Sponsors that do the best job activating around the NHL:
| Bridgestone | 42% |
| MillerCoors/Molson Beer | 38% |
| Tim Hortons | 31% |
Responses: 633
Note: Respondents could make three selections.
Most effective team owner:
| Rocky Wirtz (Chicago Blackhawks) | 35% |
| Philip Anschutz/Edward Roski (L.A. Kings) | 19% |
| Mike Ilitch (Detroit Red Wings) | 10% |
Responses: 655
Least effective team owner:
| Charles Wang (N.Y. Islanders) | 25% |
| Vincent Viola (Florida Panthers) | 18% |
| James Dolan (N.Y. Rangers) | 9% |
Responses: 640
Most important issue facing the NHL:
| Television viewership | 34% |
| Health of the Arizona and Florida franchises | 24% |
| Concussions/player safety | 10% |
Responses: 684
Coming off a lockout that resulted in the 2004-05 season being canceled, readers taking our inaugural 2005 survey said the biggest issue facing the NHL was the need to execute an effective marketing strategy.
In the last five years, team that has shown the most innovation in its business practices:
| Chicago Blackhawks | 21% |
| Los Angeles Kings | 21% |
Responses: 631
Market now without an NHL franchise that is most viable for a new or relocated team:
| Seattle | 43% |
| Quebec City | 29% |
| Las Vegas | 11% |
| Hamilton, Ontario | 8% |
| Kansas City | 8% |
Responses: 679
Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin?
| Sidney Crosby | 67% |
| Alex Ovechkin | 33% |
Responses: 669
A rookie Sidney Crosby was singled out in 2005 by readers as the NHL’s most marketable player in our first survey. He has easily maintained the top spot in every survey since then when readers were asked to select the league’s top player.
Is the NHL a buy, sell or hold stock?
| Buy | 40% |
| Sell | 12% |
| Hold | 48% |
Responses: 688
