Which NHL fanbases consume the most game-day calories?

Written By Nick Crain | Last Updated at September 15, 2026

Hockey fans are in for another NHL season! But that’s not the only thing they’re sinking their teeth into: according to a new study by The Lines among 3,000 NHL fans across the US and Canada, fans consume an average of 865 extra calories on game days compared to a regular day. With the average fan watching 3.1 games a week, that can add up to an extra 21 pounds over an entire season. And for Calgary Flames fans, the numbers might be particularly hard to swallow…

Key findings:

After getting a taste of MLB fans' snacking habits earlier this year, The Lines is now putting NHL fans to the (taste) test. With the start of a brand new NHL season, the hunger for hockey action might finally be satisfied, but the craving for sweet and savory game day snacks is hard to ignore.

The Lines asked 3,000 NHL fans across the US and Canada about their snack consumption on game days compared with non-game days. Fans reported their average intake of snacks and drinks, such as hot dogs, nachos, fries, poutine, and soda, for both game days and regular days. We also asked how many games they watch per week.

Calgary Flames fans snack the most

Of all NHL fanbases, supporters of the Calgary Flames consume the most extra calories on game days, averaging about 1,504 more than a regular day. That’s equivalent to more than four hot dogs’ worth of extra calories. With Flames fans watching 3.5 game days a week, that leads to a potential weight gain of 42 pounds by the end of the season.

That stands in stark contrast to fans of the Vegas Golden Knights, who consume an average of just 254 extra calories on game days—less than three-quarters of a hot dog. That gives them the lowest snack intake of all NHL fanbases.

Canadian NHL fans snack more than US fans

Looking at the difference between fans of US teams versus Canadian teams, Canadian fans emerge as the biggest snackers. On average, fans of Canadian teams consume 982 extra calories on game days, while for fans of US teams, that number sits at 832.

Methodology

For The Lines’ NHL edition of the Weight of Game Day study, we explored how many extra calories NHL fans consume on game days compared to non-game days. Prior to the start of the NHL season in September 2026, a survey was conducted among 3,000 NHL fans across the US and Canada. Of all respondents, 52% identified as male, 47% as female, and 1% as non-binary. The average age was 41.3 years.

Respondents were asked about their favorite NHL team and how many NHL games they watch on average each week. They were then presented with a list of popular game day snacks, food, and beverages and asked to indicate how many servings they typically consume on game days versus non-game days. The list included items such as fries, pizza slices, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, poutine, soda, beer, and more. Respondents self-reported the average number of servings they consume for each item on game days and non-game days.

To determine the seasonal impact for each fanbase, we used the following calculation:

The study is based on self-reported, observational data. The 3,500-calorie-per-pound benchmark was applied as a guideline for estimating potential weight gain. As individual results vary based on factors such as metabolism, age, activity level, and body composition, the resulting figures should be considered directional estimates intended to illustrate the potential impact of game-day eating habits over the course of the season.

Caloric intake was calculated using the following values per serving: