NHL: The Best Feature of Each NHL Team's Arena

As any good fan can tell you, the actual game you are attending is only a small part of the overall experience one receives when going to a hockey game.

There are so many extra things that can make the experience better. Some arenas may not be the greatest arenas but have some amazing fans and food.

Other arenas come fully loaded complete with high definition screens and interactive games throughout to give the fans a more complete experience.

Whether you're in Florida or Montreal, there is something in each NHL arena that adds to the enjoyment of attending a hockey game.

Anaheim Ducks: Honda Center

The Honda Center opened way back in 1993 and was first known as the Anaheim Arena, but changed to the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim when the Ducks were founded.

For a building that is nearing 20 years in age, this particular arena is still very aesthetically pleasing from the outside.

The color of the building and the big window in the front of the building, as shown in the picture above, provides some great advertising opportunities, or a perfect welcome to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 130 plus palm trees lining the arena all around add another pleasing aesthetic feature.

While the outward look of the Honda Center is easily among the best parts of this arena, there are more wonderful surprises inside this gorgeous house of hockey.

Inside these doors, the Honda Center features some of the best variety in foods and concessions in the country.

Oggi's Pizza, O.C. Grill, Simply Chicken, Katella Cantina and the Hot Dog Stop are just a few of the plethora of food and concession stops featured inside the home of the Ducks.

In a sports blog titled The Ultimate Sport Road Trip, the gentlemen talked about how they were able to find churros inside the Honda Center that were priced at only a dollar.

It is hard to find any sporting arena of any kind, let alone one in the middle of Orange County in Southern California, that will have so many choices of food that people can easily afford.

The Honda Center has a ton of pluses, but I'd have to say that the variety and affordability of their food might top the charts.

Boston Bruins: TD Banknorth Garden

TD Garden, home of the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins, is also home to a ton of history between the Boston Bruins and Boston Celtics.

With all of that history the arena must live up to the expectations of hosting multiple champions.

There is no doubt that the Boston Bruins fans produce a lot of excitement in each of the hockey games, which includes one of the coolest pregame rituals that I have seen, but I wouldn't say that the fans are necessarily the best part of The Garden.

Though their fans have shown a lot of class throughout the years, most recently when the gave the Canadian National Anthem a standing ovation after the American anthem was booed in Montreal earlier in the series.

Which leads to their national anthem performer, Rene Rencourt who, while not necessarily being the best singer in the world, always delivers a ton of energy with his performances. Not often do the anthem singers get the fans so riled up with an anthem and a series of fist pumps.

The combination of all the things that I've mentioned here leads to what I find to be the best thing about TD Garden, and that is the rich sports tradition of Boston.

There's a long and successful sports history there and you can just feel it in the air when you walk by the Bobby Orr statue. TD Garden is something special.

Buffalo Sabres: First Niagara Center

Until very recently, The First Niagara Center was known as the HSBC Arena, and has played host to the Buffalo Sabres since 1996.

The Sabres, who have gone through some seriously disgusting jerseys and logos, are fortunate to have one of the most glorious arenas in the NHL.

I think it is very easy to say that the fans that come from all over in Buffalo are easily the best part of The First Niagara Center.

Buffalo draws fans from upstate New York, other parts of New England, and Canada to support the Sabres and all of their teams as well.

The wide variety of teams being supported and large variety of fans supporting them makes for one of the most heated and entertaining hockey environments in the game.

I hope to be able to take in an NHL game in Buffalo at some point in my life.

Calgary Flames: The Saddledome

One of the things that I have always admired about the Saddledome in Calgary is that it is one of the few arenas that really manages to capture the persona of the people that come to support their home team in that arena.

Calgary is a southern town that loves its hockey, but it also loves its rodeos and cattle shows as well.

The fact that the arena is shaped like a saddle is something that makes the citizens not only excited to see a game there, but they are proud to have this arena as a means of representing their population.

