• by Tanya Gazdik , April 26, 2023

A record number -- 41 -- of brands are planning ways to engage fans during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. That's up from 31 brands last year, per an NHL spokesperson.

New partners activating this year include CAT (Caterpillar), BioSteel, Jersey Mike’s, Henkel Canada's Purex brand and Bet365 (a Canadian sports betting partner).

This year’s partner activations are driving brand interest and resonating with the league’s passionate, tech-savvy, and socially engaged fans, says Brian Jennings, NHL chief brand officer and senior executive vice president.

“The game on the ice has never been better and NHL partners are seeing the immense value of activating with the league during this time," Jennings tells Marketing Daily. “Our partners are leaning into the Stanley Cup Playoffs to create new and compelling content, including NHL-themed spots airing on our national rightsholder broadcasts."

As their first time activating during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Jersey Mike’s will have branding featured on the League’s digitally enhanced Dasherboards, on virtual slot in-ice ads and on physical arena dasherboards.

Supplements company BioSteel, officially hydrating the games, will have an ad showing “liquid to lips” hydration moments that lead to incredible performances on the ice. 

Great Clips, the official hair salon of the NHL, is launching its “Show Your Flow” campaign, which encourages fans to share photos and videos of their Hockey Hair styles. The brand is running TV spots featuring NHL stars Jack Hughes and Cale Makar.

Chipotle is teaming up with Hughes and Matty Beniers for new national ads showcasing the players' highlights, and how Chipotle’s  food has been fueling them throughout their careers.

Discover will launch a series of social posts throughout the playoffs featuring a replica Stanley Cup made out of silver Discover cards. Followers can guess on Instagram how many cards it took to create the Discover Card Cup.

Enterprise will continue activating its Hat Trick Challenge platform, donating $1,000 to the scoring player’s charity of choice for every hat trick netted throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. To date, Enterprise has donated more than $500K to communities around the world.

NHL Studios will be developing and producing a refreshed version of MassMutual’s 2019 NHL-themed commercial spot “Moments You Plan For” showcasing NHL players gearing up for their playoffs moments and the parallels in preparation for important life events.

Fans worldwide are sharing their predictions for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge presented by GEICO. The eligible fan that finishes atop the leaderboard will win the chance to attend a 2023-24 NHL event.