Turnstile Tracker: NHL Sets Season Attendance Records

The NHL drew a total of 20,854,169 fans for the ’05-06 season and posted a per-game average of 16,955, a 2.4% increase from the ’03-04 figures (20,356,199 and 16,550, respectively) and 1.2% ahead of the previous records set during the ’01-02 season (20,614,613 and 16,760, respectively). Additionally, the Canadiens set a league single-season, single-team attendance record of 872,193, and 24 of the NHL’s 30 teams finished even with or ahead of their ’03-04 season attendance marks (NHL).

TEAM-BY-TEAM: The following presents regular-season NHL ticket sales, with comparisons to the ’03-04 season. Overall sales were up 2.5%, with only eight teams posting declines from the ’03-04 season (THE DAILY).

NHL REGULAR-SEASON TICKET SALES '05-06
WEST	'05-06 DATES	TOTAL	'05-06 AVG.	%CAP.	'03-04 AVG.	%+/-	'03-04 DATES
Red Wings	41	822,706	20,066	100.0%	20,066	0.0%	41
Flames	41	790,849	19,289	110.6%	16,580	16.3%	41
Canucks	41	763,830	18,630	100.0%	18,630	0.0%	41
Wild	41	761,614	18,576	102.8%	18,530	0.2%	41
Avalanche	41	738,287	18,007	100.0%	18,007	0.0%	41
Kings	41	731,475	17,841	98.5%	17,878	-0.2%	41
Stars	41	730,979	17,829	96.2%	18,355	-2.9%	41
Oilers^	41	690,143	16,833	100.0%	17,678	-4.8%	41
Sharks	41	690,095	16,832	96.2%	15,836	6.3%	41
Blue Jackets	41	688,655	16,796	92.6%	17,369	-3.3%	41
Coyotes	41	638,871	15,582	87.5%	15,467	0.7%	41
Mighty Ducks	41	619,380	15,107	88.0%	14,987	0.8%	41
Predators	41	591,556	14,428	84.3%	13,157	9.7%	41
Blues	41	582,742	14,213	74.7%	18,560	-23.4%	41
Blackhawks	41	546,075	13,319	65.0%	13,253	0.5%	41
WEST TOTALS	615	10,387,257	16,890	92.8%	16,957	-0.4%	615
EAST	'05-06 DATES	TOTAL	'05-06 AVG.	%CAP.	'03-04 AVG.	%+/-	'03-04 DATES
Canadiens	41	872,194	21,273	100.0%	20,555	3.5%	41
Lightning	41	840,887	20,509	103.8%	17,820	15.1%	41
Flyers	41	805,783	19,653	100.7%	19,375	1.4%	41
Senators	41	798,453	19,474	101.7%	17,807	9.4%	41
Maple Leafs	41	795,747	19,408	103.1%	19,377	0.2%	41
Rangers	41	743,848	18,143	99.7%	18,081	0.3%	41
Sabres	41	692,329	16,886	90.3%	15,290	10.4%	41
Bruins	41	664,673	16,212	92.3%	15,133	7.1%	41
Panthers	41	656,587	16,014	83.2%	15,936	0.5%	41
Penguins	41	647,975	15,804	93.3%	11,877	33.1%	41
Hurricanes	41	639,454	15,596	83.3%	12,086	29.0%	41
Thrashers	41	637,558	15,550	83.9%	15,121	2.8%	41
Devils	41	583,448	14,230	74.7%	15,060	-5.5%	41
Capitals	41	570,113	13,905	76.1%	14,720	-5.5%	41
Islanders	41	516,973	12,609	77.7%	13,554	-7.0%	41
EAST TOTALS	615	10,466,022	17,018	91.2%	16,120	5.6%	615
NHL TOTALS	1,230	20,853,279	16,954	92.0%	16,538	2.5%	1,230

NOTE: ^ = ‘03-04 figures for the Oilers include attendance for one regular-season game played outdoors at Commonwealth Stadium, with a capacity of 56,169. Attendance for that game was 57,167....Totals reflect immediately posted box scores. Subsequent changes are not reflected.

NHL, Canadiens Set Attendance Records During ’05-06 Season

PENS: In Pittsburgh, Bob Smizik reported Monday night’s Islanders-Penguins game at Mellon Arena “meant nothing in the standings, ... but it still attracted a sellout crowd of 17,084.” It was their 12th sellout and the 21st time they drew more than 16,000 this season. Smizik wrote the Penguins attendance this year is “not bad for a team with such a poor record [22-46-14]” (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 4/18).

SOCAL TEAMS: The Mighty Ducks sold out 12 games this season, and in California, Marcia Smith noted that is the most for the team since 25 sell outs in ’97-98. Since February 1, average attendance “jumped to 16,681, with at least 15,000 fans in the arena for every game.” The Mighty Ducks sold 9,500 season tickets this season, about 1,800 more than for ’03-04. Anaheim Arena Management President & CEO Tim Ryan expects to sell 11,000 next season. Also, all 85 luxury suites were sold and there is a waiting list of 14. Meanwhile, the Kings sold out 27 games this season, down from 30 in ’03-04 (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 4/17).