NHL's Most-Followed Players on Twitter:
- Alex Ovechkin (@ovi8): 1.52 million
- Evgeni Malkin (@malkin71_): 1.17 million
- Patrick Kane (@88PKane): 756,000
- P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1): 693,000
- Henrik Lundqvist (@HLundqvist30): 544,000
Money and influence, while often going hand in hand, are both valuable. And in today’s digital age, influence seems to be more powerful than ever. Actors, politicians and athletes flock to various platforms to project their views to hundreds of thousands of followers, giving them influence that may be worth more than dollar signs.
But, when it comes to the most popular hockey players, it seems like they don’t have to choose: The five players who boast the most Twitter followers are also some of those bringing in the most dough.
Alex Ovechkin, captain of the Washington Capitals, and his fellow Russian Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins have the most followers: 1.52 million and 1.17 million, respectively. These are two of the biggest names in the NHL (and highest-paid, earning $13 million and $9.9 million, respectively in the 2015-2016 season). Each has their home country to thank for their mass followings, as they play for the national team in the world championships and at several winter Olympics.
While Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks also makes the big bucks—$14.7 million—his following of 756,000 may not all be for his hockey skills. With controversy surrounding Kane being accused of rape, followers may be looking more for the inside scoop from his life off of the rink than on it.
P.K. Subban may not have made our list of top-paid players, but the Montreal Canadiens player is on track to be on it next year—when his contract starts paying out—and is rich in his 693,000 followers. He is one of relatively few black hockey players, and he has solidified a position as a fan favorite, only becoming more popular when he announced plans to donate $10 million to the Montreal Children’s Hospital last September.
Rounding out the list is Henrik Lunqvist with 544,000 followers. The acclaimed New York Rangers goalie, who earned $10.7 million, gained a loyal following due to a combination of his skills on the ice and charming good looks.
In a sport in which it is hard to gain a large fanbase—the players’ faces are covered by helmets, there is a large team mentality, and it has a relatively small, regional following compared to other sports—these men have achieved star power. But are they taking advantage of it?
The interesting answer is not really: Oveckin hasn’t tweeted since September, and before two quick pictures of him with his significant other, the captain hadn’t sent out 140 characters since April. Likewise, Malkin tweets less than once a month. Kane tweets slightly more often, but the sterile nature of his messages makes it pretty clear a PR person is doing the heavy-typing.
Subban and Lundqvist are the exceptions to the rare-tweeting rule. Subban takes to the keyboard regularly, sending out messages regarding everything from his team to his philanthropy to his #fatherandsontrip, while the Ranger posts hockey updates and ever-popular selfies.
But all of the feeds lack much promotional content—about the teams or endorsed products—which in some ways seems like a missed opportunity. The players could be making millions (more) off of product endorsements, sponsored tweets, etc, if they wanted to, but it seems as if they are giving these side jobs a cold shoulder. Compared to their large salaries, these players typically make a miniscule amount from endorsements—which is even more staggering when considered in comparison to other pro athletes, who rake in deal after deal with everything from athletic clothing brands to beverages. Then again, if they are making millions anyway, then why bother with followers when they have flow, face-offs and fights to worry about?
