Nov. 24--Winning three of the last six Stanley Cups has helped the Blackhawks at least in one area -- their bottom line.
With an estimated value of $925 million, the Blackhawks ranked fourth on Forbes's list of the most valuable NHL franchises through the 2014-15 season.
That's an increase of 12 percent from the previous season.
According to the magazine, the Blackhawks generated $182 million in revenue with an operating income of $44.8 million. The report estimates Chairman Rocky Wirtz earned an additional $25 million of operating income from each of the three Stanley Cup runs.
The Blackhawks' overall value is still behind three other of the NHL's flagship franchises. The Rangers, with an estimated value of $1.2 billion, lead the list while the Canadiens ($1.18 billion) placed second with the Maple Leafs ($1.15 billion) coming in third. The average value of an NHL team was $505 million.
Here's the rest of the top 10:
--No. 5: Bruins ($750 million)
--No. 6: Canucks ($745 million)
--No. 7: Flyers ($660 million)
--No. 8: Red Wings ($600 million)
--No. 9: Kings ($580 million)
--No. 10: Capitals ($565 million)
