Over the past five-plus years, I’ve traveled over 42,000 miles. I’ve seen passionate crowds, gorgeous new buildings, lively downtown areas with endless things to do. Of course, I’ve also seen half-full buildings, crummy seats, crowded hallways, and towns that I’m not exactly rushing to get back to. Such is life on the road. But I wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything.

When I came up with the official idea for the Tour in 2018, I decided to set up a ranking system to judge which cities have the best total hockey experience. To that end, I’ve ranked each city with three criteria at a maximum of five points each:

1. Building – How nice the actual arena is. What fancy-schmancy features does it have? Is it spacious? Comfortable? Does it make for a nice viewing experience?
2. Neighborhood – How nice and how accessible the neighborhood surrounding the arena is. Is it easy to get to? Are there plenty of things to do nearby? Are there good restaurants and bars nearby to eat and drink?
3. Fan Atmosphere – How passionate and present the team’s fans are. Is the arena loud? Do the fans pack the building every night? Do they have unique chants or cheers that make being a fan of that team fun?

So without further ado, may I present the final, unabridged, and (mostly) unbiased Tour de National Hockey League arena rankings, along with some of my favorite photo memories of this incredible journey!

32. Arizona Coyotes (6 points out of 15) – A franchise with an uncertain future, having been evicted from their professional-sized arena and puzzlingly relegated to a college-sized arena in a market not known for successful hockey. (Note: To be reviewed in the near future upon a visit to Mullett Arena.)

31. Calgary Flames (6 points) – Unquestionably the weirdest-constructed arena in the NHL, the Saddledome seemed outdated and surprisingly quiet for a city with a strong, Canadian hockey culture. Soon to be replaced by a new $1.2 billion arena in Calgary. (Note: To be reviewed in the near future upon a visit to said new $1.2 billion arena in Calgary.)

30. Carolina Hurricanes (6.5 points) – PNC Arena has improved greatly with the recent success of the Canes, but it’s cavernous and quiet during times when the team struggles, and it’s largely remote to any form of food/drink/entertainment around it. Bring your tailgate chairs and your Bojangles’ chicken sammiches!

29. Buffalo Sabres (7.5 points) – This down-on-their-luck franchise may finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, but they still have an older and rather basic building. The Sabres have an exciting future, and I hope the Pegula family invests in their building to help their fans enjoy the game more. A remarkable hockey community that I’m blessed to be a tiny part of.

28. Boston Bruins (6.5 points) – Violence is not the answer, kids. (Note: Boston deserves another objective shot, and will likely end up in the middle of the pack upon another visit.)

27. Florida Panthers (8 points) – A nicer arena in a smaller hockey market, although it’s rather remote and suburban. Like Arizona, I don’t know if South Florida is a true hockey market, but the Panthers have undoubtedly sustained more success than the Coyotes as a franchise. A wonderful place to see a game during a hundred-year global pandemic!

26. Ottawa Senators (8 points) – An arena that’s an odd combination of very large, very loud, and very cramped. Certifiably in the middle of nowhere. Good luck with post-game traffic. Great “Fanboni” ride, though!

25. Anaheim Ducks (8 points) – Literally not that special. Honda Center is fine, don’t get me wrong, but aside from palm trees and surfboards, it doesn’t seem that unique. Can’t believe my trip there was one whole pandemic ago!

24. New York Islanders (8 points) – The Coliseum was a fitting home for the Islanders. In the 1980’s, that is. It’s since been replaced now by a fittingly large and brand-new building, and I can’t wait to visit. Wonderfully passionate fans that I can relate well to! (Note: To be reviewed in the near future upon a visit to UBS Arena.)

23. New Jersey Devils (8.5 points) – A surprisingly nice arena for the Devils in the heart of a bustling but rather intimidating and oft-dangerous downtown. Nice that the train runs just three blocks away. Like Islanders fans, Devils fans are wonderfully loud and passionate. A shrine to the great state of New Jersey!

22. Vancouver Canucks (9 points) – Perhaps the best fans of all Canadian teams, but Rogers Arena looks like it got stuck in 1998. Seemingly entering a rebuild, but I hope the Canucks rebound and that, like Buffalo, ownership steps up and puts some money and care into an older building. Infested by a giant killer whale.

21. San Jose Sharks (10 points) – Infested by a giant killer shark. A nice, bright, airy building with a great sound system and comfortable seating. Perhaps a corporate crowd instead of passionate fans, but still a fun evening.

20. Philadelphia Flyers (10 points) – My home away from home for 3 great seasons. (Note: NOT actually great seasons, but fun nonetheless.) Great fans, tons of boos! Used to be a largely average building that needed updating, but a $265 million, two-year renovation in 2021 has received positive reviews. (Note: To be reviewed in the near future upon a visit to the renovated Wells Fargo Center.)

19. St. Louis Blues (10 points) – Decent city, decent building, but wonderful fans! The Blues make games really fun to attend with funny graphics and interactive fan chants and games during intermissions. Careful though, you just might find yourself behind bars!

18. Columbus Blue Jackets (10.5 points) – One of the most surprisingly nice arenas on Tour, and a great way to begin the official part of my journey. A team overshadowed by Ohio State football. Great nearby entertainment district! Got a big ol’ cannon!

