Bulls and Bears: Let's check NHL and NBA playoff ratings; then there's the NFL draft

The NHL and the NBA — the two leagues going shoulder to shoulder in their respective playoffs — have both had some good television numbers to celebrate just over one week into their opening series in 2026. In Canada, two overtime games have helped the original six heritage brand of the Montreal Canadiens draw strong viewership in both English on Rogers Sportsnet and in the French language, where 1.7 million watched the Habs take on the Tampa Bay Lightning on TVA Sports. Connor McDavid continues to make the Oilers a television magnet on both sides of the border, while the NHL is basking in the glow of the two most-watched game 2s ever on cable television in the U.S. Philadelphia-Pittsburgh game 2 generated an American audience of 1.6 million while the Buffalo-Boston game 2 chalked up 1.2 million, an 83 per cent increase year-over-year for ESPN. Read More