The top 10 most supported and followed teams in the NHL gain their status due to history, location and legacy.

Are you an ice hockey fan curious to discover the most popular teams in the NHL? Or perhaps you're into fantasy hockey and want to understand which teams are most favored by fans to comprehend how team and player popularity influence player selection and performance? You’re in luck. Read on as we’ll delve into the 10 most popular NHL teams, their histories, legacies and much more.

The NHL is followed by millions of fans in North America. It’s one of the region’s five major sports leagues along with the NFL, NBA, MLB and MLS. There are also fans across the globe, as international stars have long been taking their talents to the NHL.

Some of the NHL’s most popular teams captivate a massive amount of followers due to a variety of reasons, and it’s no surprise that some of the most supported teams in today’s NHL are ones that have been around since the league’s inception. Here are the top 10:

Boston Bruins

The Bruins are one of the oldest teams in the NHL. The B’s joined the league in 1924 – seven years after the NHL was founded – as the first team in the United States.

In their history, the Bruins have won the Stanley Cup six times along with six more conference championships and 30 division championships.

Boston found early success in the NHL by winning its first Cup in 1929. The Bruins added more titles in ‘39 and ‘41 before nearly three decades of futility. They most recently won it all in 2011 and reached the Stanley Cup Final in ‘19.

The Bruins’ location lends itself to a larger fanbase. As the lone team in New England, fans from multiple states call Boston their favorite NHL team. They have nearly six million followers across the major social media platforms: X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Some of the most iconic players in Bruins history include Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Johnny Bucyk, Ray Bourque, Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks joined the NHL in 1926 and have had nearly 100 years to grow their fanbase. They’re located in one of the biggest cities in America, and their popularity matches that.

It took the Blackhawks less than 10 years to win their first Stanley Cup, winning in 1934 and then again in ‘38. They ended a small drought in ‘61 before going nearly 40 years without a championship.

Chicago’s dynasty in the 2010s, with Stanley Cups won in ‘10, ‘13 and ‘15 only helped the Blackhawks’ popularity. Along with the Blackhawks’ six Stanley Cups, they’ve won their conference four times and their division 16 times.

The Blackhawks have roughly seven million fans across social media as one of the league’s oldest teams. They also have several iconic players in franchise history like Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull, Tony Esposito and, more recently, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings also joined the NHL in 1926, and the Michigan city donned itself “Hockeytown” 70 years later. Detroit’s proximity to Canada has allowed for the fanbase to grow even more over the past 90-plus years to nearly two million.

The Red Wings have won the most Stanley Cups by an American team in NHL history (11) starting with back-to-back championships in 1936 and ‘37. The Wings won back-to-back Cups once again in ‘97 and ‘98, with ‘02 and ‘08 being their most recent championships.

Detroit, which has about 4.5 million followers on social media, has also won six conference championships and 19 division championships in its history.

Some of the best NHL players of all time played for the Red Wings, including Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, Steve Yzerman, Sergei Federov and Nicklas Lidström.

Los Angeles Kings

Hockey and California may not be a natural fit, but don’t tell that to the Kings. Hollywood’s hockey team has an engaged and passionate following thanks to its prime location.

The Kings were a part of the NHL’s expansion in 1967 but failed to find much success for most of their history. They didn’t win anything of note until winning their division for the only time in ‘91, and they won the conference for the first time in ‘93 — their first of three.

L.A. put together a mini-dynasty in the 2010s, with their only two Stanley Cup championships coming in 2012 and ‘14.

Marcel Dionne, Luc Robitaille, Wayne Gretzky, Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty are some of the most recognizable players in Kings history.

Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens are one of the most popular teams in the NHL largely due to their history. Le Club de hockey Canadien, known as the Habs, was founded in 1909 and helped form the NHL in ‘17.

The Habs have won the most Stanley Cups in NHL history – by far – with 23; however, a lot of those came in the earlier years before the draft and free agency.

Montreal won 14 of its Stanley Cups before NHL expansion in 1967 and has won just two Cups since ‘80, most recently in ‘93. The Canadiens also have eight conference championships along with 24 division championships.

The Canadiens have fervent fans hoping for the glory days to return. Their most iconic players include Maurice “Rocket” Richard, Jean Béliveau, Guy Lafleur, Howie Morenz, Patrick Roy and Jacques Plante.

