NHL says the 2026 playoffs is the most-watched on record, averaging 1.8 million viewers
Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal (11) lifts the Stanley Cup after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series, Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. Credit: AP/Candice Ward
NEW YORK — The NHL said Tuesday the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring were the most-watched on record in the U.S. with an average of 1.8 million viewers.
That surpassed the previous record of 1.56 million in 1996 and is up 68% over last year.
ESPN reported this was the most-watched Cup final since 2019. Carolina beat Vegas in six games in a final without some of the biggest hockey markets in the country.
Some of the increase across sports ratings can be attributed to a change in how Nielsen is counting viewers, but hockey is also enjoying a popularity spike, especially among women, after the 4 Nations Face-Off and the Olympics and in light of shows like “Heated Rivalry” and "Off Campus” putting it in front of a different audience.
