sports
NHL says '26 playoffs most-watched on record
Key takeaways
- NEW YORK -- The NHL said Tuesday the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring were the most-watched on record in the U.S. with an average of 1.8 million viewers.
- That surpassed the previous record of 1.56 million in 1996 and is up 68% over last year.
- ESPN reported this was the most-watched Stanley Cup Final since 2019.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
NEW YORK -- The NHL said Tuesday the Stanley Cup playoffs this spring were the most-watched on record in the U.S. with an average of 1.8 million viewers.
That surpassed the previous record of 1.56 million in 1996 and is up 68% over last year.
ESPN reported this was the most-watched Stanley Cup Final since 2019. Carolina beat Vegas in six games in a Final without some of the biggest hockey markets in the country.
Article preview — originally published by ESPN. Full story at the source.
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