New York Rangers

Quite a few of the NHL’s most popular teams joined the league in 1926, and that includes the Rangers. They have long been the most popular NHL team in the New York area despite the addition of the nearby New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils in later years.

The Rangers play at the iconic Madison Square Garden, an arena sitting atop Penn Station in Manhattan.

Despite nearly 100 years in the league, the Rangers have only won four Stanley Cups. They won three between 1928 and ‘40 before their most recent crown in ‘94. They have also won two conference championships and eight division championships in their history.

Mark Messier is arguably the most iconic player in Rangers history, and other all-time greats include Rod Gilbert, Brian Leetch and Henrik Lundqvist. Gretzky also played his final three seasons in the Big Apple.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Flyers took the league by storm after joining the NHL in 1967. Their rough style of play earned them the nickname “Broad Street Bullies,” which is still referred to today.

Despite joining the league over 40 years after other teams, the Flyers have one of the strongest followings in the league, and that’s largely due to their location, as well as that entertaining physical style.

The Flyers found early success with Stanley Cups in 1974 and ‘75, but they’ve come up empty-handed since then. They’ve won eight conference championships and 16 division championships.

The Flyers’ most iconic player is Bobby Clarke, who later joined the team’s front office. They also had Hall of Famers Bill Barber, Mark Howe and Eric Lindros.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins also joined the NHL in 1967 as a part of expansion but didn’t nearly find the same success. They didn’t win a Stanley Cup, conference or even division title until the 1990s. But then they took off.

Pittsburgh won five Stanley Cups, starting with back-to-back championships in 1991 and ‘92. They added another in ‘09 before winning two straight again in ‘16 and ‘17.

The Penguins battled through early futility to earn glory and renown in Pittsburgh – and on social media, where they have around seven million followers.

Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby are the Penguins’ two most iconic players and are joined in the team’s pantheon of stars by the likes of Jaromir Jagr, Evgeni Malkin and Ron Francis.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the home of the Hockey Hall of Fame, so it’s no surprise that the Maple Leafs are one of the NHL’s most popular teams, with an average home attendance of nearly 19,000 fans and over five million followers on social media.

The Leafs, initially known as the Arenas and then the St. Patricks, were founded along with the NHL in 1917. They’ve won the second-most Stanley Cups in league history with 13, but much like the Canadiens, nearly all of them came early in their existence.

The Maple Leafs won their first Stanley Cup in 1918 and had a total of nine through ‘51. They won a few more in the 1960s but have not won one since ‘67.

Even without achieving their ultimate goal for quite a while, Toronto has had its fair share of iconic players. Dave Keon, Mats Sundin, Darryl Sittler, Tim Horton and Johnny Bower are among some of the best in Maple Leafs history.

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks were founded in 1945 as a part of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and joined the NHL as an expansion team in ‘70. They’ve reached the Stanley Cup Final a few times with conference championships in ‘82, ‘94, and 2011 but have yet to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup in their history.

The Canucks won their division early on in 1975 and the latest in ‘24 to bookend their 11 such distinctions. Despite their lack of championship success, they have a rather devoted following. From 2002-2014, they sold out 474 straight home games, and they have roughly three million followers on social media.

Vancouver is one of the largest and most populated cities in Canada, which helps to grow the fanbase – as does having players over time like Pavel Bure, Markus Naslund, Trevor Linden and Sedin twins Henrik and Daniel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which NHL team has the most fans?

According to a survey by Stadium Maps, the Blackhawks have the most fans in the NHL with 2.5 million. The Bruins (2.1 million), Penguins (1.9 million), Red Wings (1.8 million), and Canadiens (1.5 million) round out the top five.

Which NHL team is the oldest?

The Canadiens are the oldest team in NHL history. They were founded in 1909 and played in the National Hockey Association before helping to found the NHL in ‘17.

Which NHL team is the newest?

The Seattle Kraken were founded in 2018 and began play during the NHL’s ‘21-22 season. They’re the NHL’s newest expansion team, following the Vegas Golden Knights, who joined the league in the ‘17-18 season. Technically, the newest franchise is the Utah Hockey Club, which is what the Arizona Coyotes became following a sale and relocation after the 2024 season.

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