Maple Leafs Top List of Most Valuable NHL Franchises

And for once, wealth actually translates to success for the Buds.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have once again been declared the National Hockey League's most valuable franchise, worth an estimated $521 million, according to Forbes magazine. The New York Rangers came in second at $501 million, followed by the Montreal Canadiens ($445 million), Detroit Red Wings ($336 million, and probably the most valuable entity in that city at this point), and the Stanley Cup champions, the Boston Bruins ($325 million). The Vancouver Canucks (seventh, $300 million) upped their value by 15 per cent over last year (a long playoff run has that effect). The Calgary Flames (13th, $220 million), Edmonton Oilers (15th, $212 million), Ottawa Senators (17th, $201 million), and the Winnipeg Jets (24th, $164 million) round out the other Canadian franchises. The Jets' move from Atlanta to Winnipeg also helped the value of that franchise jump 21 per cent over the last year. The NHL-owned Phoenix Coyotes placed at the bottom, worth a measly $134 million.