Dollars and lack of sense. How much would you pay for pre season tix?

For the prices fans pay for pre-season tickets these days, you’d think you were paying for regular season or playoff games.

As the 2009-10 NHL season approaches, ticket sales for your favourite teams are slowly beginning to start.

Pre-season tickets are now readily available for most teams. By next Saturday, all 30 teams will have their pre-season tickets on sale.

I did a little shopping around to see where the deals might be.

As I live in Ontario, I started with the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Sens have tickets available for their three home pre-season  games, ranging from as low as $12.94 and cap out at $150.

The Leafs have four pre-season games at the ACC. Tickets there start at $27 and peak at, sitting down? $416.00!! Prices are the same be it the Buffalo Sabres, or the Pittsburgh Penguins.

I received an insider email today to purchase Leaf pre-season tickets in advance of the public sale.

There’s some clever strategy by Ticketmaster and the Leafs. When you choose the Pittsburgh game. There is no choice in seat preference. You have to take what they offer.

Now let’s see what pre-season tickets sell for elsewhere in the league.

Montreal Canadiens: I didn’t see any pre-season pricing. But since they typically go close to regular season prices, we can assume a range from $28.00 to $201.00

Calgary Flames: $34.00 to $256.00

Edmonton Oilers: $38.50 to $205.00

Vancouver Canucks: $26.50 to $382.50

Detroit Red Wings: $9 to $150.00 (US)

Washington Capitals: $35.00 to $280.00

Boston Bruins: $32.50 to $251.50

Pittsburgh Penguins: $54.00 to $184.00

Tampa Bay Lightning: $15.00 to $349.00

New York Islanders: $19.00 to $175.00

Tix for the Islanders pre-season game in Kansas City ; $10 to $150

Phoenix Coyotes: $10.75 to $325.75

Now the question, would you pay these high-end prices for a pre-season game, in which you may, or may not, see the teams top stars?

For me, I think $100 would be my max.

I’ve made the weekend trip to Ottawa, in the past, to see the Canadiens/Senators in pre-season before. Even with gas and a hotel, you still pay far less than in other cities. Not to mention for $100 I was right on the glass.

But sorry, there’s no way I’m paying over $300 in September to see a team that I wouldn’t pay the same amount to see in the regular season, especially if they have no hope to even make the playoffs.