The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs have begun.
And if you’re watching in this Pennsylvania city, then you’re in the right place.
WalletHub conducted and published a study of the United States’ “Best Cities for Hockey Fans (2025).” In third place is Pittsburgh.
“Pittsburgh is the third-best city for hockey fans, and its NHL team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, has brought home five Stanley Cups, the fourth-most in the nation,” the report reads. “The Penguins are also an extremely popular team, and they have the most engaged fanbase of any team when it comes to followers on social media, as well as the highest share of people who have a positive opinion of them.
“Pittsburgh has the fifth-biggest stadium capacity in the nation, too. In addition, the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area is home to Robert Morris University, which has a Division 1 NCAA hockey team, the Colonials. It stands out for having some of the most affordable season tickets, at just $150 for the entire season.”
The Steel City and the 75 others that were included on the list were graded across two main categories: “NHL (Division I Men’s)” and “NCAA (Division I Men’s).” Various sub-metrics such as “Average Ticket Price for NHL Game” and “Number of Hall of Fame Coaches” were also taken into account.
Based on all that, the city in second place was Detroit, Michigan, and in first was Boston, Massachusetts.
“Hockey is one of the most under-appreciated sports in America, but its popularity is steadily growing, bringing in record-breaking revenue and attendance,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “The best cities for hockey provide good opportunities to watch high-performing NHL teams in person, and sometimes NCAA teams as well.
“They also have some of the most dedicated fans in the country.”
Philadelphia, by the way, scored a spot amongst the top 15 cities in 12th overall.