17. Dallas Stars (10.5 points) – It’s really green. Sold out building that can get loud but didn’t when we visited. It’s really green. A franchise with enough history and talent on the ice to keep it fun and nostalgic at times. It’s really green.

16. Chicago Blackhawks (10.5 points) – A city with unquestionably passionate fans and a ton of on-ice success between their last rebuild in the 2000’s and this upcoming rebuild. A large, loud building that has been nicely renovated. Tough and somewhat neighborhood, though. Best national anthem on Tour!

15. Colorado Avalanche (11 points) – Reminded me a lot of Philadelphia with an average building and great fans, but Ball Arena is closer to downtown with more things to do / eat / drink. Great churros. Go get yourself a green tea shot and a Coors Banquet at Brooklyn’s across the street. Do NOT get yourself three green tea shots and multiple pitchers of Coors Banquet at Brooklyn’s across the street.

14. Minnesota Wild (11 points) – A literal shrine to the state of Minnesota and its love of the game of hockey. Fans were somewhat quieter than I expected, but they were a rather lively bunch for the St. Patrick’s Day festivities in St. Paul!

13. Winnipeg Jets (11 points) –  Although it’s the smallest market in the NHL, Winnipeg still packs a punch with famously passionate fans and a rather nice arena. Not really sure what else is going on in Winnipeg and holy crap it’s cold in the winter, but we had fun nonetheless!

12. Montreal Canadiens (11.5 points) – A wonderfully cultural and European-inspired city with people that care deeply for their hockey club and its history. A gigantic arena that shows its 20 + year age a bit, but is still a fun place to see a game. Whole lotta Stanley Cup banners hanging from the rafters.

11. Seattle Kraken (11 points) – A remarkably modern and just flat out cool arena in a trendy, oddly residential Seattle neighborhood. A new franchise that’s still finding its way, but has the potential to be a hot ticket in the league. Our fans were either tired from that afternoon’s Seahawks game, hungover from New Years’, or both.

10. Los Angeles Kings (11.5 points) – A cosmopolitan arena with plenty of bells and whistles in a surprisingly unassuming downtown area in a massive city. Great crowd for a rather boring rivalry game. Best arena west of the Mississippi, or so I thought…

9. Washington Capitals (12 points) – Decent building located in the heart of a fun but expensive city with plenty to do. The fans were wonderful, and “brought the fury” quite well! Definitely has a Northeastern vibe with passionate fans.  

8. Toronto Maple Leafs (12 points) – Everything was good, but nothing extravagant or great. A surprisingly quiet crowd for a passionate fan base, perhaps put off by the exorbitant prices. Located in the heart of downtown Toronto and close to everything, it’s a great place to see a game. If you can afford it, that is. 

7. Pittsburgh Penguins (12 points) – Admittedly a very nice building with a loud and knowledgeable crowd with a hint of Midwestern hospitality. A newer building with plenty of unique features and references to team history and culture. Primanti’s was the best meal on Tour!

6. Tampa Bay Lightning (12 points) – Perhaps the most pleasantly surprising arena on Tour. Money well-invested by ownership to build a gorgeous and luxurious building in the heart of Downtown Tampa. Great idea to open the roof deck to spectators after the game ends to enjoy Florida evenings. Scary lightning shoots from the ceiling – still not convinced it’s safe!

5. Detroit Red Wings (12 points) – A very fitting home for a franchise stepped in history and championships. Feels more like the central hub of a neighborhood than a large arena towering over other buildings in the area. Nearly brand-new, clean, spacious, and luxurious. Crowd wasn’t the best but caught the Wings during a rebuilding time. Sure to impress any hockey fan!

4. Edmonton Oilers (12.5 points) – Our Canadian “best-in-show”, Edmonton was full of energy. A gorgeous new building for a passionate and welcoming fanbase. Really, really orange inside. Really, really far north. Worth the pilgrimage for the best of hockey fans!

3. Nashville Predators (13 points) – Perhaps the most surprisingly fun game and city on Tour. A small city full of fans that are loud and have a blast at games. Country music inside, country music outside. Goofy fan chants that, upon reflection, are very endearing and make Bridgestone Arena unique. Would welcome a trip to a Predators game here any time!

2. Vegas Golden Knights (14 points) – Actually the best arena west of the Mississippi. Brand spankin’ new, spacious, with comfortable seats and great amenities. The pregame show is legendary, and you absolutely have to go early to witness it in person. A plethora of great things to do and see and gamble on and people to watch on the Strip. I wasn’t sure if hockey would work in Vegas. I was dead wrong. It’s perfect. Well, ALMOST perfect…

1. New York Rangers (14 points) – It was my favorite arena from the first time I stepped into it in January 2008. Fifteen years, 30 arenas, and over 42,000 miles later, the “World’s Most Famous Arena” still stands tall atop my ranking of the best arenas in the NHL. It’s so unique, from the concave ceiling, the bridge seating, its location in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. And New York fans are simply a different breed. Loud. Passionate. Unabashedly proud of their teams. It was like magic attending a Rangers game there as a kid. It opened my eyes to the world of traveling to games in different cities, and I can’t wait to get back!

In my opinion, the combination of its modern renovations, loyal fans, and excellent location in one of the great cities on Earth make Madison Square Garden the best arena in the National Hockey League!