5 least valuable NHL franchises in 2024 ft. Utah Hockey Club 

While the Utah Hockey Club is the NHL's newest team since relocating from Arizona, the Columbus Blue Jackets are the least valuable team in the NHL. This week, amid the early portion of the 2024-25 NHL season, Sportico released a breakdown of the NHL's franchise valuations.

While the Toronto Maple Leafs are the most valuable franchise, with the New York Rangers close behind, teams such as the Columbus Blue Jackets have just a fraction of their value.

Despite that, with the Blue Jackets' latest valuation, every team in the NHL is valued at more than $1 billion for the first time in NHL history.

Five least valuable NHL franchises ft. Utah Hockey Club

#5: Utah Hockey Club - $1.2B

After relocating from Phoenix heading into the 2024-25 NHL season, the Utah Hockey Club is valued at a reported $1.2 billion, which is up 78% from their valuation as the Coyotes last year.

As we've seen this season, Utah Hockey Club fans have packed out their arena for home games, indicating that Utah is in fact a hockey state.

#4: Ottawa Senators - 1.14B

After the Florida Panthers' Stanley Cup win last summer, there are just 10 NHL teams who have never won a Stanley Cup. Among them are the Ottawa Senators, who are valued at 1.14 billion.

This figure is up 20% from last season, where the Sens finished the 2023-24 season with the second-to-worst record in the Atlantic Division.

#3: Buffalo Sabres - $1.13B

Included in the list of teams who have never won a Stanley Cup, we have the Buffalo Sabres, who have a valuation of $1.13 billion this season. This figure is up 26% from last season, where the Sabres finished in sixth place in the Atlantic Division.

This season, the team is currently ranked sixth in the Atlantic Division as well as it searches for its first Stanley Cup win, and its first conference title since the 1998-99 season.

#2: Winnipeg Jets - $1.1B

Joining the Ottawa Senators as the only other Canadian-based team to rank in the bottom five for franchise valuations we have the Winnipeg Jets, who are valued at $1.1 billion. This figure is up from 19% last season, where the Jets finished in second place in the Central Division.

Part of the reason why the Jets may be so low on the franchise valuation list is because the team was originally the Atlanta Thrashers until 2011, when they relocated to Winnipeg.

#1: Columbus Blue Jackets - $1.06B

The Columbus Blue Jackets are the least valuable franchise in the NHL this season, with a valuation of just $1.06 billion. This valuation is up 20% from last season, where the Blue Jackets finished with the worst record in the Metropolitan Division.

Founded in 2000, the team has yet to capture a Stanley Cup title, or a conference championship, which could contribute to their poor valuation.