Seeing any of the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders battling in the NHL playoffs is a marketer’s dream, writes Rachel Doerrie.
Seeing any of the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders battling in the NHL playoffs is a marketer’s dream, writes Rachel Doerrie.
One of hockey’s best rivalries has been given a significant shot in the arm the last fortnight, and it will now go to Game 7.
The Battle of the Hudson River is one of the fiercest between franchises and fan bases in the NHL. As a former member of said rivalry, I will attest that it is very real. The players do not like each other, the executives are frosty, the fan bases are hostile in person and online, and there is always an extra jolt in the building when the teams play.
Not to the same extent, but it exists with the New York Islanders as well. The three New York metropolitan area teams are well acquainted with each other, and the hate is palpable. That’s why having all three teams in the playoffs and two competing against each other is not only great for the rivalry, but it’s great for hockey.
The division format is largely awful, in my opinion. However, until the Islanders lost their first-round series, there was a distinct possibility of two New York metro playoff series. Talk about a shot in the arm for rivalries.
The NHL is behind other major sports in terms of interest and revenue. When it comes to the playoffs, the entertainment value is full, and it is because real hatred exists between teams. I attended Game 5 of Rangers-Devils and Game 6 of Islanders-Canes to get a feel for the vibes.
The last time the Devils played a playoff series in their building, I sat in the management box. It’s been a while. But, with some lottery luck, excellent player development and key trades by management, the Devils are back in a big way. The Rangers had lottery luck of their own and have had some playoff success since. The feel in the building during the Rangers-Devils game was different than the Devils-Lightning series in 2018.
Given the proximity of the teams, they don’t require aircraft to travel, making it an easy commute for fans. The building was split 50/50 on Thursday night, and the atmosphere felt more like a powder keg ready to pop than a hockey game.
Before the puck dropped, duelling chants with some extra volume could be heard outside the rink, in the seats and on the concourse. The Devils fed off the energy, popping an early goal, and never looked back. That’s when things got fun.
Devils fans didn’t have to wait long before getting on Igor Shesterkin’s case, or Adam Fox’s, or really, any Ranger. That seemed to fuel the intensity on the ice, and even the most unsuspecting players got in on the excitement. Damon Severson, no stranger to the Hudson River rivalry, was mixing things up at the net front, drawing a penalty very early on. Young defenseman Kevin Bahl dropped the gloves with Barclay Goodrow in a spirited tilt, Artemi Panarin was hacking and whacking, and Jonas Siegenthaler was consistently a thorn in the side of Ranger forwards. Not that it needed tracking, but there were more post-whistle scrums in this game than in your average playoff game.
The Devils won in convincing fashion, with Akira Schmid posting the shutout. More than that, it feels different when these teams are good and playing each other in the spring. The series is loaded with star power, from Norris winner Fox and Vezina trophy winner Shesterkin to Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier.
Hughes is one of the NHL’s most marketable stars with his skill on the ice and personality off it. Adam Fox dreamed of playing for the Rangers as a kid – now, he’s one of their most important players. The Rangers are one of hockey’s most storied franchises, and there has always been a "little versus big brother" feel to this rivalry. It’s not exactly difficult to sell stories around these players and teams to the casual fan and, more importantly, television networks.
The New York area is one of the most populous areas in North America. Walking around Manhattan, Long Island and Newark, I saw as many Rangers, Devils and Islanders jerseys and hats as I did for the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. That’s not nothing. Hughes, Fox, Panarin, Hischier, Barzal and Sorokin dominated subways and streets. The bars were jammed, the streets were loud, and most importantly, the Devils-Rangers series is a premier topic on major television and radio networks the same week the New York Jets introduced Aaron Rodgers and the Knicks won a playoff series. That means there is more interest in this series and these teams than in previous years. That matters.
Performing well is vital to remaining relevant in the New York metropolitan sports scene. Three NHL teams, two MLB teams, two NFL teams and two NBA teams all fight for oxygen. The Devils-Rangers series is a marketer’s dream with star power and personalities. The atmospheres in both buildings can turn the most casual of fans into invested fanatics.
Gone are the suits at MSG and empty seats at Prudential Center. Here to stay are the duelling chants and exuberant celebrations. UBS Arena felt more like a football stadium than a hockey rink with how loud the fans were. The mere chance of a second New York area series had the Islanders beat Carolina must have had TV networks salivating.
The Devils are on their way up, the Rangers are in the peak of their contending window, and the Islanders have a brand-new building with the likes of Barzal, Sorokin, Dobson and Horvat to entertain their raucous fan base. Sure, the Islanders didn’t win. But the three rinks in the New York area were among the loudest buildings I’ve heard in the NHL. There is no shortage of stars in this three-way rivalry, no shortage of marketing opportunities or merchandise to be sold, and certainly, no shortage of money in the metropolitan area to make these three teams a key piece of growing the NHL’s bottom line.
Each fan base has a different vibe, and in a strange way, their teams represent their vibe on the ice. The teams on the ice don’t like each other, and the intensity between fan bases feels more like Real Madrid versus Barcelona than a battle between NHL teams. That’s good for the teams, their revenues, and, most importantly, it’s good for the growth of the game.
Let’s hope we get a few more series between these three teams over the next few years because the rivalry is only going to get better.