Tuesday, June 9, 2026

TNT, TBS Smash First-Round Ratings Record for NHL Playoffs

  • Viewership averaged 959,000 on TNT and TBS, the most-watched NHL first-round ever on cable.
  • Game 7 between the Panthers and Bruins was the NHL’s all-time most-viewed first-round game on cable.
The Panthers Game 7 win over the Bruins set an NHL first-round ratings record.
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports says that its first-round NHL playoff broadcasts on TNT and TBS reached an average of 959,000 viewers, setting a new record as the all-time most-watched first-round of the NHL playoffs on cable. 

The record breaks last year’s first-round mark of 768,000 average viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, and TBS, which was also an NHL cable viewership record. 

Viewership for NHL first-round games on TNT and TBS was up 18% this year compared to the networks’ first-round ratings in 2022.

On Sunday, TNT’s Game 7 telecast of the Florida Panthers’ comeback victory over the Boston Bruins scored 3.2 million viewers, the most-watched NHL first-round game ever on a cable network. The epic Game 7 peaked at 4.1 million viewers on TNT.

In the Western Conference, the Seattle Kraken’s win on Sunday against the defending champion Colorado Avalanche drew more than 2 million viewers on TNT—making it the most-watched late-window game ever recorded in the NHL’s first round.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NBA, NHL Title Series Continue Delivering Big Audiences for ABC

The NHL is continuing its television audience growth wave.
Jun 4, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Texas Longhorns players and coaches pose for a group photo after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders to win the NCAA WomenÕs College World Series championship series at Devon Park.

WCWS Finals Break Viewership Records

Game 2 of the WCWS finals averaged 2.5 million viewers on ESPN.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball past San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the first half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center.

NBA Finals Game 1 Viewership Is Highest Since 2019

Game 3 between the Knicks and Spurs is Monday.

Stanley Cup Final Viewership for Game 1 Nearly Doubles on ABC

The Vegas win was the most-watched Stanley Cup Final opener since 2019.

Featured Today

Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.

Knicks-Spurs Game 2 Notches Another Viewership Win for ABC

The latest viewership figure extended a heady run for Disney.
Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks on from the court in the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
June 9, 2026

Yahoo Sports Syndicates False Kevin Durant Trade Story

As of Tuesday, Durant remains a member of the Rockets.
Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Television analyst and hall of fame basketball player Shaquille O'Neal walks on the court before game three of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
opinion
June 9, 2026

Shaquille O’Neal Shines During ‘Inside the NBA’ Finals Debut

The Diesel praised the Spurs’ physical play in Game 3.
Sponsored

World Cup Betting Preview: Big Kickoff in USA, Canada, and Mexico

A look at the key betting storylines with BetMGM heading into the tournament, including favorites, dark horses, and top scorer odds.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; NBA analyst for ESPN,Stephen A. Smith before game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
June 9, 2026

Trump, Stephen A. Smith Escalate NBA Finals–Fueled Feud

Trump questioned if Smith has the IQ required to run for president.
June 9, 2026

NFL Faces Renewed Congressional Attack Over Media Pricing, Access

Federal scrutiny rises further around the league’s media policies.
Mar 15, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; FS1 announcer Jason Benetti during the game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Washington State Cougars at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
June 9, 2026

How NBC’s Jason Benetti Learned to Trust His Dry Wit

Benetti is in his first season as NBC’s lead baseball announcer.
Jun 2, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) brings the ball up-court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half in game four of the Western Conference finals of the 2012 NBA playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
June 8, 2026

ESPN Ends NBA Finals AI Graphics After Viral Tony Parker Image

Online outrage surfaced after ABC aired an AI-generated image of Tony Parker.