professor and Hockey Director, Lynn University

What tips do you have for how hockey fans can enjoy the sport without breaking the bank?

“Time for me to promote college hockey. Sure, you’ll have a great time at any of the few dozen NCAA Division I teams’ games. But you’ll have an equally terrific experience at any of the hundreds of colleges around the country – like at my school, Lynn University – which compete in the American Collegiate Hockey Association, or ACHA. These student-athletes play for the love of the game, not athletic scholarships, and it shows. Stand directly behind the net, bang on the glass, scream at the top of your lungs, enjoy some inexpensive rink food, and support your local college team.”
Theodore Curtis – Professor and Hockey Director, Lynn University

What are the main issues for the NHL in 2026?

“The new earlier-starting 84-game schedule raises interesting questions. The NHL season traditionally has begun in October with a slate of 82 regular season games. However, pursuant to the NHL-NHLPA’s new four-year collective bargaining agreement, the 2026-2027 season will begin in late September with a pair of additional contests added to the schedule. How will teams handle the elongated season and manage the health of its players in the most physically demanding of all professional team sports? (Critics of NBA load management would like a word…) We’ll all have to wait and see when the puck drops this Fall.”
Theodore Curtis – Professor and Hockey Director, Lynn University

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