The NHL would not exist without the millions of fans who flock to arenas every year to see their favorite teams battle it out in hockey’s best league. But while all current and past NHL teams possess a dedicated and devoted fan base, some teams are just on another level.

Whether it is because of their rich history as an original six franchise, recent success or other factors, some NHL teams fill their stadiums at a higher volume and with greater ease in comparison to others. Among those teams, there are a select few that have been sitting atop the league in that regard for the last handful of seasons.

Let’s take a look at the top five teams in terms of their average attendance numbers over the past five seasons. For the purposes of this list, we will be excluding the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons due to the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the league’s attendance numbers during that period. With that in mind, we will be focusing on the average attendance numbers from the 2018-19, 2019-20, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.

Let’s get to it.

5. Toronto Maple Leafs

While one might expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to be higher up on this list given their massive fanbase, they come in at the fifth spot with an average attendance of 18,958.8 over the past five seasons. And even if the Leafs are not in the top three, their spot in the top five should come as no surprise, as they are one of the most popular Original Six NHL teams.

With Scotiabank Arena having a hockey capacity of 18,819, excluding standing room availability, the Leafs have had no problem selling out their arena during the majority of their games, and given Toronto’s position as a perennial playoff contender over the seasons analyzed, it isn’t too surprising to see them on this list. Of the years that we viewed, their highest attendance came in the 2019-20 season, where the Buds had an average attendance of 19,302 according to HockeyDB.

4. Detroit Red Wings

At the fourth spot, we have another Original Six franchise in the Detroit Red Wings. While the Red Wings have had an average attendance of 18,996.4 over the past five seasons, it is important to note that their home arena, Little Caesars Arena, has a maximum capacity of 19,515 for hockey games, meaning they have not averaged a sellout crowd. But, since they averaged more fans, they finish just ahead of the Leafs on this list.

What makes the Red Wings’ attendance numbers especially impressive is the fact that the team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016, second only to the Buffalo Sabres, who haven't made the post-season since 2011. The Wings have come close to the playoffs in recent years as GM and former Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman has attempted to construct a playoff-caliber roster, but their attendance numbers show that they can pack the house without post-season success or even appearances.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning

When one thinks of NHL teams that were dominant within the past five seasons, the Tampa Bay Lightning are certainly one of the top teams that come to mind, and with that in mind, it is no surprise that they are at the No. 3 spot on this list. The Lightning have averaged an attendance number of 19,058.2 over the past five seasons, and a lot of that is likely due to the team’s back-to-back Cup wins in 2020 and 2021. Apart from that, the Lightning have made the playoffs in each of the last eight seasons.

The Lightning’s home arena, Amalie Arena, has a hockey capacity of 19,092, and from the 2021-22 season to the current 2025-26 season, the team has averaged exactly that maximum capacity in attendance. Whether or not they can maintain that streak will likely come down to how they perform this season, but if they make the playoffs for a ninth-straight season, expect that sold-out streak to stay alive.

Lightning's Early Season Struggles Have Opened The Door For The Red Wings With the Tampa Bay Lightning struggling to start the season, the door is open for the Detroit Red Wings to begin their push for a playoff spot.

2. Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks present a bit of an odd case. The team, of late, hasn’t had any real regular-season success with a rebuild in “The Windy City” still ongoing, and their attendance numbers to start the 2025-26 season have been relatively low at just 17,279 per game in an arena that seats 19,717 for hockey. However, it is the early part of the past five seasons that have carried the Blackhawks to the second spot on this list.

In 2018-19, Chicago had an average attendance of 22,734 despite missing the playoffs and finishing second last in the Central Division, and in 2019-20, a season where the team was eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs, the Blackhawks had an average attendance of 21,441. Since then, the attendance numbers have dropped off significantly, but the team still had an average attendance of 19,897 over the past five years, which earns them this spot on the list. It would seem that their Cup-winning seasons in 2012-13 and 2014-15 kept the fan base invested enough to maintain the high average.

1. Montreal Canadiens

The fourth original six team on this list rounds it off at the No. 1 spot. The Montreal Canadiens are possibly the most iconic franchise in the NHL, and it shows in their attendance numbers with an average attendance of 21,420.2 over the past five seasons. While the Habs haven’t exactly been a powerhouse of late, prior to last season, they had missed the playoffs three years in a row, and were in the midst of a full rebuild, small blips of recent success, combined with franchise history and notoriety, have allowed them to be the top dog at bringing in the fans.

Back in the 2020-21 season, the Canadiens came within three games of winning the Stanley Cup, despite being the last team to clinch a playoff spot in the Scotia North Division. Then, after a three-year playoff hiatus, the Canadiens showed that their rebuild had truly taken shape, making the playoffs in 2024-25, losing in the first round to the Washington Capitals. Despite their playoff struggles, the Canadiens’ average attendance never dipped below 21,000 in the five seasons analyzed in this list, and that is why they comfortably sit at the top of the league.

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