:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47762995/GettyImages-496905238.0.jpg)
It may come as a surprise, but the Blues are not the most valuable team in the NHL.
I know, I know. Take a moment to regroup.
It is surprising, however, that the Toronto Maple Leafs are no longer the most valuable team in the league. A 12% loss in overall value has dropped them to third in Forbes' Business of Hockey list, behind the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens. What contributed to that? Possibly a weaker Canadian dollar, though the Habs' valuation shot up 18% in that same amount of time.
The Blues rank 25th on the list, with a value of $270 million dollars. Considering the size of the market, that isn't bad, but there are smaller market teams ahead of them such as Winnipeg.
The Blues added 12% to their overall value by the publication of the 2015 rankings, which is more as the Chicago Blackhawks did percentage wise. The Blackhawks, however, are rated #4 overall, with a franchise valuation of $925 million, so obviously they increased their worth substantially after winning another Cup.
For the Blues to have bumped their value up 15% in a year with only regular-season success is impressive. Only the Habs increased their value more out of the team's 30 leagues. This is a sign of growth for the front office, and hopefully one that some continued regular season and post-season success can build upon.