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Forbes.com: The NHL's Best (and Worst) Fans

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The NHL's Best (... Whether you call them the most faithful or most foolish for spending so much on a league that is locked out for the second time in the last 8 years, we found the NHL’s best and worst fans. Our ranking is based on the following criteria: ticket prices, concession, parking, and memorabilia prices, home attendance, merchandise sales, TV ratings, and social media followers. (AP)

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2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Best Fans: 5. Ed... While a dynasty missing the playoffs for six straight seasons would prove disastrous in other small markets, it has had no effect on the Oilers' fans. The team has played to a full capacity crowd since the last lockout. Fans get extra points for greeting the introduction of a female, in-game cheer squad as a hindrance to their game experience. (Getty Images)

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2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
4. Chicago Black... Since taking control after his father passed away, owner Rocky Wirtz made sweeping changes to bring once alienated fans back into the fold. The first thing he did was put previously withheld home games on local television. He also spent money on young talent, building a team that won the Stanley Cup in 2010. These stars, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, were among the top 10 selling jerseys in the league last year. The team has capped its season ticket holders at 14,000 and boasts a 10,000 person waiting list. (Getty Images)

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2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
3. Toronto Maple... Despite missing the playoffs every year since the last lockout, the Leafs' have sold out every game. This even though the average ticket price last year was $123, the highest in the league by 50 percent, and 151 percent more than what it was at the start of the 2005-06 season. (Getty Images)

More From Forbes:
2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
2. Montreal Cana... Fans and broadcasters consistently remark that the Bell Centre is the loudest arena in the league. That's helped by the fact that it has the largest capacity and been sold out since 2004. (AP)

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2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
1. Pittsburgh Pe... Thanks to Pens fans the team had a 5-year sell-out streak at the end of last season. Fans also flocked to the TVs, producing the highest local cable ratings in the NHL. The team's Facebook page has 1.2 million followers -- impressive considering it represents 51 percent of Pittsburgh's population. (AP)

More From Forbes:
2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Worst Fans: 5. D... Despite declining ticket prices since the last lockout and last year, the cheapest seats in the league, attendance at American Airlines Arena has fallen off a steep cliff the last few years. Last year the Stars got a lifeline in a new owner, Tom Gagliardi, who talked the Texas talk this summer about going after big free agents like Zach Parise and Ryan Suter (who ended up going to Minnesota). (Getty Images)

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2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
4. Florida Panth... While the Panther's on-ice performance and first appearance in the playoffs since 2000 helped boost attendance last year, the team's gate receipts, again among the lowest in the league, revealed the real story. The team gave away a lot of tickets through promotions. The BB&T Center was filled to only 86 percent capacity. Despite this, the team managed to sign a 10-year extension with the bank for the arena's naming rights and score a a long-term lucrative TV deal with Fox Sports Florida, deals which should bring the team cash to keep competitive on the ice. (AP)

More From Forbes:
2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
3. Tampa Bay Lig... The Lightning were one of only 3 teams that had a decrease in its average ticket price last season, one year after an announced price decrease as part of a "Bring It Back" fan initiative. (Getty Images)

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2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
2. New York Isla... The Islanders have ranked at or near the bottom in the league in terms of attendance, television ratings, and standings for years. In order to breathe new life into the organization owner Charles Wang announced in October that he is moving the team to Brooklyn's Barclays Center, home of the NBA's Nets, for the 2015-16 season. The new arena is small by NHL standards, seating 14,500 for hockey, but still leaves room for growth for the Islanders whose attendance at antiquated Nassau Coliseum averaged just 13,200 last season and 11,100 (last in the league) the season before. (AP)

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2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
1. Phoenix Coyot... Despite a playoff contending team, Jobing.com Arena was only 72.5 percent filled last season. The good news is that was slightly higher than the 2010-11 season and fails to reflect how it was packed to capacity during the playoffs; bad news it was less than the past 7 season average of 78 percent. Seats are cheap for the fans who want to go – second cheapest in the league. But all other engagement metrics –merchandise sales, TV ratings, social media involvement – indicate there may not be many ice loving sports fans in the desert. (Getty Images)

More From Forbes:
2012 NHL Team Values
The NHL’s Best and Worst Teams for the Buck
The NHL’s Highest Paid Players

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
More on Forbes.c... Click here to see the NHL's best and worst teams for the buck.