It seems the only people who missed playoff hockey in Canada more than the fans are the folks selling after-market tickets.
One year removed from no Canadian teams qualifying for the NHL post-season, five are in this year, and the asking prices for tickets to their first home games ranged from the shockingly cheap ($ 64) to the stupidly expensive ($ 50,343), according to StubHub’s figures on Monday.
Not surprisingly, the request for an amount higher than the average Canadian income is for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first home contest, which is Game 3 of their series vs. the Washington Capitals.
That’s $ 1,000 for every year since the franchise last won the Stanley Cup.
Those with a more modest bank account will still have to shell out. The cheapest seat on StubHub for the Leafs’ first home game, on April 17, is $ 318.
Profiteers are also looking to cash in on the return of playoff hockey to Edmonton after a decade-long absence.
The San Jose Sharks will head to Rogers Place in Edmonton on April 12 to face the Oilers in Game 1 of their first-round series. The lowest ticket price listed on StubHub is $ 372, while the most expensive tickets are club seats going for the not-so-modest price of $ 5,697.
Ticket prices on the secondary market appear more modest in Montreal, where the Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup a record 24 times. To see Game 1 against the New York Rangers on April 12, it costs $ 101 on StubHub for a seat in the upper bowl and $ 1,332 for suite seating.
In Calgary, the most expensive seat for the April 17 contest against the Anaheim Ducks is going for $ 1,006, and the cheapest for $ 105.
And in the nation’s capital, a seat in the lower club seats for the April 12 series opener between the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins is going for $ 13,325, though you can sit in the nosebleeds for $ 64.
Having five of the seven Canadian teams in the playoffs is exciting to say the least, but those wanting to see the action up close might have to skimp on groceries for a while.
