What Every NHL Team Sold For: Complete Ownership History
$77B+
Combined Value (All 32 Teams)
$2.43BAverage Team Value (Sportico, Sept. 2026)
$2M1967 Expansion Fee
$4.8BMost Valuable (Maple Leafs)
$650MSeattle expansion fee (awarded 2018)
01NHL Ownership: From $2 Million to $4.8 Billion
Most Valuable Team: Toronto Maple Leafs at $4.8 billion (Sportico, September 2026) — hockey's crown jewel
Best Investment Ever: Boston Bruins purchased for ~$10 million in 1975, now worth $3.31 billion (30,000%+ return)
Longest Family Ownership: Wirtz family has owned the Chicago Blackhawks since 1954 — 72 years
Expansion Fee Growth: From $2 million in 1967 to $650 million (Seattle, awarded 2018) — a 32,400% increase
Recent Record Sale: Tampa Bay Lightning majority stake sold at $1.8 billion valuation (completed October 2024)
02Current Valuations vs. Original Purchase Price
Top 15 Most Valuable NHL Teams (Sportico, September 2026)
Valuation (Billions USD)
03Biggest Value Increases (% Over Purchase Price)
Largest Increases, Current Value vs. Purchase Price (Thousands %)
Percent increase (thousands %) of the current Sportico value (September 2026) over the original purchase price. This is a valuation multiple, not an investment return: it leaves out operating profits and losses, later capital, debt and changes in ownership share. Some starting prices are expansion fees. The Maple Leafs and Rangers prices were paid for parent companies (MLSE and Madison Square Garden) that also owned other teams and arenas, so their percentages are not comparable with team-only deals, and the Leafs price is in Canadian dollars.
04Complete NHL Team Ownership Database
Team
Original Purchase
2025 Adjusted
Current Value
Value Increase %
Current Owner(s)
Division
05Complete NHL Ownership Histories (All 32 Teams)
Anaheim Ducks — Disney to Samueli
1993
Walt Disney Company pays $50 million expansion fee; team named "Mighty Ducks" after Disney film
2005
Henry & Susan Samueli purchase team for $75 million
2006
Team renamed "Anaheim Ducks"
2007
Ducks win Stanley Cup in their second season under new ownership
2026
Samueli family still owns team. Current value: $1.92 billion
Utah Mammoth — From Winnipeg to Phoenix to Salt Lake
1996
Winnipeg Jets relocate to Phoenix; renamed Coyotes
2009
Team declares bankruptcy; NHL takes control
2013
IceArizona (Andrew Barroway) purchases for $170 million
2019
Alex Meruelo purchases for $425 million
2024
Ryan & Ashley Smith purchase and relocate to Utah for $1.2 billion
2026
Smith Entertainment Group owns team (renamed Utah Mammoth in May 2025). Current value: $1.71 billion
Boston Bruins — Original Six Dynasty
1924
Charles Adams pays $15,000 for franchise
1975
Jeremy Jacobs purchases team for approximately $10 million
2011
Bruins win Stanley Cup — first title in 39 years
2026
Jacobs family still owns team (51 years). Current value: $3.31 billion
Buffalo Sabres — Knox to Pegula
1970
Seymour & Northrup Knox pay $6 million expansion fee
2003
Tom Golisano purchases out of bankruptcy for $92 million
2011
Terry Pegula purchases for $165 million
2026
Pegula Sports & Entertainment still owns team. Current value: $1.53 billion
Calgary Flames — Atlanta's Gift to Canada
1972
Atlanta Flames founded with $6 million expansion fee
1980
Team relocates to Calgary for $16 million
1989
Flames win Stanley Cup
1994
Calgary Sports and Entertainment ownership group forms
2026
Murray Edwards leads ownership group. Current value: $2.24 billion
Carolina Hurricanes — Hartford to Raleigh
1979
Hartford Whalers join NHL from WHA
1997
Peter Karmanos moves team to North Carolina
2006
Hurricanes win Stanley Cup
2018
Tom Dundon purchases for $420 million
2026
Dundon still owns team. Current value: $2.22 billion
Chicago Blackhawks — NHL's Longest Family Ownership
Danny Wirtz becomes Chairman after father Rocky passes
2026
