Which NHL team has the most fans in Canada in 2026?
Based on anonymized search-behaviour signals across Canada, this ranking covers the 25 NHL teams with the largest active Canadian fanbase in 2026. Toronto Maple Leafs leads with approximately 11M engaged fans in Canada.
Last updated:
For marketing, sponsorship & live-entertainment teams
Working with audiences like these?
This ranking is built on Rascasse audience intelligence — behavioural signals on 500,000+ brands, teams, artists and topics across 30+ markets. See what teams like yours do with it:
Trusted by teams at Volkswagen · DFB · Sony Music · Red Bull · Infront
Top 25 NHL teams by Canadian fanbase
| Rank | Audience | Canadian fanbase | Avg age | Female share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TToronto Maple Leafs | 11M | 39.4 | 38.3% |
| 2 | MMontreal Canadiens | 11M | 39.2 | 38.2% |
| 3 | EEdmonton Oilers | 8.1M | 38.4 | 37.3% |
| 4 | VVegas Golden Knights | 5.6M | 38.4 | 41.8% |
| 5 | VVancouver Canucks | 4.9M | 39.3 | 38.2% |
| 6 | OOttawa Senators | 4M | 40.2 | 31.6% |
| 7 | WWinnipeg Jets | 3.9M | 38.6 | 36.6% |
| 8 | CCalgary Flames | 2.9M | 38.8 | 35.6% |
| 9 | BBoston Bruins | 2.4M | 41.3 | 28.8% |
| 10 | BBuffalo Sabres | 2.1M | 39.4 | 28.0% |
| 11 | PPittsburgh Penguins | 2.1M | 39.1 | 28.1% |
| 12 | CColorado Avalanche | 2M | 39.8 | 23.8% |
| 13 | DDetroit Red Wings | 1.9M | 38.8 | 28.5% |
| 14 | TTampa Bay Lightning | 1.8M | 39.0 | 30.6% |
| 15 | CCarolina Hurricanes | 1.8M | 41.3 | 23.2% |
| 16 | WWashington Capitals | 1.3M | 40.4 | 23.3% |
| 17 | CChicago Blackhawks | 1.2M | 38.9 | 27.0% |
| 18 | MMinnesota Wild | 1.2M | 39.3 | 27.4% |
| 19 | AAnaheim Ducks | 1.1M | 39.8 | 24.0% |
| 20 | PPhiladelphia Flyers | 1.1M | 39.1 | 26.4% |
| 21 | DDallas Stars | 1.1M | 39.4 | 26.6% |
| 22 | FFlorida Panthers | 1.1M | 39.8 | 24.7% |
| 23 | SSan Jose Sharks | 1.1M | 39.8 | 26.0% |
| 24 | LLos Angeles Kings | 1M | 39.3 | 25.2% |
| 25 | NNew York Rangers | 1M | 39.4 | 27.7% |
Explore the full audience profile
Click any entry to see demographics, top regions, peer affinities and psychographics for that audience.
Open audience directory →Frequently asked questions
Which NHL team has the most fans in Canada in 2026?
Toronto Maple Leafs has the largest Canadian fanbase in 2026 with approximately 11M active fans, based on Rascasse's search-behaviour signals.
Do the Canadian teams outrank the American franchises?
At the top of the ranking, yes — the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers lead the Canadian audience. US-based Original Six clubs and current contenders still place well, because national broadcasts, playoff runs and Canadian players on those rosters drive search demand here.
How is NHL fanbase size measured in Canada?
Fanbase size is estimated from anonymized Canadian search-behaviour signals — searches for the team, its players, tickets, standings, broadcasts and merchandise over the trailing 12 months — converted into estimated unique engaged people.
Why doesn't this match arena attendance or TV ratings?
Attendance is capped by building size and ratings depend on the broadcast schedule. This ranking measures active digital engagement across the whole country, so a team draws audience far beyond its home market.
How often is this ranking updated?
Weekly. The trade deadline, playoff runs and the Stanley Cup Final move positions noticeably, and a deep run by a Canadian club can reshape the top of the table within weeks.
Using this ranking for sponsorship & media planning
Rankings like this are the starting point for commercial questions: Which audiences match a brand's target group? How does a rights holder's fanbase compare to its league peers? Where does a media plan reach the most engaged fans? Rascasse combines audience size with demographics, regional distribution and brand affinities — the full dataset behind this page is available in the platform, including exports and benchmarking.
Book a 30-min demo →