Every year the International Ice Hockey Federation releases the average attendance figures for the European leagues’ regular seasons. This year the list shows that the Leafs’ European prospects are playing in some of the most popular leagues and teams there are.
Popularity isn’t the only thing that drives attendance: rink size does too, and that’s one of the factors in who tops the list. Attendance, and the attendant ticket sales, also don’t necessarily equal financial success. Last year, the Swiss team ZSC Lions posted one of their best years ever in ticket sales and still lost money.