Sidney Crosby and The Penguins Are Key To An NHL Ratings Surge

With the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens failing to qualify for the 2018 NHL postseason, many observers were concerned about the national interest in hockey’s second season.

Fear not NHL lovers!

Thanks largely to the omnipresent Pittsburgh Penguins, and their all-world star Sidney Crosby, who are of course winners of back-to-back Stanley Cups and three titles since 2009, ratings are way up. In fact, the Pittsburgh market set an NHL TV record, for a first round game, with a 22.8 local rating.

In addition, intriguing teams like the Nashville Predators, with star defenseman P.K. Subban, have helped national ratings rise 25 percent, as compared to last year’s opening weekend of the postseason.

So, while the NHL playoffs may not receive anywhere near the level of attention garnered by their counterparts in the NBA, interest has been strong, despite four of the original six franchises being nowhere to be found.