Wirtz family still owns (72 years). Current value: $3.24 billion
Colorado Avalanche — From Quebec to Denver Dynasty
1979
Quebec Nordiques join NHL from WHA
1995
COMSAT Entertainment buys and moves team to Denver for $75 million
1996
Avalanche win Stanley Cup in first season in Denver
2000
Stan Kroenke's Kroenke Sports & Entertainment acquires team
2022
Avalanche win Stanley Cup
2026
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment still owns team. Current value: $2.18 billion
Columbus Blue Jackets — Ohio's NHL Team
2000
John H. McConnell pays $80 million expansion fee
2012
Nationwide sells Nationwide Arena to the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority and buys a 30% minority stake in the team; the McConnell family keeps majority control
2026
McConnell family retains ownership. Current value: $1.5 billion
Dallas Stars — Minnesota's Move to Texas
1967
Minnesota North Stars founded with $2 million expansion fee
1993
Norm Green relocates team to Dallas
1999
Stars win Stanley Cup
2011
Tom Gaglardi purchases for $240 million
2026
Gaglardi still owns team. Current value: $2.17 billion
Detroit Red Wings — Hockeytown
1926
Detroit Cougars founded
1982
Mike Ilitch (Little Caesars) purchases for $8 million
1997- 2008
Red Wings win four Stanley Cups under Ilitch
2017
Mike Ilitch dies; son Christopher takes over
2026
Ilitch Holdings still owns team. Current value: $2.4 billion
Edmonton Oilers — Gretzky's Dynasty to Modern Era
1979
Oilers join NHL from WHA; Peter Pocklington owner
1984- 1990
Oilers win five Stanley Cups with Wayne Gretzky
2008
Daryl Katz purchases for $200 million
2016
Rogers Place opens — $613 million arena
2026
Katz Group still owns team. Current value: $3.11 billion
Florida Panthers — Stanley Cup Champions
1993
Wayne Huizenga (Blockbuster Video) pays $50 million expansion fee
1996
Panthers reach Stanley Cup Final in just third season
2013
Vincent Viola purchases for approximately $250 million
2024
Panthers win first Stanley Cup
2026
Viola still owns team. Current value: $2.15 billion
Los Angeles Kings — Gretzky's Western Home
1967
Jack Kent Cooke pays $2 million expansion fee
1988
Wayne Gretzky traded to Kings; hockey boom in LA
1995
Philip Anschutz and Edward Roski Jr. (AEG) purchase team
2012, 2014
Kings win two Stanley Cups
2026
AEG still owns team. Current value: $3.33 billion
Minnesota Wild — Return of NHL to the State of Hockey
2000
Robert Naegele Jr. pays $80 million expansion fee
2008
Craig Leipold purchases for $260 million
2026
Leipold still owns team. Current value: $1.97 billion
Montreal Canadiens — 24-Time Stanley Cup Champions
1909
J. Ambrose O'Brien founds the Canadiens
1957
Senator Hartland Molson & brother Thomas purchase team
1978
Molson Brewery repurchases for $20 million
2001
George Gillett purchases 80.1% for $275 million
2009
Geoff Molson leads group to repurchase for $575 million
2026
Molson family and partners own team. Current value: $3.8 billion
Nashville Predators — Smashville
1998
Craig Leipold pays $80 million expansion fee
2007
Team sold to local group led by David Freeman
2022
Herb Fritch group acquires majority
2025
Bill Haslam becomes majority owner at $775 million valuation. Current value (Sportico, September 2026): $1.85 billion
New Jersey Devils — Three-Time Champions
1974
Kansas City Scouts founded with $6 million expansion fee
1976
Team moves to Denver as Colorado Rockies
1982
John McMullen moves team to New Jersey for $30 million
1995, 2000, 2003
Devils win three Stanley Cups
2013
Josh Harris group purchases for $320 million
2026
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment owns team. Current value: $2.72 billion
New York Islanders — Four-Peat Dynasty
1972
Roy Boe pays $6 million expansion fee (plus $5M to Rangers)
1980- 1983
Islanders win four consecutive Stanley Cups
2000
Charles Wang purchases for $190 million
