What does it take to make a sport truly pop? You’d think a guy like Alex Ovechkin—scoring 895 career goals in the exact same number of games as Wayne Gretzky, a living legend with a highlight reel that could make your jaw drop—would be enough to set the NHL on fire. His larger-than-life presence, his rocket of a slapshot, and his chase for hockey immortality should, in theory, pull fans to their screens and spark global buzz. But here’s the gut punch: even Ovechkin’s star power can’t seem to save the NHL from a viewership crisis that’s getting uglier by the game.

In a stat revealed by a X user, Braylon Breeze shows the numbers taking the same downward trend. His tweet from 19th April says, “The 2024–25 NHL regular season averaged 379,000 viewers across ESPN & TNT Sports, down 23% from last season (490K) and the least-watched regular season since at least 2009–10. NHL Regular Season Viewership (current deal): 2021–22: 437K 2022–23: 454K 2023–24: 490K 2024–25: 379K.” To put that in perspective, it’s the least-watched regular season since at least 2009–10. The NHL’s opening night this season? A measly 559,000 viewers tuned in for a three-game slate, down 39% from 2023. That’s not a dip—it’s a nosedive.

It gets worse. The San Jose Sharks-Seattle Kraken game on ESPN pulled in just 175,000 viewers, the least-watched NHL game of the year on the network. It was outdrawn more than 2-to-1 by an Iowa State-Kansas State women’s basketball game that aired right before it, which nabbed 390,000 viewers. Even the East-West Shrine Bowl, a 25-0 snooze fest on NFL Network, edged out the NHL by about 10,000 viewers. And don’t forget Wednesday’s games: a Flyers-Devils matchup on TNT and truTV scraped together 253,000 viewers (somehow a 59% increase from last year’s comparable slot), while a Penguins-Utah Hockey Club game tanked at 138,000. For context, ESPN’s new golf league, TGL, is pulling nearly a million viewers like it’s no big deal.

So what’s going on here? The NHL has Alex Ovechkin, a guy who’s rewriting the record books and bringing international flair to the ice. Yet, games are getting smoked by women’s basketball, second-tier football, and even golf. Late start times, like that 10:30 p.m. ET Sharks-Kraken game, don’t help. Non-exclusive broadcasts split audiences. And let’s be real—the league is ended, and there isn’t much postseason buzz to prop it up. Ovechkin was chasing Gretzky’s goal record, but the NHL’s chasing something even harder: relevance in a crowded sports world that’s leaving it behind.

Alex Ovechkin’s brilliance isn’t enough to fix this alone. The league needs to rethink its scheduling, lean harder into its stars, and maybe find a way to make regular-season games feel like must-watch events. But it does not have to be that way, as we also saw a rise in the NHL viewership during the 4 Nations Face off.

When the 4 Nations face off revived the NHL viewership

In February 2025, the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off delivered a masterclass in reviving hockey’s appeal, with viewership numbers soaring heights not seen since the Stanley Cup Finals. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, speaking on the Get Up podcast with Mike Greenberg, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for the tournament’s success. The event, designed to counter dwindling hockey viewership due to lackluster team performances, proved to be a game-changer, drawing millions and reigniting fan passion.

The 4 Nations Face-Off, which replaced the traditional NHL All-Star Games, kicked off with a bang. Just nine seconds into the opening game, Team USA and Canada clashed in a fiery display, with three simultaneous fights erupting on the ice. This intensity set the tone for a tournament that captivated even the most skeptical fans. Bettman highlighted the players’ commitment, noting stars like Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, Sidney Crosby, and Connor McDavid whose performances transcended the sport and showcased a fierce national pride. “Our players took it really seriously,” Bettman said, pointing to the injuries sustained as evidence of their dedication.

Viewership statistics underscored the event’s impact. The USA-Finland game averaged 1.548 million viewers on ESPN, while the Canada-Sweden match also surpassed the 1 million mark. The pinnacle came with the Canada-USA rematch, which drew 16 to 17 million viewers—rivalling Game 7 of the previous Stanley Cup Final. These numbers reflect a broad demographic appeal, countering the narrative that hockey struggles to retain fans. Social media posts, like one from Braylon Breeze on X, celebrated the milestone, signaling a shift in fan engagement, the very same Braylon Breeze who is currently lamenting NHL’s regular season’s dwindling viewership numbers.

The tournament’s success comes at a critical time for the NHL, which has faced challenges with accessibility. Pundits like Ryan Hana of Winged Wheel Pod have criticized the need for multiple subscriptions to follow games, arguing it alienates fans. The 4 Nations Face-Off, however, broke through these barriers, offering high-stakes, accessible drama that resonated widely. Bettman noted the event’s ability to amplify emotions, particularly amid the fierce rivalry between Canada and the USA which were fuelled by ongoing political tensions between the countries, which added a compelling layer to the flat narrative.

In stark contrast, the NBA’s All-Star Game, held around the same time, saw a 36% drop in viewership compared to the previous year. NBA star Kevin Durant, a vocal hockey fan, praised the NHL’s intensity and player loyalty in a Barstool Sports post on X, even advising fans to skip the NBA for their “mental health and overall well-being.” This juxtaposition highlights the NHL’s strategic win with the 4-Nations format.

As the NHL prepares for its return to the Olympics in 2026, the 4 Nations Face-Off has set a high bar. By prioritizing passion, international rivalries, and best-on-best competition, the league has not only reversed viewership declines but also rekindled hockey’s place in the hearts of fans worldwide. Now, having two formulas, one that works and one that doesn’t anymore, what do you think the NHL’s future course of action would be to revive the dying love for hockey? Tell us in the comments below.