Stadium Reviews

City and private stakeholders are quietly advancing plans for a mid-sized, indoor arena adjacent to Lynn Family Stadium in the proposed Butchertown Entertainment District, a development aimed at filling a long-standing gap in Louisville’s venue mix. 

The Kitchener Rangers offer one of the elite experiences in all of Junior Hockey.  Dom Cardillo Arena and the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium provide one of the greatest spots to watch a hockey game in the world.  It would behove hockey fans everywhere to make the trip to Kitchener to catch hockey history in action.

The Canada Life Centre is a solid venue to watch a hockey game. The arena is quaint and the fans and staff are friendly. If Winnipeg can get back to the playoffs the building will be rocking again.

The home of the Hartford Wolf Pack has a fresh feel after the building was closed for six months from May to early October for renovation.

Since their inception in the National Hockey League in 1970, the Vancouver Canucks have been the focus of Canada’s west coast. They have been a franchise that has come close to the ultimate prize on a couple of occasions and provide a great NHL experience.

For a facility now in its third decade of use, Bridgestone Arena still feels remarkably modern. The main entrance features a large, rounded, overhanging roof with enormous glass panels, which allow fans to look out onto Broadway and the Nashville skyline.

What can you say about a hockey rink with an actual working dentist office on site? Ironic? Maybe. Awesome? Definitely! Delta Dental Arena is a solid, affordable place to catch some junior hockey action.

The Red Wings are one of the Original Six – the group of six teams that made up the National Hockey League between 1942 and 1967.

The Abbotsford Canucks are now providing the parent Vancouver Canucks with an ideal affiliate location.  The AHL club has brought historic Canadian character, Johnny Canuck to the forefront of the league and present a good AHL experience for fans.

Overall, Herb Brooks Arena is as impressive as you would expect. The combination of history and location cannot be beat, just like the 1980 team. It is fitting that ECAC hockey continues to use this historic rink to crown its champion. If you have yet to be, consider visiting for one of next year's tournaments to see this vaunted venue in action. 

The Huntsville Havoc is a professional ice hockey team in the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). They play their home games at the Probst Arena of the Von Braun Center in downtown Huntsville, Alabama.

Hockey is officially making its return to North Mississippi. Beginning with the 2026–27 season, a new franchise in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) will call Southaven home.

As the NHL gears up for its next phase of expansion, Atlanta and Houston have emerged as the rumored frontrunners for potential new franchises. Following a series of successful expansions in other major leagues, whispers abound regarding the NHL’s future, with insiders suggesting that concrete moves may soon be afoot.

The Toronto Sceptres have found phenomenal success in the PWHL since its inception.  The move to Coca-Cola Coliseum was necessitated by the fans and it is curious if another move is in the not-too-distant future with attendance better than ever.

The Islanders/Sound Tigers were never a huge success during their time in the American Hockey League, either on the ice (in 25 years, they won only five playoff series) or at the gate (they never ranked higher than 21st in the league in attendance). But Total Mortgage Arena is a fine facility, and the south coast of Connecticut is a coveted, growing market. It would not be a surprise to see another team take the ice in Bridgeport someday.

The Vancouver Giants do not play in Downtown Vancouver and are a bit of a hike for those who dwell in the city.  However, the Giants do have one of the most attractive venues in the Canadian Hockey League and provide a solid gameday atmosphere which should not be missed.

The London Knights are the gold standard of franchises in the Ontario Hockey League and the Greater Canadian Hockey League.  Their home, Canada Life Place, is among the best in the league, and taking in a Knights game will provide fans with one of the best experiences in Junior Hockey.

It is difficult to predict where the Montréal Victoire and PWHL will end up.  Growth has pushed the team out of the Verdun Auditorium into Place Bell, a move that has been successful.  Whether the Victoire continue to grow, requiring another move to a larger building, remains to be seen, but it is not out of the question.

The term “bandbox” is often used to describe small ballparks, but not hockey rinks. If we were to co-opt the term to use for hockey, it would describe The Bentley Arena perfectly. This cozy facility with its eco-friendly design is a hidden gem in the crowded Boston hockey scene.

The Barrie Colts are a franchise worthy of the memory of Dale Hawerchuk and Sadlon Arena is a solid arena for Junior Hockey.  What was once one of the quietest experiences, now has a bit of life to it and a Colts game is a great experience.