Attendance Watch 2013-14 -- AKA, Mr. Bettman's Box Office

The Fires they say have all been put out, a new hockey season bringing an era of stability in ownership and brave predictions that the game will take root in those outposts that to now don't seem particularly smitten with the product.

Still, hope springs eternal and the 2013-14 season starts up in the same locales that were featured just one year ago.

For hopeful hockey fans in Quebec City, Hamilton, Suburban Toronto and now Seattle, watching the attendance figures becomes more important than which team is actually leading its division or closing in on a playoff spot.

Once again, we will track the teams that some suggest are on the bubble, secure leadership or not, financially flush as they may say they are, no one likes to lose money, so we'll scan the attendance numbers through the year, looking for those bargain basement teams that could be looking for a

relocation plan.

As last year, we shall use attendance at the 13,000 mark as our cut off for review.  Only those games that have drawn less than 13,000 or less in attendance will be listed below.  We also will list which team was in town as the visiting squad for the night, perhaps offering an explanation as to the night's recorded attendance.

Last year, the Coyotes, Islanders and Blue Jackets were the featured attractions of the bottom three attendance reviews, where the trouble spots are for 2013-14 will be an interesting study for the season ahead.

The review can be accessed from our GM's office links on the right hand sidebar.

Attendance Figures as of March 12, 2014

Bottom Feeders (our three dim star selection)

The three teams with the lowest attendance, teams the most times below the 13,000 benchmark.

1. Phoenix Coyotes (14)
2. Columbus Blue Jackets (8)
3. New York Islanders (8)
3. Florida Panthers (8)


Carolina Hurricanes (2)

January 25-- 11,458 (Ottawa) (Event Summary)
November 7--11,541 (NY Islanders) (Event Summary)

Colorado Avalanche (2)

January 8-- 12,487 (Ottawa) (Event Summary)
January 6-- 12,027 (Calgary) (Event Summary)

Columbus Blue Jackets (8)

December 16-- 11,448 (Winnipeg) (Event Summary)
December 10-- 11,905 (New Jersey) (Event Summary)
December 6-- 11,319 (Minnesota) (Event Summary)
December 3-- 10,223 (Tampa Bay) (Event Summary)
November 27-- 11,893 (Nashville) (Event Summary)
November 15-- 11,562 (Montreal) (Event Summary)
November 7-- 11,746 (NY Rangers) (Event Summary)
October 27-- 10,542 (Anaheim) (Event Summary)

Dallas Stars (6)

January 27-- 11,676 (Colorado) (Event Summary)
January 21-- 11,191 (Minnesota) (Event summary)
January 14-- 12,823 (Edmonton) (Event Summary)
December 10-- 12,542 (Chicago) (Event Summary)
December 7-- 8,567 (Philadelphia) (Event Summary)
December 1-- 12,673 (Edmonton) (Event Summary)


Florida Panthers (8)

March 11-- 12,211 (Phoenix) (Event Summary)
December 5-- 10,966 (Winnipeg) (Event Summary)
December 3-- 10,074 (Ottawa) (Event Summary)
November 5-- 12,035 (Edmonton) (Event Summary)
November 1-- 12,922 (St. Louis) (Event Summary)
October 27-- 12,336 (Tampa Bay) (Event Summary)
October 25-- 12,984 (Buffalo)  (Event Summary)
October 13-- 12,810 (Los Angeles) (Event Summary)

New Jersey Devils (4)

January 21-- 11,432 (St. Louis) (Event Summary)
December 4-- 12,742 (Montreal) (Event Summary)
November 25-- 12,253 (Winnipeg) (Event Summary)
November 15-- 12,168 (Los Angeles) (Event Summary)


New York Islanders (8)

February 6-- 12,888 (Calgary) (Event Summary)
January 6-- 11,111 (Dallas) (Event Summary)
November 27-- 12,008 (Winnipeg) (Event Summary)
November 12-- 12,108 (Nashville) (Event Summary)
October 22-- 11,922 (Vancouver ) (Event Summary)
October 17-- 10,608 (Edmonton) (Event Summary)
October 15-- 10,512 (Buffalo) (Event Summary)
October 8- 10,288 (Phoenix) (Event Summary)


Phoenix Coyotes (14)

February 4-- 12, 257 (Dallas) (Event Summary)
January 30-- 13,000 (Buffalo) (Event Summary)
January 16-- 12,307 (Vancouver) (Event Summary)
January 9-- 10,075 (Minnesota) (Event Summary)
January 7-- 10,229 (Calgary) (Event Summary)
January 2-- 10,539 (Phoenix) (Event Summary)
December 14-- 11,697 (Carolina) (Event Summary)
December 12-- 10,996 (NY Islanders) (Event Summary)
November 21-- 12,285 (Colorado) (Event Summary)
November 16-- 12,562 (Tampa Bay) (Event Summary)
October 31-- 7,401 (Nashville) (Event Summary)
October 29-- 10,452 (Los Angeles) (Event Summary)
October 26-- 11,684 (Edmonton) (Event Summary)
October 22-- 10,141 (Calgary) (Event Summary)
October 14-- 10,594 (Ottawa) (Event Summary)