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Pittsburgh Penguins are stealing the spotlight across America almost every night after new report


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Daniel Lucente
February 5, 2026  (9:48)
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Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) winds up for a shot against New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) during the first period at UBS Arena.
Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Pittsburgh Penguins TV ratings keep screaming “still a draw,” and the league’s biggest U.S. audiences keep backing it up.

Jonas Heaps’ running list of the most-viewed U.S. games this season is a Penguins parade.
The top number is Bruins-Lightning on ESPN at 2.1 million viewers.
After that, Pittsburgh shows up again and again, including Penguins-Red Wings on ABC at 1.6 million.
Rangers-Penguins hit 1.4 million on ABC, then Penguins-Rangers still sits at 1.1 million on ESPN.
That is not nostalgia, that is demand.
Six of the twelve biggest U.S. audiences listed include the Penguins, and that’s the part that jumps off the screen.
Even the near-million TNT Rangers-Panthers game (978k, 1.0M+ with Max) tells you hockey viewers will chase brands and stars.

Sidney Crosby keeps the Pittsburgh Penguins relevant

Pens fans feel it too, that mix of pride and nerves, because being a national draw comes with real pressure every night.
The standings say this is not just a “cute story” either, with Pittsburgh sitting 28-15-12 through 55 games.
Sidney Crosby is driving it with 27-32-59, and he still makes casual viewers stop scrolling.
Evgeni Malkin sits at 13-30-43, and the power play names alone keep TVs tuned in.
The funniest part is the opponents change, but the Penguins keep being the common thread.
Thursday’s matchup at Buffalo is another one where a hot first period could turn a random night into must-watch.
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FEVRIER 5|77 ANSWERS
Pittsburgh Penguins are stealing the spotlight across America almost every night after new report

Should Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins be treated like a prime-time lock again?

Yes6584.4 %
No1215.6 %
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