One would expect that the Toronto Maple Leafs opening round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs to be drawing in the three million plus viewers range — and they are. After all, this match up has drawn the best TV timeslot, the early prime window. And, love them or hate them, The Leafs remain the morbid object of fascination each spring around the GTA.
For Saturday’s crucial Game Three on April 22, The Leafs vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning drew an overnight, estimated 1,216,000 on CBC (1,066,000 of that estimated to be ages 18+). Add another 2,019,000 2+ from the Sportsnet National overnights and over 3.2 million viewers are estimated to have watched the game from start to its overtime finish.
Last Thursday’s second game in the series drew overnight estimates of 1,053,000 on CBC and 1,472,000 on Sportsnet National. That’s a total of a little over 2.5 million, although, keep in mind, both nights will add viewers who watched on digital platforms or who might have PVR’d and caught the games later.
How are other teams drawing over this opening round so far? Sunday’s overtime thriller featuring the Edmonton Oilers and the LA Kings found an overnight, estimated audience of 543,000 on CBC and 1,112,000 on Sportsnet National for a TV total of 1.655 million. In an afternoon game, the Winnipeg Jets-Las Vegas Knights drew 530,000 in overnights.
Sportsnet Sunday saw the Boston-Florida matchup draw 512,000 with Dallas-Minny skating before an estimated 558k. Defending champs Colorado saw 545,000 catch their tilt against Seattle. Interestingly, the Toronto Blue Jays/New York Yankees tilt earlier that same Sunday afternoon on Sportsnet batted well over a million baseball viewers.
Toronto and Tampa return to the ice in Florida for the fourth game in the series tonight on CBC and Sportsnet.
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