StubHub's 2023 NHL Preview: Sales up across the league and internationally; Expansion teams are trending up and lead demand

Golden Knights are #1 following first Stanley Cup win; Seattle Kraken are top trending team after exciting playoff debut

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As we enter the 2023-24 NHL season, StubHub releases ticket trends to reveal the top in-demand and trending teams, most popular games, and more. Overall sales for the league are trending nearly double last season's start, with expansion teams experiencing a rapid boost in demand - the Vegas Golden Knights claim the title as the most in-demand team and the Seattle Kraken are the top trending team of the season, reaping the biggest jump in sales from last season. 

Key highlights include:

• International demand for the NHL is on the rise: sales for the 2023 NHL season are being driven by buyers from 44 countries, up from 28 countries this time last year.
  • Sales for the four NHL Global Series games are outselling last year's series by 2.5x, and buyers are traveling from 22 countries.
• Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights reclaim #1 spot: sports, including NHL games, become an ever more popular attraction for Vegas tourists.
  • The Golden Knights are the #1 team for the fourth time with sales up nearly 3x compared to last season.
• #2 Toronto Maple Leafs fans will travel: they land at #2 on the most in-demand team list and are the #2 traveling team, with the second-highest average ticket price for their away games.
  • Sales are up nearly double compared to last season.
  • The Maple Leafs play in the top two NHL Global Series games in Stockholm, against the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild.
• The Bruins land at #3 after a record-breaking season:
  • The Bruins are the #1 travel team heading into this season, driving the highest average ticket price for their away games.
  • They have sold 25% more tickets than at the start of the 2022 season.
• The Kraken sales surge after their first playoff appearance: the Kraken are the top trending team, indicating the biggest growth in sales since last season, with sales up more than 8x from last year.
  • They appear on both the top in-demand and trending lists for the first time.
  • Both of the Kraken's matchups against the Las Vegas Golden Knights rank in the top-three, best-selling games of the season.
• Chicago Blackhawks dominate top games list: they appear in five of the top 10 most in-demand games of the season, more than any other team.
  • The Blackhawks have a 3.5x surge in sales heading into this season, when compared to the same time last year.

"There are quite a few factors that are helping to propel NHL sales this season, including the ongoing popularity of the Winter Classic, the surge in international appeal for the league and growing popularity of new expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle," said Adam Budelli, spokesperson for StubHub. "Rest assured, the Original Six teams still dominate league sales, with the Maple Leafs, Bruins and Rangers not far behind the Golden Knights in overall demand."

StubHub's Top 10 Most In-Demand NHL teams of the 2023-24 Season

1. Vegas Golden Knights
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Boston Bruins
4. New York Rangers
5. Montreal Canadiens
6. Nashville Predators
7. Seattle Kraken
8. Chicago Blackhawks
9. Tampa Bay Lightning
10. Edmonton Oilers

Based on cumulative StubHub ticket sales as of October 3, 2023 for the 2023-24 season. 

StubHub's Top 10 Most In-Demand NHL Games of the 2023-24 Season

1. NHL Winter Classic 2024 - Golden Knights at Seattle Kraken on January 1
2. Chicago Blackhawks at Boston Bruins on October 11
3. Seattle Kraken at Vegas Golden Knights on October 10
4. Vegas Golden Knights at Chicago Blackhawks on October 21
5. Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic - Flames v Oilers on October 29
6. Boston Bruins at Montreal Canadiens on November 11
7. Chicago Blackhawks at Montreal Canadiens on October 14
8. Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs on October 11
9. Chicago Blackhawks at Toronto Maple Leafs on October 16
10. Chicago Blackhawks at Pittsburgh Penguins on October 10

Based on cumulative StubHub ticket sales as of October 3, 2023 for the 2023-24 season. 

StubHub's Top Trending NHL Teams of the 2023-24 Season

1. Seattle Kraken (790%)
2. New Jersey Devils (400%)
3. Arizona Coyotes (290%)
4. Chicago Blackhawks (250%)
5. Florida Panthers (200%)
6. Vegas Golden Knights (190%)
7. Anaheim Ducks (180%)
8. Nashville Predators (150%)
9. Washington Capitals (125%)
10. Montreal Canadiens (120%)

Based on teams with the highest rate of increase in cumulative StubHub ticket sales for the 2023-24 season, as of October 3, 2023, in comparison to sales ahead of the 2022-23 season. Number indicates the percentage increase in ticket sales. 

Full data and insights from the NHL preview can be found at stubhub.com/nhlpreview.

About StubHub
StubHub is the world's leading marketplace to buy and sell tickets to any live event, anywhere. Through StubHub in North America and viagogo, our international platform, we service customers in 195 countries in 33 languages and 49 available currencies. With more than 300 million tickets available to events around the world annually -- from sports to music, comedy to dance, festivals to theater -- StubHub offers the safest, most convenient way to buy or sell tickets to the most memorable live experiences.

SOURCE StubHub