The NHL and NBA are both enjoying strong television ratings in the early stages of their 2026 playoffs, but the NFL continues to dominate with its annual draft, while the Vancouver Canucks are mired in dysfunction.
NHL and NBA Playoff Ratings on the Rise
Just over one week into the opening series, both leagues have reason to celebrate. In Canada, two overtime games have boosted viewership for the Montreal Canadiens, with 1.7 million French-language viewers tuning in to watch the Habs face the Tampa Bay Lightning on TVA Sports. Connor McDavid's Edmonton Oilers remain a television magnet on both sides of the border. The NHL is also buoyed by the two most-watched Game 2s ever on U.S. cable television: the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh matchup drew 1.6 million viewers, while Buffalo-Boston attracted 1.2 million, an 83% increase year-over-year for ESPN.
These playoff numbers come after the NHL's best regular-season television ratings since 2012-2013.
Meanwhile, the NBA posted its best opening Sunday in the playoffs in 15 years, with an aggregate of 35 million viewers across four national broadcast windows—a 65% increase year-over-year. Canadian viewership could climb further if the Toronto Raptors upset the Cleveland Cavaliers in their first-round series, which stands at 2-1 for Cleveland heading into the weekend.
NFL Draft Remains the Undisputed Champion
Yet the biggest winner in the business of sport this week is the NFL. The league expected more than 12 million American viewers for its prime-time draft on Thursday. The event resembled a football version of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, with over 320,000 fans in attendance in Pittsburgh. Even combining all NHL and NBA playoff games on Thursday night—three on the ice and three on the hardwood—the NFL still won the night on U.S. television with its off-season juggernaut.
Vancouver Canucks: A Basket of Problems
The Vancouver Canucks face deep reputational wounds after finishing the season 25-49-8 with 58 points, dead last among 32 NHL teams. That is 14 points worse than the next most woeful team, the Chicago Blackhawks. Even more painful for season ticket holders is that the Canucks won just nine of 41 home games at Rogers Arena, a franchise record for home ice futility. With roughly three out of every four home games ending in loss, selling tickets has become a challenge.
Adding to the misery, reports indicate fragmentation in the front office and ownership suite. Instead of an orderly transition from former general manager Patrick Alvin, the Canucks reportedly have two or even three different lists being considered in the process of appointing a new GM. This is hardly typical in the NHL or any North American professional sports league and does little to inspire confidence that the franchise will move forward in a unified manner.
