NHL teams play 82 games throughout the regular season, which means there are a huge number of games that you can attend, so understanding the average NHL ticket price can help you determine whether it’s better to get individual tickets or buy season tickets.
Detailed in this article in all the information you need on average NHL ticket prices, including average prices by team, seating section, and even Stanley Cup playoff tickets.
Average NHL Ticket Price
The average NHL ticket price is $168, which is a 32% increase over the previous year’s average price of $114. The average price is simply based on regular tickets during the regular season and doesn’t consider luxury boxes or Stanley Cup championship games.
| Average NHL Ticket Price | $168 |
| Average NHL Playoff Ticket Price | $4,659 |
| Average Luxury Box Ticket Price | $3,995 – $8,219 |
This year, the Seattle Kraken are the newest team and kicked off with the highest average ticket prices at $352. The lowest average ticket price was $84 from the Florida Panthers.
For other teams, there were increases and decreases in average ticket prices. The most significant increase was the New York Islands, which had a 108% increase.
The most significant decrease in the average ticket price was 10% for the Vegas Golden Nuggets and the Nashville Predators.
Season Tickets ($4,099)
The average NHL season ticket price is $4,099 for a full season with 44 home games and $1,254 for quarter season tickets which gives you 12 games. Your average price goes up and down depending on the sections you want to sit in, as detailed in the table below.
| Season Tickets | Full Season | Quarter Season |
| Upper Section Average Price | $1,837 | $560 |
| Mid Section Average Price | $4,510 | $1,407 |
| Lower Section Average Price | $5,951 | $1,793 |
Luxury Suite Rental by Team ($3,995 – $8,219)
The average NHL luxury suite rents for between $3,995 – $8,219; prices vary based on demand, day of the week, and various other factors.
The cheapest luxury suites are generally available at San Jose Sharks home games; prices for suites range from $1,500 to $3,500.
On the hand, the most expensive suites can be found at New York Rangers games; the suites cost on average $7,000 – $25,000.
| NHL Team | Average | Low Price | High Price |
| San Jose Sharks | $2,500 | $1,500 | $3,500 |
| New York Islanders | $2,900 | $1,800 | $4,000 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | $2,900 | $1,800 | $4,000 |
| Florida Panthers | $3,350 | $2,200 | $4,500 |
| Washington Capitals | $3,375 | $2,250 | $4,500 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | $3,500 | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Anaheim Ducks | $3,625 | $2,250 | $5,000 |
| Colorado Avalanche | $3,750 | $2,500 | $5,000 |
| Dallas Stars | $3,750 | $2,500 | $5,000 |
| St Louis Blues | $4,000 | $2,000 | $6,000 |
| Los Angeles Kings | $4,150 | $2,800 | $5,500 |
| Detroit Red Wings | $4,500 | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Arizona Coyotes | $4,875 | $3,750 | $6,000 |
| Buffalo Sabres | $5,000 | $3,000 | $7,000 |
| Ottawa Senators | $5,250 | $3,500 | $7,000 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | $5,500 | $4,000 | $7,000 |
| Boston Bruins | $5,750 | $3,500 | $8,000 |
| New Jersey Devils | $6,000 | $3,500 | $8,500 |
| Winnipeg Jets | $6,000 | $4,500 | $7,500 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | $6,500 | $4,500 | $8,500 |
| Minnesota Wild | $6,500 | $5,000 | $8,000 |
| Nashville Predators | $6,500 | $5,000 | $8,000 |
| Edmonton Oilers | $6,750 | $6,000 | $7,500 |
| Vancouver Canucks | $6,750 | $4,500 | $9,000 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | $7,000 | $6,000 | $8,000 |
| Calgary Flames | $7,500 | $6,000 | $9,000 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | $9,500 | $6,000 | $13,000 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | $10,000 | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| Montreal Canadiens | $10,250 | $6,500 | $14,000 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | $10,500 | $7,000 | $14,000 |
| Seattle Kraken | $11,000 | $7,000 | $15,000 |
| New York Rangers | $16,000 | $7,000 | $25,000 |
Stanley Cup Playoff Tickets ($4,659)
The average NHL ticket price for the Stanley Cup playoff series was most recently $4,659, which is a massive jump from previous years but is consistent with the overall price increases that NHL tickets are seeing in the current year.
| Year | Average Ticket Price |
| 2021 | $4,659 |
| 2019 | $1,925 |
| 2018 | $2,190 |
| 2017 | $1,949 |
| 2016 | $1,118 |
| 2015 | $1,554 |
One of the biggest factors in the jump in average price was the average ticket price for the Montreal Canadiens tickets at $7,962 throughout the series. While the actual Stanley Cup winners, the Tampa Bay Lightning, had an average ticket price of $2,182 during the series.
