EXCLUSIVE: 4 in 10 Torontonians are NHL fans, poll says
Posted December 20, 2014 6:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto seems to lag behind the national average when it comes to NHL fandom.
An exclusive poll conducted by Forum Research for CityNews has found that 42 per cent of Torontonians would call themselves fans of NHL hockey, 11 per cent lower than the national average of 53 per cent.
“Hockey is less likely to be a pastime in Toronto, with its ethnic mix, than it is in smaller centres and rural areas,” Forum president Lorne Bozinoff said in a release. “The ability of Toronto Maple Leafs fans to maintain hope in the face of experience is truly remarkable.”
The Leafs have impressed as of late, winning six of their last seven games – a far cry from the 9-2 stomping they suffered at the hands of the Nashville Predators last month.
Some other highlights from answers given by Toronto NHL hockey fans:
- 73 per cent root for the Leafs
- With 13 per cent support, the city’s No. 2 favourite team is Montreal Canadiens
- 54 per cent say the Leafs are playoff bound this season
- 7 per cent say the Leafs will never win the Stanley Cup again
- 11 per cent believe the Leafs will lift the trophy this season
The poll, conducted between Dec. 17 and 18, surveyed 1,001 respondents over the age of 18 by telephone. It is considered accurate plus or minus three percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
Click here to see the full results.
