This year’s Stanley Cup Finals certainly proved historic on several counts, from the Washington Capitals finally securing their first-ever championship to the Vegas Golden Knights’ magical mystery run to the Finals as an expansion team in their inaugural year. But the series also set a new precedent when it came to ticket pricing. All but one game in the series ranked within the Top 15 highest-priced NHL events, according to Ticket Club data.
The Washington Capitals needed only five games to dash the dreams of hopeful Vegas fans and hoist their first Stanley Cup. It was a long time coming for the Caps, who hadn’t reached the Finals in 20 years despite nabbing eight division titles in the last 11 seasons. The victory finally allowed Captain and future Hall of Famer Alex Ovechkin to check off the crucial box he’d been waiting for in his illustrious 13-year career with the team. The Golden Knights may have been denied the chance to bring Lord Stanley’s Cup to the Las Vegas strip, but their presence in the series alongside the Capitals created some of the most sought-after tickets in the sport.
Barring Game 2, every other meeting throughout the Finals scored record-setting average ticket prices. Last night’s clincher in Las Vegas, however, came in on the lower end of the spectrum. At $1,170 per ticket, Game 5 is No. 14 on the Top 20 NHL games with the highest average ticket prices. Game 1, also held in Vegas, earned the No. 13 ranking with an average price of $1,259. Washington’s first home game of the series scored the No. 11 spot as fans dished out $1,344 on average to see the action from Capital One Arena. Game 4 saw prices increase to $1,416, making it the sixth-most expensive ticket in hockey history.
Although never played, Games 6 and 7 of this year’s Stanley Cup Finals saw potential ticket demand soaring and earned the Nos. 2 and 3 spots, respectively. Holding the top spot with an average price just south of $2,500 is the Game 7 decider between Boston and Vancouver for the 2011 Stanley Cup, which the Bruins won in dominant fashion. Should the Golden Knights have taken Game 5 to send the series back to DC, fans would have been tasked to cough up $2,375 on average to get in, a tremendous spike in order to witness the winning team make sports history at home.
Top 20 Highest-Priced NHL Games
| Rank | Event | Event City/State | Year | Average Ticket Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins – Game 7 | Vancouver, BC | 2011 | $2,486.79 |
| 2 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Washington Capitals vs. Vegas Golden Knights – Home Game 3, Series Game 6 (If Necessary)* | Washington, DC | 2018 | $2,375.77 |
| 3 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Washington Capitals – Home Game 4, Series Game 7 (If Necessary)* | Las Vegas, NV | 2018 | $1,730.13 |
| 4 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings – Home Game 3 (If Necessary)* | New York, NY | 2014 | $1,624.97 |
| 5 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Boston Bruins – Home Game 4 (If Necessary)* | Chicago, IL | 2013 | $1,614.51 |
| 6 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Washington Capitals vs. Vegas Golden Knights – Home Game 2, Series Game 4 | Washington, DC | 2018 | $1,415.46 |
| 7 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. San Jose Sharks – Home Game 4 (If Necessary)* | Pittsburgh, PA | 2016 | $1,386.13 |
| 8 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning – Home Game 3 | Chicago, IL | 2015 | $1,385.95 |
| 9 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Nashville Predators vs. Pittsburgh Penguins – Home Game 3 | Nashville, TN | 2017 | $1,371.07 |
| 10 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings – Home Game 1 | New York, NY | 2014 | $1,363.13 |
| 11 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Washington Capitals vs. Vegas Golden Knights – Home Game 1, Series Game 3 | Washington, DC | 2018 | $1,343.88 |
| 12 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: New York Rangers vs. Los Angeles Kings – Home Game 2 | New York, NY | 2014 | $1,340.84 |
| 13 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Washington Capitals – Home Game 1, Series Game 1 | Las Vegas, NV | 2018 | $1,258.84 |
| 14 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Washington Capitals – Home Game 3, Series Game 5 | Las Vegas, NV | 2018 | $1,170.09 |
| 15 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins – Home Game 3 | Vancouver, BC | 2011 | $1,154.93 |
| 16 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins – Home Game 2 | Vancouver, BC | 2011 | $1,139.17 |
| 17 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Nashville Predators vs. Pittsburgh Penguins – Home Game 2 | Nashville, TN | 2017 | $1,063.92 |
| 18 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. San Jose Sharks – Home Game 3 | Pittsburgh, PA | 2016 | $1,045.52 |
| 19 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Nashville Predators vs. Pittsburgh Penguins – Home Game 1 | Nashville, TN | 2017 | $1,034.61 |
| 20 | NHL Stanley Cup Finals: Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers – Home Game 3 | Los Angeles, CA | 2014 | $1,022.69 |
*game never played due to series finishing prior
These figures, while record-setting, also carry minimal shock value. The series quickly turned into one of the hottest sports tickets around once Washington and Las Vegas secured their spots in the Final, with early numbers showing a base “get-in” price running $800 and up across the secondary market. As the series progressed and Washington quickly closed in on the Cup, minimum ticket prices shot to well over $1,000. Should it have gone the distance, prices likely would have skyrocketed further, perhaps even toppling the No. 1 game.
Are red-hot ticket prices to be expected across the board in future Stanley Cup Finals or only when history is on the line? It’s hard to determine, but with the 2018 series setting such a high standard, we can only hope the same level of excitement can be matched in the years to come.