NHL attendance was relatively flat for the '16-17 season, with an average of 17,422 fans per game compared to 17,481 last season (-0.3%). The Blackhawks averaged 21,860 fans, leading all NHL teams in average attendance for a ninth consecutive season. The Canadiens were the last team to top the Blackhawks during in the '07-08 campaign. In Edmonton, the Oilers opened Rogers Place this season, selling out every game. The move from the smaller Rexall Place resulted in a league-best 8.9% increase at the turnstiles. The Blue Jackets saw the biggest gain among Eastern Conference teams, up 8% at Nationwide Arena. Despite not making the playoffs for the first time since '90, the Red Wings continued a sellout streak that dates back to December 19, 2010. The team will continue that streak next season at the new Little Caesars Arena as Joe Louis Arena, which opened in '79, played host to its final Red Wings game on Sunday night. Teams seeing noticeable declines this season were the Avalanche (-8.7%), Senators (7.4%) and Panthers (-5%).
|
'16-17 NHL REGULAR-SEASON ATTENDANCE
|
| HOME TEAM |
GAMES
|
TOTAL
|
AVG.
|
% CAP.
|
PREV.
|
% +/-
|
| Blackhawks |
41
|
891,827
|
21,752
|
110.3%
|
21,860
|
-0.5%
|
| Canadiens |
41
|
872,808
|
21,288
|
100.0%
|
21,288
|
0.0%
|
| Red Wings |
41
|
821,107
|
20,027
|
100.0%
|
20,027
|
0.0%
|
| Flyers |
41
|
805,408
|
19,644
|
100.2%
|
19,227
|
2.2%
|
| Maple Leafs^ |
41
|
788,986
|
19,244
|
102.3%
|
19,158
|
0.4%
|
| Lightning |
41
|
782,772
|
19,092
|
100.0%
|
19,092
|
0.0%
|
| Wild |
41
|
781,879
|
19,070
|
106.2%
|
19,035
|
0.2%
|
| Blues^^ |
41
|
773,721
|
18,871
|
98.5%
|
18,451
|
2.3%
|
| Flames |
41
|
767,829
|
18,728
|
97.1%
|
19,146
|
-2.2%
|
| Sabres |
41
|
762,281
|
18,592
|
97.5%
|
18,591
|
0.0%
|
| Penguins* |
41
|
761,342
|
18,569
|
101.0%
|
18,551
|
0.1%
|
| Canucks |
41
|
758,891
|
18,510
|
98.1%
|
18,431
|
0.4%
|
| Capitals |
41
|
758,746
|
18,506
|
100.0%
|
18,511
|
0.0%
|
| Oilers** |
41
|
752,227
|
18,347
|
100.0%
|
16,841
|
8.9%
|
| Kings |
41
|
747,858
|
18,240
|
100.1%
|
18,274
|
-0.2%
|
| Stars |
41
|
742,163
|
18,102
|
97.7%
|
18,377
|
-1.5%
|
| Rangers |
41
|
738,828
|
18,020
|
100.1%
|
18,006
|
0.1%
|
| Bruins |
41
|
720,165
|
17,565
|
100.0%
|
17,565
|
0.0%
|
| Sharks |
41
|
717,833
|
17,508
|
99.7%
|
16,747
|
4.5%
|
| Predators |
41
|
703,555
|
17,160
|
100.3%
|
16,971
|
1.1%
|
| Senators |
41
|
686,523
|
16,744
|
90.2%
|
18,085
|
-7.4%
|
| Ducks |
41
|
653,632
|
15,942
|
92.8%
|
16,337
|
-2.4%
|
| Blue Jackets |
41
|
650,157
|
15,857
|
87.4%
|
14,666
|
8.1%
|
| Jets*** |
41
|
627,058
|
15,294
|
100.0%
|
15,294
|
0.0%
|
| Avalanche |
41
|
608,252
|
14,835
|
82.4%
|
16,250
|
-8.7%
|
| Panthers |
41
|
599,447
|
14,621
|
76.0%
|
15,384
|
-5.0%
|
| Devils |
41
|
597,261
|
14,567
|
88.2%
|
15,074
|
-3.4%
|
| Islanders |
41
|
537,149
|
13,101
|
82.9%
|
13,627
|
-3.9%
|
| Coyotes |
41
|
536,878
|
13,095
|
76.5%
|
13,350
|
-1.9%
|
| Hurricanes |
41
|
482,829
|
11,776
|
63.0%
|
12,204
|
-3.5%
|
| TOTALS |
1,230
|
21,429,412
|
17,422
|
95.1%
|
17,481
|
-0.3%
|
NOTES: All attendance figures for outdoor games have been replaced with team's home arena capacity. ^ = The Maple Leafs hosted the '17 Scotiabank NHL Centennial Classic against the Red Wings (40,148) at BMO Field. ^^ = The Blues hosted the '17 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic against the Blackhawks (46,556) at Busch Stadium; the Bruins hosted the Canadiens in the game last season at Gillette Stadium (67,246). * = The Penguins hosted the Flyers (67,318) as part of the Coors Light NHL Stadium Series at Heinz Field. ** = The Oilers are playing their first season in Rogers Place (capacity: 18,347), having moved from Rexall Place (16,839) after the '15-16 season. *** = The Jets hosted the Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic against the Oilers (33,240) in October at Investors Group Field.
