If you’re a hockey fan, you must be having some details about your favorite team. And knowing your favorite team’s home and away kits, slogan, team managers, and the entire schedule of this important. Equally important is knowing the home arenas of your favorite team so that you can follow-up live matches when they play.
NHL teams have realized the importance of investing in their home stadium, a fact that has been consistently shown through various sports news venues. Fans will always spend money to have the exhilarating experience a world-class stadium offers.
However, it is no longer the norm to watch live game events due to the pandemic’s social distancing guidelines. NHL teams can take advantage of this time to upgrade their stadiums to world-class standards to reopen sports arenas soon.
The Top 5 Notable Canadian NHL Stadiums
Some teams have done an excellent job investing in their home arenas. We are going to have a look at some of the stadiums and what makes them outstandingly attractive. Here’s a collection of some of the top 5 notable Canadian NHL Stadiums.
1. The Canadian Tire Center – Ottawa Senators
Canadian Tire Center is the Senators’ home arena, with a capacity of more than 19,100 seats. Opened in 1996, the stadium has grown to be a host of major hockey events, including the 3rd and 4th games of the 2007 Stanley Cup finals.
Being the home arena for Ottawa Senators, the stadium is under the management of the iconic team owner Eugene Melnyk. In his website, www.eugenemelnyk.com, Melnyk has a sports section where he reveals his journey with the Ottawa Senators.
The Canadian Tire Centre has run on well under his tenure since he purchased the arena in 2003. It has hosted two world ice hockey tournaments in 2009 and 2013.
The arena is outstanding for a reason. Its facilities have played a significant role in its function as the home arena for the Senators. It has six restaurants where fans can get refreshments, as well as a fitness center.
Notably, there have been calls to move the home arena from Canadian Tire Center to federal land in downtown Ottawa.
2. Bell Center – Montreal Canadiens
The atmosphere at Bell Center is an entertaining one. It creates an ideal ambiance for indoor games and has played host to some of the most historic sports history teams, including the Montreal Canadiens.
Its giant scoreboard and booming sound systems make the experience in the arena a fantastic one. That explains why fans never get enough of the 21,000-seater stadium during hockey matches.
Its 21,000 seat capacity makes it the most famous arena in the NHL. The stadium is situated in downtown Montreal where you can get numerous restaurants. There are also hotels where you can stay, following up on league games for several days.
3. Nationwide Arena – Columbus Blue Jackets
One of the Columbus Blue Jackets’ pride is their elegant and modern arena where they play their home games. In the stadium, you will be mesmerized by the cleanliness levels maintained and the variety of foods available on offer.
The facility is ideal for bringing both family and friends who can watch the game while enjoying the restaurants’ variety of food.
Despite having an ideal stadium like this, Blue Jackets have had a stream of poor performance over the years. They have been continuously finishing near the bottom of the league standings every season.
Its 18,500 hockey capacity is large enough to host even the final games of the season. If you are yet to watch a game at the arena, you can only imagine how colorful an event in this world-class arena can turn out to be.
The robust audio systems, the modern lighting, and the comfortable seats all add to the top-notch experience you get at the stadium.
4. Air Canada Center – Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs can’t be any prouder to have the Air Canada Center as their home arena. The building showcases the franchise’s rich history even though there has not been a significant number of winnings for the arena’s home side.
The Air Canada Center (ACC) is situated a few meters from the Hockey Hall of Fame. You can walk to the hall and spend a memorable moment there during the day and later come back for an evening hockey game at ACC.
The ambiance in the arena is one to admire and long for. When you add this to Toronto’s active fan base, the game’s excitement and colorfulness become an experience you live to behold.
You don’t have to leave your kids behind when going for a hockey game. The arena has numerous fun activities for kids and a wide variety of foods that will accommodate your child’s needs. The building is easily accessible by car, making it even easier to bring your family along for a big game.
While some fans complain of high concession and ticket prices, they forget to mention the high-standard facilities and services they are accorded in the arena. If you are a hockey enthusiast planning to visit Toronto, you can never afford to fail to visit the ACC for a remarkable hockey experience.
5. Xcel Energy Center – Minnesota Wild
Xcel Energy Center is an iconic and modern arena in Minnesota that portrays eye-catching beauty both inside and outside the arena. If the NHL stadia technology was the primary factor, then Xcel Energy could rank as one of the league’s best stadiums.
The stadium has a giant video display screen that ensures fans enjoy clear images from whatever angle they are sitting. Its sound systems are also of top-notch standards.
Canadians can only rank this stadium as one of the most complete because it hosts music concerts and college and high school sports. The large variety of food options makes it one of the most significant areas to enjoy a game.
More splendid moments are yet to get recorded in the history of Xcel Energy Center. If you happen to be in Minnesota, you can always drop by to have some fun in the arena.
Final Words
You cannot overlook the importance of a world-class sports arena. Apart from the love for the team that fans have, they are also always attracted by the unique facilities and great sports arenas. Otherwise, fans can watch from home or wait for match updates if they feel it not worth spending to watch live games in sub-standard arenas.
The five NHL stadiums in our list are a modern depiction of what world-class stadiums should look like. If you haven’t watched a game in them, plan to watch one when the league resumes.
