Top 10 NHL Diehard Fanbases

The top NHL fanbases are always up to debate, as each city is biased towards their own team and the fans rooting for them.

Some fanbases are obviously not enthused with their team, maybe because their team is simply not good or that the city just does not embrace hockey, which has been apparent in some cities in America.

However, what we can argue is that there are a handful of teams' fanbases that on any given night can be the rowdiest, most diehard group of people on the planet.  Most occur in Canada, but we can throw in a few fanbases in America that have shown that their love of hockey and their team through thick and thin is why they should be considered one of the best NHL fans around.

Here are the top 10 fanbases in the NHL.

10. Edmonton Oilers

There is a lot to cheer about with the Edmonton Oilers these days—that is, if we are looking towards the future.

They have a young core of talented players who are primed for big careers, hopefully in Edmonton uniforms.

With that said, the team already sells out just over 98 percent of its home games.  Just think about how this fanbase will react once the Oilers become contenders in a year or two.

9. Minnesota Wild

Again, this is not the best team on the ice on any given night, but the fans are on this list based on their dedication to a rather mediocre team.

The Wild are making changes, adding scorers Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi this offseason as an offensive core for years to come.

Also, Minnesota sells out 99 percent of the time, as well as fairing very well in the attendance department on the road. 

8. New York Rangers

In New York, sports is big in general.  And anytime a game is played at Madison Square Garden, people show up in bunches.  That would explain why MSG sells out 99.7 percent of the time when the Rangers are on the ice.

We can attribute that to the overpopulated New York City, or the actual sports fans.

You can decide that.

7. Vancouver Canucks

Canucks fans can be on this list for the sole fact that they went nuts after losing in the finals to the Boston Bruins.  It has been well documented.

But we can also place this team's fanbase on this list based on the fact that their arena sells out 100 percent of the time, meaning they are packing that place with standing-only tickets.

Also, this team is eighth in the NHL in average attendance at 18,860 a night.  Their talented team gives them an advantage in the attendance department on the road, as well.  They are one of the top road attendance teams in the NHL.

6. San Jose Sharks

It is hard not to go nuts when the Shark head drops, Metallica plays and the players storm out of the locker room.  Oh, and the simple fact that this franchise puts a winning team on the ice season after season.

They sell out HP Pavilion 100.4 percent of the time and are also pretty favorable on the road.

During the playoffs, we can argue that this arena and fanbase is as loud as it gets in the NHL.

5. Philadelphia Flyers

Fans in Philadelphia are ruthless in the first place, but we cannot deny that they love their sports no matter what team is playing. 

It does help that nearly every team in Philadelphia is good at this time, but that does not emit the fact that the Flyers sell out 101 percent of the time, as well as boast the NHL's third-best average attendance.

4. Detroit Red Wings

Another consistently good hockey team with fans for miles around.

Some may knock the fact that the team only sells out Hockeytown 98 percent of their season, which is rather low compared to other NHL powerhouses.  But they have the fourth-best average attendance in the NHL, as well as the largest attendance on the road.

However, from a franchise with such historical talent and nationwide fanbase, I simply expected more.

3. Chicago Blackhawks

It is hard to deny a fanbase that fills 108.7 percent of its arena every single night.  It is also hard to deny a team with the largest average attendance in the NHL.

The Blackhawks are good and will continue to get better with young studs like Toews and Kane to go along with a slew of other talented players.  But this fanbase comes out in armies to support their team, which is why they are ranked among the top when it comes to nearly every attendance category.

2. Montreal Canadiens

Had to figure a team from Canada would end up close to the top on this list.

It is widely regarded as one of the loudest arenas on the planet, which is something to say since this team has been stuck in a rut for the last few seasons.

Montreal still has the second-best average attendance in the NHL and sells out 100 percent of their home games.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs

Hard to argue with 102.9 percent sellout rate.

It is also well known that Toronto has some of the most diehard hockey fans on the planet.

Having fans that show up for a less-than-mediocre hockey team says a lot about how much they love their hockey team. 

Now with the Maple Leafs slowly becoming more relevant in the NHL, we should see this fanbase explode in the near future.