Hockey is a popular sport in many parts of the world. However, its popularity is more widespread within the United States. The biggest NHL arenas reflect the sport’s immense popularity.
The NHL, the peak hockey league in the country, is one of the best sports leagues in the world.
As some fans follow the games on TV and engage in NHL betting, so do others troop into NHL arenas to see the matches live. These sets of fans get a unique feeling from watching games at the arena that they can’t get from watching on their TV screens at home.
Each NHL arena is unique in its way and differs in size and atmosphere. This article looks at the four biggest NHL Arena.
2024 Update: When construction is completed, SKA Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia will be the biggest NHL arena in the world, with a total capacity of 21,500.
1. Bell Center, Montreal Canadiens (21,273)
It is only befitting for the team with the most Stanley Cup Wins to play in the biggest arena the NHL can boast of – the Bell Center. The Bell Center, formerly the Molson Center, opened in March 1996 and is regarded as a cathedral of hockey history.
Although the Montreal Canadiens have yet to bring a Stanley Cup Final to the Bell Center, it has hosted an All-star game and an NHL entry draft in 2009. With a booming sound system and scoreboard, the in-game experience in this arena is incredible.
2. United Center, Chicago Blackhawks (19,717)
The United Center was built to meet the needs of the Chicago Stadium and was officially opened to the public in August 1994. It doubles as the home of the Chicago Bulls of the NBA and the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.
This arena has hosted three Stanley Cup Finals; 2010, 2013, and 2015. Although the Blackhawks have won every Stanley Cup Final they partook in, they only had the honour to do that once in their home stadium – in 2015.
3. Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia Flyers (19,543)
When we talk about an arena that is both busy and has an enormous capacity, the Wells Fargo Center never disappoints. This arena, located in the South Philly Sports Complex, hosts the Philadelphia Flyers.
This arena became operational in 1996 and has hosted some trivial games like the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, and the 2014 NHL entry draft.
4. Little Caesars Arena, Detroit Red Wings (19,515)
What other way to conclude this list than with the newest arena in the NHL? The Little Caesars opened to the public in 2017 and is the home stadium for the Detroit Pistons and the Detroit Red Wings.
Although this arena cannot boast of a hall of fame as impressive as the others on this list, you can still see some exhibits, arts, championship banners, retired numbers, and many other things that depict the Red Wings within the arena.
Conclusion
The NHL is fun to watch regardless of where you choose to watch the games. There are many significant arenas, but each has a unique flavour and atmosphere it adds to the games. The stadiums above are the biggest in terms of size and serve as home to some of the most iconic NHL teams.