Whenever a Canadian team is in the Stanley Cup playoffs, their average ticket price is much higher than for any US team playing.
This price jump was seen in 2018 with the Ottawa Capitals with an average ticket price of $2,724 vs. the Vegas Golden Knights, which had an average ticket price of $1,655.
The price disparity was also seen in 2011, with Vancouver Canucks having an average ticket price of $2,055, while the Boston Bruins had an average ticket price of $1,203.
Average NHL Ticket Price By Sections
The average NHL ticket price is $68 for the upper sections, $117 for the mid sections, and $174 for the lower sections. You’ll see wide price differences in each section, such as center ice or in a corner.
You’ll also find that each section has a varying number of seats, and the number of seats per arena will vary as well.
| Ticket Sections | Average Price |
| Upper Section Average Price | $68 |
| Mid Section Average Price | $117 |
| Lower Section Average Price | $174 |
Lower-Level Prices ($174)
The average NHL ticket price for lower-level seating is $174, but depending on where you sit on the lower level, you may spend much more, up to $229 on average, or you could get some discounted seats at $89 in less desirable areas of the lower-level seating.
Mid-Level Prices ($117)
The average NHL ticket price for mid-level seats is $117, with more expensive seating going up to $200 on average and less desirable areas having seats available for $49. The most expensive seats are center ice, while corners are the least expensive before you see less of the game.
Upper-Level Prices ($68)
Upper-level seating is the least expensive on average at $68, but for the lower price, you get a better overall view of the ice from most sections, as long as your eyesight is doing well.
Front sections of the upper levels are much more desirable, especially at center ice, averaging $83.
The corner sections towards the back of the arena are the least desirable due to the limited amount of gameplay you can see. The average prices for these tickets are $45 but can be much lower and more affordable if experiencing the excitement of a game is all you’re looking for.
Average NHL Ticket Price By Team
The average NHL ticket price by team ranges from $84 at the lowest with the Florida Panthers, up to $352 with the Seattle Kraken, who joined the league for the first time this year.
The NHL is a mixture of Canadian and US teams, so you see some higher-priced tickets in smaller Canadian cities, as compared to bigger US cities where other professional sports are a bigger draw.
| NHL Team | 2022 Average Ticket Price |
| Seattle Kraken | $352 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | $309 |
| New York Rangers | $273 |
| Edmonton Oilers | $219 |
| Boston Bruins | $218 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | $216 |
| New York Islanders | $213 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | $202 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | $184 |
| Nashville Predators | $184 |
| Minnesota Wild | $177 |
| Colorado Avalanche | $176 |
| Los Angeles Kings | $168 |
| Winnipeg Jets | $160 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | $158 |
| Montreal Canadiens | $157 |
| Detroit Red Wings | $152 |
| Vancouver Canucks | $147 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | $144 |
| St Louis Blues | $139 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | $135 |
| Ottawa Senators | $133 |
| Washington Capitals | $131 |
| Calgary Flames | $129 |
| Arizona Coyotes | $128 |
| Anaheim Ducks | $125 |
| Dallas Stars | $124 |
| San Jose Sharks | $124 |
| New Jersey Devils | $104 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | $103 |
| Buffalo Sabres | $96 |
| Florida Panthers | $84 |
NHL Ticket Price Increase
The average NHL ticket price has skyrocketed over the past 16+ years. For example, the average ticket price in the 2006-2007 season was only $43, and now in the 2021-2022 season, we’re looking at average NHL ticket prices of $168.
| NHL Season | Average Ticket Price |
| 2021-2022 | $168 |
| 2019-2020 | $114 |
| 2014-2015 | $62 |
| 2011-2012 | $57 |
| 2006-2007 | $43 |
The price increases aren’t only with NHL tickets; most professional sports tickets have increased at a similar rate, like the average NFL ticket price.
Other entertainment options have also increased drastically in price over the past few years, including concert tickets and even movie tickets.
Best Place To Buy NHL Tickets
The best place to buy NHL tickets is through Ticketmaster, which gives you access to the primary market tickets directly from the teams rather than resold through marketplaces.
Unfortunately, most premium and lower-level seat tickets sell out extremely quickly, which means you get access to upper-level seats or need to turn to secondary market tickets and pay a premium for resold tickets.
There are a range of marketplaces offering secondary market tickets, the prices will vary between the sites, and some sites will add additional fees on top of the marked-up ticket price. The two biggest options are TicketIQ which doesn’t have fees, and Stubhub, which does have fees, so make sure you check both for the overall cost before purchasing.
Benjamin is a certified financial advisor, with over 10 years of experience in the industry. He is knowledgeable about various business and financial topics, such as retirement planning and investment management. Ben has been recognized for his work in the financial planning industry. He has also been featured in various publications.
