While the vast majority of NHL games I’ve attended have been at the United Center, a small handful of venues stick out as future destinations.
Although baseball was the first sport I fell in love with as a child and the sport that remains my greatest interest and passion, hockey came along as the second sport that drew me in early in my childhood, largely owing to my father’s lifelong love for the sport.
My fascination with hockey began right around the time of the 2002 Winter Olympics, with my attention drawn towards Brett Hull, still quite productive in the latter years of his career while representing Team USA.
While my hockey viewing over the next few years from there was mostly limited to the postseason before being greatly hampered by the 2004-05 NHL lockout, my passion for the sport was reignited alongside the start of what became a dynasty for the Chicago Blackhawks in the late 2000’s.
In the years since, I’ve attended dozens of NHL games, having been lucky enough to see several playoff games and even a Stanley Cup Finals game in 2010 – yet on the flipside, the United Center has been the site of the vast majority of the NHL games I’ve attended.
With that said, I’ve gotten the opportunity to explore a handful of other venues in the years since, though several of the league’s most well-regarded arenas remain on my bucket list.
While many NBA and NHL arenas share an arena with each other, I will be treating the NBA and NHL experiences within a given arena as a unique experience, which also applied to my look at which NBA arenas are my most personally sought after at the moment.
Although indoor arenas may not offer fans the plethora of unique quirks and features that are seen within MLB stadiums, hockey arenas in particular offer a distinct gameday experience from city-to-city, with home game traditions rich across the league’s 32 teams.
Here’s a look at the three venues I’m looking forward to catching a game in the most:
1. Rogers Place – Edmonton, Alberta
Initially opening in 2016 to replace the then-Rexall Place as the decades-long home of the Edmonton Oilers, Rogers Place has quickly garnered a reputation as one of the best gameday experiences in the NHL.
Even setting aside the premier hockey you’re likely to see on the ice with the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Rogers Place turned a sterile and outdated home arena into perhaps Canada’s most lively icehouse.
The gameday atmosphere is greatly enhanced by the arena’s location within downtown Edmonton’s “Ice District,” a lively entertainment district built around the Rogers Place that features a plethora of activities and restaurants for pre- and post-game festivities.
This adds to the experience for those that aren’t even going to the game, creating a party-like atmosphere for home games that is more comparable to what is seen in MLB stadiums at Ballpark Village near Busch Stadium in St. Louis or the entertainment district near Truist Park just outside Atalnta.
With some of the best hockey in the world, an updated arena and a lively atmosphere both before and after the game, a game at the Rogers Place seems like an ideal way to celebrate ice hockey.
2. Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, Washington
Although I’ve gotten the chance to check out Climate Pledge Arena for a WNBA game between the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm, taking in a hockey game in the updated venue seems like an experience in an entirely different ballpark (well, not literally).
Built under the roof of the original KeyArena, which opened in 1962 and previously served as the home of the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics, Climate Pledge Arena is a completely new venue under the old roof, with sustainability and environmental innovation at the forefront of the building’s design.
From its unique orientation as a partially below-ground arena to the vast amount of greenery fans are greeted with inside, I can only imagine how the atmosphere would be enhanced by a meaningful NHL game, as opposed to a WNBA game between two teams well out of playoff contention in August.
The arena includes two smaller jumbotron screens over the ice as opposed to a singular large display, with the facility’s commitment to sustainability apparent in all of its practices – using captured rainwater for the ice surface while using compostable containers for concessions in lieu of single-use plastic.
As far as the game experience itself, the subterranean layout and distinct acoustics likely make for one of the louder atmospheres in the league, though better play from the Kraken would only help in that regard.
3. T-Mobile Arena – Las Vegas, Nevada
Premiering alongside the Vegas Golden Knights themselves in 2017, T-Mobile Arena has quickly developed a reputation not only as a marquee destination for NHL games, but also a haven for a wide range of live sports and entertainment.
As for the hockey side of things, fans are guaranteed to be in for a show when attending a Knights game, with the gameday experience living up to the grandiosity that’s expected of just about anything in Las Vegas.
This begins before the puck even drops, with a theatric pregame show acted out before every game, customized to coincide with whoever the Knights’ opponent for that game is.
Similarly to the Rogers Place in Edmonton, the world-class talent on the Knights roster currently bodes well for the overall fan experience – with the T-Mobile Arena quickly becoming one of the league’s loudest arenas, feeding off the excitement of watching a Stanley Cup contender year in and year out.
While the Rogers Place may have the Ice District, no team could compete with the wide range of available activities before and after games that can be indulged in throughout the Las Vegas Strip. Located towards the southern end of the legendary thoroughfare, the arena’s location offers plenty of easy access to nearby restaurants and casinos.
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