2016
Jon Ledecky & Scott Malkin purchase for $485 million
2021
UBS Arena opens in Belmont Park
2026
Ledecky & Malkin still own team; a 15% minority stake sold at a $3 billion valuation (reported September 2026). Current value: $2.7 billion
New York Rangers — Original Six at MSG
1926
Madison Square Garden Corporation founds team
1994
Viacom sells MSG properties to Cablevision/ITT
1997
Cablevision buys ITT's half for $650 million (includes arena & Knicks)
1999
James Dolan takes control of MSG properties
2026
Dolan family owns via MSG Sports. Current value: $4.15 billion
Ottawa Senators — Return to the Capital
1992
Bruce Firestone pays $50 million expansion fee
2003
Eugene Melnyk purchases for $92 million
2022
Eugene Melnyk dies; family retains ownership
2023
Michael Andlauer purchases 90% for approximately $950 million
2026
Andlauer still owns team. Current value: $1.55 billion
Philadelphia Flyers — Broad Street Bullies
1967
Ed Snider leads group paying $2 million expansion fee
1974- 1975
Flyers win back-to-back Stanley Cups — first expansion team to win
1996
Comcast acquires Flyers as part of Spectacor purchase
2016
Ed Snider dies; Comcast retains ownership
2026
Comcast Spectacor still owns team. Current value: $3.15 billion
Pittsburgh Penguins — Lemieux's Legacy
1967
Group pays $2 million expansion fee
1991- 1992
Back-to-back Stanley Cups led by Mario Lemieux
1999
Mario Lemieux & Ron Burkle purchase out of bankruptcy for $107 million
2009, 2016, 2017
Penguins win three more Stanley Cups
2021
Fenway Sports Group purchases for $900 million
2026
Fenway Sports Group sells to the Hoffmann Family of Companies for about $1.75 billion; NHL governors approved the sale June 23, 2026. Current value: $1.75 billion
San Jose Sharks — Silicon Valley's Team
1991
George & Gordon Gund pay $45 million expansion fee
2002
Hasso Plattner (SAP co-founder) leads purchase
2016
Sharks reach first Stanley Cup Final
2026
San Jose Sports & Entertainment owns team. Current value: $1.78 billion
Seattle Kraken — NHL's Newest Franchise
2018
David Bonderman & Jerry Bruckheimer lead group paying $650 million expansion fee
2021
Kraken begin play at Climate Pledge Arena
2023
Kraken make playoffs in second season
2026
Seattle Hockey Partners owns team. Current value: $1.9 billion
St. Louis Blues — Gloria Champions
1967
Sid Salomon Jr. pays $2 million expansion fee
1999
Bill & Nancy Laurie purchase team
2012
Tom Stillman group purchases for $130 million
2019
Blues win first Stanley Cup in 52-year history
2026
Stillman still owns team. Current value: $1.7 billion
Tampa Bay Lightning — Back-to-Back Champions
1992
Phil Esposito leads group paying $50 million expansion fee
2004
Lightning win first Stanley Cup
2010
Jeff Vinik purchases for $170 million
2020- 2021
Lightning win back-to-back Stanley Cups
2024
Doug Ostrover/Marc Lipschultz group purchases majority at $1.8 billion valuation
2026
Ostrover/Lipschultz group holds the majority; Vinik keeps control for three years from the October 2024 closing. Current value: $2.2 billion
Toronto Maple Leafs — Hockey's Most Valuable Team
1917
Toronto Arenas founded as NHL charter member
1927
Conn Smythe purchases and renames Maple Leafs
1961
Harold Ballard gains control
1994
Steve Stavro & Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan acquire team
2012
Rogers & Bell acquire 79.5% of MLSE (Maple Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC and the arena) from the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan for C$1.32 billion
2025
Rogers completes its C$4.7 billion purchase of Bell's 37.5% of MLSE (July 2025), raising its stake to 75%. Current value (Sportico, September 2026): $4.8 billion
Vancouver Canucks — Canada's West Coast Team
1970
Tom Scallen pays $6 million expansion fee
1974
Frank Griffiths Sr. acquires team
2004
Francesco Aquilini begins acquiring stake
