Stadium Journey's American Hockey League Arena Rankings 2026
- Marc Viquez
- 7 hours ago
- 9 min read
With the playoffs underway, Stadium Journey once again turns its attention to ranking the game-day experience at American Hockey League arenas.
Our correspondents evaluated 28 of the league’s 30 venues—excluding the Calgary Wranglers —using the site’s FANFARE rating system. This system considers factors such as food and beverage, atmosphere, surrounding neighborhood, fan support, accessibility, value, and more. The average FANFARE score for this year’s rankings list is 3.69.
In cases where venues finished tied, a Stadium Journey council of elders was called upon to break the deadlock. It’s a unique approach to evaluating arenas, and one that’s sure to spark plenty of debate.
We invite you to join the conversation on our social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Threads, YouTube, and Instagram.
Without further ado, here are Stadium Journey’s 2025–2026 AHL venue rankings.
David Hegler - The Barracuda has done a remarkable job keeping their new venue clean and lively. Even though both the Barracuda and the Sharks finished far from contention just the year before, the fans are very much into the game.
Paul Baker - As a hockey venue, the War Memorial does nothing that will blow you away. It is infinitely more interesting as a memorial and as one of the locations in the iconic movie Slap Shot. For hockey fans who have an interest in our nation’s history, the War Memorial is worth a visit.
Paul Baker - Sadly, there'll be no more hockey in Bridgeport. The Islanders are moving operations to the TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, for the upcoming season. It was a bittersweet ending to the AHL team that never found its footing in town. The arena was fine to watch a game; it was close to its parent club on Long Island, but after 25 seasons, the team is no more.
Dave Cottenie - The return of hockey to Belleville was necessary. What the future holds for the Senators will be interesting. The residents of Belleville need to fully embrace the Senators and AHL and get out to the arena to make the Senators at CAA Arena an even better experience. When near Belleville, it is a great plan to check out the CAA Arena and the Belleville Senators.
Matt Finnigan - Particularly for a team that did not exist a quarter-century ago, the Eagles have created an outstanding experience. Fans are committed to the team, and the franchise seems committed to the fans. While a new arena is likely imminent, here’s to hoping that the Eagles can carry over the great atmosphere and fan support that can be found in a game at the Blue.
Eric Hasman - The Allstate Arena has become a fixture for hockey in the northern suburbs of Chicago. The Wolves have played in front of a passionate fanbase since 1994, when they were members of the IHL. Today, the tradition is strong in the Windy City. Many championship banners and retired numbers hang in the rafters for the Chicago Wolves.
Paul Baker - Thanks to the success of the baby Pens, northeastern Pennsylvania has become Penguins country, even though it is located closer to Philadelphia and New York. The arena may not pack in the fans like it used to, and may not stack up when compared to other nearby minor league arenas, but it remains a solid place to take in a game.
Meg Minar - The Firebirds organization promoted the team and arena for several years in the Coachella Valley. The team already has 4,000 season ticket holders (full or partial). The results are in, and local sports fans are happy to have an arena and a team in their backyard. As with any new stadium, kinks and quirks need to be worked out, but it’s a fun time.
Dave Cottenie - 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 presents a good AHL experience for fans.
Meg Minard - Visiting Tucson, Arizona, and watching an AHL Roadrunners game is an enjoyable experience and one worth checking out. It’s quite a nice facility in which to watch a hockey game. The Roadrunners have found a home in the desert heat of Arizona.
Eric Moreno - I’ve been to several events at the H-E-B Center, including several Stars games, and I have enjoyed myself every time. This is a great venue, especially for hockey. There is no such thing as a bad sightline here, and it still feels new, somehow, even though it is now over 10 years old.
Dave Cottenie - As one of the newest AHL franchises, the Laval Rocket is establishing its niche in the Montréal sports market. Place Bell is shiny. new and central to the Laval community, and fans will enjoy a trip to see some hockey there.
Lloyd Brown - Lee’s Family Forum differs from most athletic venues in that it has adopted a specific theme that is carried out in the names of its various amenities and in the outfits worn by facility staff. It becomes apparent that the parent club, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, is behind the decision to adopt a Modern Medieval theme for the Silver Knights home.
Paul Baker - As a minor league hockey facility, the XL Center is a good place to catch a game, with excellent sight lines and plenty going on to satisfy both the casual and diehard fan. Unfortunately, the XL Center is just too big, too empty, and too old for the Wolf Pack. Face it, Hartford, the Whalers aren’t coming back. Start running with the Pack
Paul Baker - The PPL Center, while striving for a major league feel and amenities, falls short on many basic fan comforts. While the food selection and amenities here are among the best in minor league hockey, the cramped seating area, concourses, and restrooms are major drawbacks. Is the final result worth the cost? We’ll let you decide.
