Ratings for the NHL Stanley Cup Final dating back to 1999 (with additional ratings from 1994-98).
The 2009 Penguins/Red Wings Stanley Cup Final averaged a 3.1 rating and 5.3 million viewers on NBC (five games), making it the most-viewed Stanley Cup Final on broadcast since Red Wings/Hurricanes on ABC in ’02 (5.8 million for three games).
Game 7 of the series drew a 4.3 rating and 8.0 million viewers, the highest rated NHL telecast since ’03 and the most-viewed since ’73.
Mighty Ducks/Devils Game 7 in 2003 remains the highest rated Stanley Cup Final telecast since the league returned to broadcast television in ’95.
Last year’s Stanley Cup Final was also the highest rated on cable since 2002, as Versus’ coverage of Games 3 and 4 drew ratings of 1.7 and 1.8, respectively.
Canucks/Rangers Game 7 in ’94 still ranks as the highest rated Stanley Cup Final game ever on cable. The game drew 3.28 million households — the equivalent at the time of a 5.2 cable rating and a 3.5 U.S. rating, and the equivalent today of a 2.9 U.S. rating.
Stanley Cup Final Ratings Chart (Dates Back To 2006)
Ratings For Every Stanley Cup Final Game Since 1999 (With Additional Ratings From 1994-98)
U.S. HH ratings for Mighty Ducks/Devils Game 2 on ESPN were unavailable. The game drew a 1.1 cable rating.
* Had the 2005 Stanley Cup Finals taken place, the series would have aired on ESPN (Games 1 and 2) and NBC (Games 3-7).
| Year | Net | Gm. 1 | Gm. 2 | Gm. 3 | Gm. 4 | Gm. 5 | Gm. 6 | Gm. 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | NBC, VS |
2.4
|
3.1
|
1.7
|
1.8
|
2.4
|
3.4
|
4.3
|
| 2008 | NBC, VS |
1.2
|
1.3
|
2.4
|
2.3
|
3.8
|
4.0
|
no game
|
| 2007 | NBC, VS |
0.5
|
0.4
|
1.1
|
1.9
|
1.8
|
no game
|
|
| 2006 | NBC, OLN |
0.6
|
0.5
|
1.6
|
2.0
|
2.5
|
1.9
|
3.3
|
| 2005 | NBC*, ESPN* |
no games
|
||||||
| 2004 | ABC, ESPN |
0.9
|
1.0
|
1.4
|
2.1
|
2.5
|
2.7
|
4.2
|
| 2003 | ABC, ESPN |
1.1
|
—
|
2.0
|
2.7
|
2.7
|
2.4
|
4.6
|
| 2002 | ABC, ESPN |
2.3
|
2.6
|
3.3
|
3.5
|
4.2
|
no game
|
|
| 2001 | ABC, ESPN |
1.4
|
1.7
|
3.2
|
2.3
|
3.1
|
3.5
|
4.2
|
| 2000 | ABC, ESPN |
1.5
|
1.6
|
2.3
|
3.3
|
4.2
|
4.2
|
no game
|
| 1999 | FOX, ESPN |
3.4
|
3.3
|
1.9
|
2.2
|
3.5
|
2.7
|
no game
|
| 1998 | FOX, ESPN |
3.3
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
no game
|
||
| 1997 | FOX, ESPN |
4.0
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
no game
|
||
| 1996 | FOX, ESPN |
3.7
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
no game
|
||
| 1995 | FOX, ESPN |
3.2
|
—
|
—
|
3.6
|
no game
|
||
| 1994 | ESPN |
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
3.5
|