2006
Aquilini family gains full control
2026
Aquilini Investment Group still owns team. Current value: $2.05 billion
Vegas Golden Knights — Expansion Success Story
2016
Bill Foley pays $500 million expansion fee
2018
Golden Knights reach Stanley Cup Final in first season
2023
Golden Knights win Stanley Cup in year six — fulfilling Foley's promise
2024
Maloof family sells minority stake back to Foley
2026
Bill Foley & family own team. Current value: $2.41 billion
Washington Capitals — Ovechkin's Team
1974
Abe Pollin pays $6 million expansion fee
1999
Ted Leonsis purchases for $85 million
2018
Capitals win first Stanley Cup led by Alex Ovechkin
2026
Leonsis & Monumental Sports still owns team. Current value: $2.67 billion
Winnipeg Jets — Return to Manitoba
1999
Atlanta Thrashers founded with $80 million expansion fee
2011
True North Sports (David Thomson) purchases and moves to Winnipeg for $170 million
2026
True North Sports & Entertainment still owns team. Current value: $1.52 billion
06Ownership Records
Oldest Family Ownership
The Wirtz family has owned the Chicago Blackhawks since 1954 — 72 consecutive years across three generations.
Best Modern Investment
Jeff Vinik paid $170 million for the Lightning in 2010. Majority stake sold at $1.8 billion valuation in 2024 — over 10x return.
Player-Turned-Owner
Mario Lemieux converted $32 million in owed salary to equity, saving the Penguins from bankruptcy and winning three more Cups.
Expansion Fee Growth
NHL expansion fees grew from $2 million (1967) to $650 million (Seattle, awarded 2018). Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said in October 2025 the next fee would be at least $2 billion; as of October 2026 the league had not opened a formal expansion process.
Celebrity Owners
Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun, Pirates of Caribbean producer) co-owns the Seattle Kraken alongside billionaire David Bonderman.
Brewing Dynasty
The Molson family has owned the Montreal Canadiens multiple times across three generations since 1957.
07NHL Team Values by Division
NHL Division Values (Sportico, September 2026)
Total Division ValueAverage Team Value
Value (Billions USD)
08Sources and Notes
Data Sources: Current values from Sportico NHL Team Values (September 29, 2026); CNBC Official NHL Valuations (November 2025), Forbes NHL Valuations, Sportico Team Values, official team histories, and verified historical records.
Inflation Adjustments: All historical prices adjusted to 2025 dollars using Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI data.
Note: "Original Purchase" reflects the price paid by the current ownership family/group when they first acquired controlling interest. Some franchises have complex ownership structures with multiple partners. Last Updated: October 19, 2026
Corrections and Updates
Date
What changed
October 25, 2026
Ducks 2007 Cup corrected to second season under Samueli ownership; Columbus 2012 entry corrected to Nationwide's 30% minority purchase and arena sale; Leafs price labelled as C$1.32B for 79.5% of MLSE; chart dates corrected to September 2026.
Every correction to a published figure on this site is logged on Sources and Methods.
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Dave Manuel, “NHL Team Ownership & Purchase Prices - All 32 Teams,” DaveManuel.com, updated October 26, 2026, https://www.davemanuel.com/nhl-team-ownership-purchase-prices.php (accessed October 31, 2026).
Manuel, D. (2026). NHL Team Ownership & Purchase Prices - All 32 Teams. DaveManuel.com. Retrieved October 31, 2026, from https://www.davemanuel.com/nhl-team-ownership-purchase-prices.php
{{cite web |url=https://www.davemanuel.com/nhl-team-ownership-purchase-prices.php |title=NHL Team Ownership & Purchase Prices - All 32 Teams |last=Manuel |first=Dave |website=DaveManuel.com |access-date=2026-10-31}}
