The Original Six dominates Sportico‘s annual release of NHL team valuations.
The Toronto Maple Leafs remain on top with a valuation of $3.66 billion, up 38 per cent from last year, in the report released Wednesday. (All figures in U.S. dollars unless noted otherwise.)
They are followed by the New York Rangers ($3.25 billion), Montreal Canadiens ($2.93 billion) and Boston Bruins ($2.67 billion).
The other Original Six teams — the Chicago Blackhawks ($2.45 billion) and Detroit Red Wings ($1.85 billion) — are sixth and 11th, respectively.
Rogers announced last month it is purchasing Bell’s 37.5 per cent share of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment — which owns the Leafs, Raptors, Argonauts and Toronto FC, among other properties — for $4.7 billion (Canadian). The deal is not yet complete.
The average valuation of an NHL team is now $1.8 billion, up 37 per cent from last year. The Utah Hockey Club purchased the struggling Arizona Coyotes for $1.2 billion earlier this year in the most recent full sale of a club.
Utah is ranked 28th on the 32-team list.
The Columbus Blue Jackets ($1.06 billion) are last, just behind the Winnipeg Jets ($1.1 billion), Buffalo Sabres ($1.13 billion) and Ottawa Senators ($1.14 billion). All four of those teams have had attendance challenges in recent years.
Rounding out the Canadian teams, the Edmonton Oilers ($2.4 billion) are seventh, the Vancouver Canucks ($1.73 billion) are 13th and the Calgary Flames ($1.58 billion) are 18th.
Editors’ Note: Rogers Communications Inc., which owns Sportsnet, has a 37.5 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and is purchasing a further 37.5 per cent from Bell.
