Experience The Best NHL Stadiums
From the opening face-off to the final buzzer, seeing an NHL game in person is one of the most exciting experiences in professional sports. Although the action on the ice is always the main attraction, the atmosphere inside the building also has a lot to do with creating a memorable time for anyone in the seats. If you are not a fan of the teams that play in these barns, here are the best NHL arenas any hockey fan should travel to when your team visits.
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
Although fans may lament the loss of the iconic Joe Louis Arena, the Red Wing faithful are determined to make its state-of-the-art replacement one of the top NHL arenas despite its relative lack of history. After all, where else can you witness fans tossing actual octopi onto the ice in celebration? With a capacity of more than 19,500 and an extremely devoted fan base, you can be certain this place will be rocking all gameday long.
Madison Square Garden, New York City
Not only is the home of the Rangers one of the top NHL stadiums in terms of the energy inside, it’s also one of the most iconic sporting and performing arts venues in North America, period. A recent billion-dollar facelift has given it a more modern feel, but this is still the same place where countless legendary athletes have competed. The fact that it’s located right in the heart of Manhattan also means there will be no shortage of things to do and see once the game ends.
Bell Centre, Montreal
Would fans of the Canadiens be as fervent without the team’s amazing collection of 24 Stanley Cup championships? We’ll never know, but they fill the league’s largest venue whether or not there’s a banner-raising ceremony. That passion and the weight of the team’s history make every matchup at the Bell Centre an event and the building one of the best NHL arenas to watch a game.
United Center, Chicago
Die-hard fans still pine for the old Chicago Stadium, but Blackhawks fans can’t argue with the results since they moved into the new “Madhouse on Madison.” The success the team enjoyed during the 2010s reignited the Windy City’s love for hockey, and that enthusiasm continues to reverberate to this day. From the thunderous rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” that
precedes every game to the blasting of the raucous “Chelsea Dagger” after every Chicago goal, the United Center stands as one of the best NHL stadiums to visit as measured by ear-splitting volume alone.
Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and nowhere is that more evident than in Winnipeg. After the city’s franchise relocated to Arizona, of all places, the city was primed to return to big-league status. That wish was granted in 2011, when Atlanta lost yet another team north of the border to become the reborn Jets. Fans have rewarded the move by making their home arena one
of the liveliest in the sport, despite being the smallest. The intimate setting and fan fervor make this an ideal place to see an NHL game live.
If you’re a serious hockey fan, there’s no such thing as a bad place to see an NHL game. Every stadium in the league offers white-knuckle excitement and a host of local attractions to check out after the game ends. Since you enjoyed this article, you might be interested in reading about the best college football stadiums to visit.
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