What Every NHL Team Sold For: Complete Ownership History
$70B+
Combined Value (All 32 Teams)
$2.2B
Average Team Value (2025)
$2M
1967 Expansion Fee
$4.3B
Most Valuable (Maple Leafs)
🏒 NHL Ownership: From $2 Million to $4.3 Billion
- Most Valuable Team: Toronto Maple Leafs at $4.3 billion — hockey's crown jewel
- Best Investment Ever: Boston Bruins purchased for ~$10 million in 1975, now worth $3.05 billion (30,000%+ return)
- Longest Family Ownership: Wirtz family has owned the Chicago Blackhawks since 1954 — 71 years
- Expansion Fee Growth: From $2 million in 1967 to $650 million in 2021 (Seattle) — a 32,500% increase
- Recent Record Sale: Tampa Bay Lightning majority stake sold at $1.8 billion valuation (2024)
📊 Current Valuations vs. Original Purchase Price
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💰 Best Investment Returns (% Increase)
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📋 Complete NHL Team Ownership Database
| Team | Original Purchase | 2025 Adjusted | Current Value | ROI % | Current Owner(s) | Division |
|---|
📜 Complete 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 first season under new ownership
2025
Samueli family still owns team. Current value: $2 billion
Utah Hockey Club — 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
2025
Smith Entertainment Group owns team. Current value: $1.6 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
2025
Jacobs family still owns team (50 years). Current value: $3.05 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
2025
Pegula Sports & Entertainment still owns team. Current value: $1.42 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
2025
Murray Edwards leads ownership group. Current value: $1.85 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
2025
Dundon still owns team. Current value: $2 billion
Chicago Blackhawks — NHL's Longest Family Ownership
1926
Frederic McLaughlin founds team for $12,000
1954
Arthur Wirtz purchases team
1983
Bill Wirtz inherits team
2007
Rocky Wirtz inherits team; reverses unpopular policies
2023
Danny Wirtz becomes Chairman after father Rocky passes
2025
Wirtz family still owns (71 years). Current value: $2.75 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
2025
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment still owns team. Current value: $2.35 billion
Columbus Blue Jackets — Ohio's NHL Team
2000
John H. McConnell pays $80 million expansion fee
2012
McConnell family sells to Nationwide Realty (later retains minority stake)
2025
McConnell family retains ownership. Current value: $1.4 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
2025
Gaglardi still owns team. Current value: $2.4 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
2025
Ilitch Holdings still owns team. Current value: $2.47 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
2025
Katz Group still owns team. Current value: $3.1 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
2025
Viola still owns team. Current value: $1.8 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
2025
AEG still owns team. Current value: $3.15 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
2025
Leipold still owns team. Current value: $1.9 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
2025
Molson family and partners own team. Current value: $3.4 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: $1.75 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
2025
Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment owns team. Current value: $1.95 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
2025
Ledecky & Malkin still own team. Current value: $1.77 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
2025
Dolan family owns via MSG Sports. Current value: $3.8 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
2025
Andlauer still owns team. Current value: $1.44 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
2025
Comcast Spectacor still owns team. Current value: $2.6 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
2025
Hoffmann Family acquires at $1.75 billion valuation. Current value: $2.1 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
2025
San Jose Sports & Entertainment owns team. Current value: $1.55 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
2025
Seattle Hockey Partners owns team. Current value: $1.7 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
2025
Stillman still owns team. Current value: $2 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
2025
Vinik retains control for 3 years. Current value: $2.3 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 MLSE for $1.32 billion
2025
Rogers acquires 75% of MLSE for $4.7 billion. Current value: $4.3 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
2025
Aquilini Investment Group still owns team. Current value: $2.3 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
2025
Bill Foley & family own team. Current value: $2.4 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
2025
Leonsis & Monumental Sports still owns team. Current value: $2.5 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
2025
True North Sports & Entertainment still owns team. Current value: $1.46 billion
🏆 Oldest Family Ownership
The Wirtz family has owned the Chicago Blackhawks since 1954 — 71 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 2021). Next fee expected to exceed $2 billion.
🎬 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.
📈 NHL Team Values by Division
← Swipe to see full chart →
Data Sources: 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: January 2026
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: January 2026