Will five teams in the NHL playoffs (and a surge of patriotism) mean ka-ching for Canada?

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A January study found that 49 per cent of Canadian respondents expected to cut back on spending at restaurants and bars and 43 per cent expected to reduce spending on entertainment, according to data and technology company Numerator.

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How will the “buy Canadian” movement affect playoff spending?

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Walzak expects the Buy Canadian movement will push hockey fans to direct their spending toward Canadians products and establishments.

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“Perhaps you’re going to see more people buying, let’s say, Molson Canadian over Budweiser, (or) more people going to Canadian establishments than big American quick-serve restaurants, those sorts of things,” said Walzak.

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A March Leger poll said that 70 per cent of Canadians had reduced their purchases of American products, while 74 per cent and upped their spending on those made in Canada.

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“The amount of spending is going to change, and the type of spending, and where they’re putting their dollars,” said Walzak. “At the grocery store, when they go to the frozen section to buy chicken wings or chicken fingers, they (might buy), say, Pinty’s, a Canadian brand, versus an American brand,” said Walzak.

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On an earnings call on April 16, Metro Inc. said its in-store sales of Canadian products were now outpacing total sales, and chief executive Eric La Flèche said the gap appeared to be accelerating.

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Loblaws and other major retailers have also reported an increase in sales of Canadian products, while Empire, which owns Sobey’s, has reported a drop in sales of U.S-made goods.

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How will the number of Canadian teams affect viewership and broadcast revenues?

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With so many Canadian teams in the playoffs (at least for now), and some fans potentially opting to stay home out of economic concerns, viewership numbers are likely to rise, said Walzak.

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“We’re going to see the viewership numbers go up for sure. Those numbers could be unprecedented with this many Canadian teams in the playoffs,” said Walzak.

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Mason said increased viewership would mean more money for broadcasters.

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“For example, if Montreal goes on a deep playoff run, they’re going to be able to sell television advertising for a higher rate in Quebec,” he said.

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Last year, the first round of the playoffs averaged 2.260 million viewers, according to the NHL, which was a six per cent increase from the previous season. Game seven of the Toronto–Boston series garnered the most viewers, at 8.823 million, making it the most watched first-round game in North America on record.

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However, when it comes to advertising, Walzak said American companies may reevaluate their spending if they see worse returns on investment as Canadians turn away from their brands.

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“I’d be interested to see who’s spending on playoff broadcasts, if it is the American multinationals versus the Canadian companies. Are the Canadian companies coming out with strong advertising? It depends on how much they’re impacted.”