A record for Gary Bettman and the NHL that bodes ill

PUBLICATION

David St-Jean
May 22, 2024 (2:33 PM)

SHARE THIS STORY

Gary Bettman received excellent news for the NHL in the United States, but it bodes ill for Canada.

While everyone is hoping for the return of a team to Canada (Quebec Nordiques), the numbers justify the commissioner's decision to keep things as south of the border as possible.

TV ratings simply exploded during the playoffs, which is good for the League, but won't hasten the return or expansion further north on the continent.

"The first two rounds of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs are the most-watched of all time. A 12% increase for the second round makes it the most-watched of all time on cable.

In the United States, the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs is the most-watched of all time on cable, with an average audience of 1.546 million viewers, a 12% increase from 2023.

The 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs are the most-watched in history after the first two rounds, with an average audience of 1.158 million viewers, a 9% increase from 2023." - NHL

With such results, the commissioner, who doesn't seem very keen on adding Canadian teams, has no interest in stirring the pot on this issue.

Everything is going well in the United States, and the numbers prove it.

We will see if he has the vision to increase it even more with the return of the Nordiques, but for now, it's not very promising.