Meg Minard - The Toyota Arena has quite a sleek-looking exterior with tall glass atrium entrances, with the rest of the exterior dark grey on the bottom, beige on top. Palm trees line the front and east sides. As nice and bright and beautiful as the exterior is, the interior is unexpectedly dark, both the concourse and the seating area.
Lloyd Brown - The Charlotte Checkers, both the team and the folks behind-the-scenes, have created a phenomenal game day experience for hockey fans deep in football and NASCAR country. They’ve worked diligently to promote the sport throughout the region and have succeeded in piquing the interest of both die-hard and non-hockey fans alike.
Meg Minard - The team began operation in 2015 after relocating from Norfolk, VA. It is the sixth hockey team to play at the arena, the fifth with the name ‘Gulls.’ The hockey team’s parent club is the nearby NHL Anaheim Ducks, roughly an hour and a half drive between the two. This close distance allows player call-ups/downs relatively easily for the teams and players.
Drew Cieszynski - While Bakersfield continues to grow, the Condors remain one of the top entertainment options in central California. For a very reasonable price, you can check out the Condors and even the Division I basketball Cal State Bakersfield on the same day.
Eric Hasman - The fans who attend are really into the game. This is a major plus since the place is so small, you are very close to the action, and there is no bad seat in the arena. The main level open-ended seating area has a bunch of sit-down tables and stand-up bar tables. My only beef with this area is that if you are not right against the railing, you cannot see all of the ice.
James Hilchen - Wells Fargo Arena is a great venue for hockey. The organization cares about the fans, the price of attending a game is very reasonable, and downtown Des Moines has something for everyone. The AHL provides some quality hockey, and taking in a game in Des Moines is a fun experience.
Paul Baker - Providence and the Amica Mutual Pavilion are often mentioned among the top American Hockey League travel destinations. The combination of a modern arena, frenzied fan support, and a fantastic downtown area makes The AMP a first-rate destination. With the number and quality of hockey venues in and around Rhode Island, this is a Stadium Journey worth taking by any hockey fan.
Paul Baker - The Aud is packed to the rafters on most nights, and the small barn echoes with chants of “UTICA! UTICA! UTICA!” throughout the game. Capacity crowds create a great deal of noise and a significant home-ice advantage night in and night out.
Paul Baker - Hockey has been in Springfield for a long time. Minor league hockey has been in Springfield since 1926, when the Springfield Indians came to be. The team has changed names from the Indians to the Kings to the Falcons to the Thunderbirds. What hasn’t changed is the passion that fans have in Springfield for hockey. Western Mass is filled with hockey fanatics.
Dave Cottenie - Though its history as a hockey arena is relatively short, Coca-Cola Coliseum has grown into that role in style. Now into its second century, the historic venue is one of the best and most modern small arenas in the world – it just happens to be a century old at the same time. The Coliseum is a must for stadium enthusiasts, history buffs, and indeed hockey fans, and is poised to continue that role for the next century and beyond.
Eric Hasman - In an era of disposable stadiums and frequent tear-downs, the UW – Milwaukee Panthers Arena is a great example of successful historical preservation. It is not only surviving but thriving, as it is in use nearly every day of the week by a different sports franchise. Even though the arena is not the most luxurious, it is a good place to see a game and is worth the trip.
Paul Baker - You would think that sharing your home with a major league basketball team would be a less-than-ideal situation for a minor league hockey team. This hardly seems to be the case in Cleveland, where the Monsters are regularly among the American Hockey League’s leaders in attendance. While Quicken Loans Arena is clearly too big for the Monsters, the melding of major league amenities with minor league enthusiasm makes a trip to downtown Cleveland a trip worth taking.
Meg Minard - Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial in Rochester, NY, is just about the perfect place to watch minor league hockey. It’s got a great fan base, superb ushers and staff, good hockey, lots of banners, and a memorial to our war veterans.
Jordan Falconer - The atmosphere at the Canada Life Centre during a Moose game is family-friendly. Parents should feel comfortable bringing their kids to the MTS Centre to see the Moose play. The Moose cater to families and provide enough entertainment to occupy the little ones’ attention.
Steve Ohnsman - This is a great minor league hockey venue! Hockey fans might consider getting tickets for a weekend of fun: they offer a number of Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday games on the schedule, so fans could stay downtown and do it up right! Even casual fans will enjoy a match, and families are very well served.
Richard Smith - There is minor league hockey, and then there is Hershey Bears hockey. It does not quite get much better than watching a packed house at the Giant Center cheer the Bears onto victory. The fans treat the club as a top-level professional team, and the history of the club adds to its lore. Hockey and Hershey go together like chocolate and peanut butter.
