NHL team owners "provided more than $3 million to politicians, PACs and independent expenditure groups during the 2012 election cycle," according to Sunlight Foundation data cited by Louis Serino in a special to PHILLY.com. Owners contributed "more than three times as much" to Republicans, as more than $2.7M of the contributions went to "conservative causes compared to $680,000 to Democratic causes." Five teams -- the Flyers, Lightning, Wild, Blue Jackets and Sabres -- gave "exclusively to conservative campaigns." Only the Avalanche and Ducks "did the same for liberal causes -- but their combined donations amounted to a relatively paltry $7,500." Sunlight's survey found 10 clubs whose owners or employees "gave more than $100,000 during 2012 election cycle and four teams that breached the $200,000 mark," including: the Blues, Kings, Sabres and Sharks. Four teams "didn't contribute anything" -- the Stars, Devils, Islanders and league-owned Coyotes. The seven Canadian NHL teams were excluded from the survey "because it's illegal for non-citizens to underwrite U.S. campaigns" (PHILLY.com, 5/1).
| ELECTION CONTRIBUTIONS BY NHL TEAM OWNERS |
| TEAM | CONTRIBUTIONS | TEAM | CONTRIBUTIONS |
| Blues | $674,518 | Penguins | $72,022 |
| Kings | $413,300 | Capitals | $67,800 |
| Sabres | $266,600 | Blackhawks | $56,507 |
| Sharks | $244,453 | Wild | $54,150 |
| Hurricanes | $186,437 | Flyers | $42,500 |
| Red Wings | $184,000 | Ducks | $14,000 |
| Rangers | $168,100 | Avalanche | $5,000 |
| Lightning | $151,955 | Stars | $0 |
| Predators | $146,356 | Devils | $0 |
| Bruins | $110,080 | Islanders | $0 |
| Blue Jackets | $90,000 | Coyotes | $0 |
| Panthers | $75,300 | | |