Plus, this arena has been standing since 1983 and has seen an Olympic Games and a couple of Stanley Cup Finals, including one Stanley Cup Championship in 1989.

Carolina Hurricanes: RBC Center

The RBC Center is the most recent NHL arena to host the NHL All-Star Game, which it did with incredible success during the 2010 - 2011 NHL season.

The RBC Center was, I believe, the first arena in the NHL to have "Ice Girls" or some form of NHL cheerleader that has caught on like a cold goes through a day care center.

There are a couple of really nice touches to this arena that would make most people give a quick, "Oh! Well that's neat!" when they found out about them.

For instance, there are several flags hanging in the RBC Center that might make fans ask why there are so many flags since there are only teams representing the United States and Canada.

Well, according to The Ultimate Sports Road Trip, the Hurricanes hang the national flag of each of the countries represented by the players on the team.

The best thing about the RBC Center is the noise.

Back in 2006, the RBC Center measured at 134 decibels during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. This was the loudest measurement ever recorded at a sporting event in the United States.

Chicago Blackhawks: The United Center

The United Center has been home to the Chicago Blackhawks since 1994 and has been one of the best arenas in the game ever since.

The fans are loud as can be and the arena has been filled beyond capacity (yes, that is correct. Beyond capacity) for several years.

One of the largest arenas in the NHL, the Chicago fans make it an intimidating place to be from the moment you walk in the door to the moment you leave.

Perhaps the best thing about the United Center happens before the game even starts.

There is a tradition in Chicago surrounding singing of the National Anthem that has gone on for quite a long time.

Rather than reverently sitting and listening to The Star Spangled Banner, the Chicago fans get the electricity started immediately by standing and cheering throughout the song.

This was something else to hear during the Stanley Cup Finals a couple of years ago, and you know that the Blackhawks were able to make the run to their championship with help from the fans that make that building shake on a nightly basis.

This tradition is something to see even on television, I really hope to get to be a part of it in person at some point in my life.  Check it out.

Colorado Avalanche: The Pepsi Center

When the Pepsi Center opened in Colorado back in 1999, it was the envy of the professional sporting world.

There haven't really been that many upgrades to the arena since then, most notably the vastly outdated jumbo-tron hanging right over center ice, but the Pepsi Center is still quite a sight to behold.

The seating layout is done magnificently so that there truly isn't a bad seat in the house while you're watching a hockey game. In fact, I would almost rather sit in the upper level because of the fantastic view of the game.

The food selection is also fantastic on each of the levels. There are a ton of different food options that will appeal to any of the fans.

The coolest thing about the Pepsi Center though, in my opinion, is the giant glass atrium that greets you as you walk into the Pepsi Center.

The first time I walked into that building I must have held up the people behind me for a good five minutes because I just stood there and looked at it.

In addition to the beautiful view of downtown Denver that you get if you just look to your right, the atrium also has an amazing sculpture hanging in the center of the atrium. This sculpture is of both hockey players and basketball players that are essentially the reflections of each other as they play their respective sports.

A fantastic fan store lives here as well, and the escalator serves as your transition out of downtown Denver into a world of hockey.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Nationwide Arena

Though the team that they house hasn't really been all that good, the Nationwide Arena is really one of the better hockey houses in the league.

There are several things to like about this arena. First it's outward appearance is very pleasing to the eye and the location of the arena itself works right along the skyline created by downtown Columbus.

One of the more interesting things about this arena, though not necessarily the best thing about the arena, is that it is the only arena in the NHL that has the team's practice rink built right into the arena.

Though it isn't the only place they practice, it must make things easier on the equipment managers to only have to move things across the hallway instead of across town.

Concessions are another highlight of this arena as there are several restaurants and general concessions to choose from for both the high paying club level fans and the general fans.

I would say that overall inclusiveness and ability to cater to absolutely every single type of fan that will come through its hallways is the best thing about the Nationwide Arena.

Dallas Stars: American Airlines Center

The American Airlines Center is on the cutting edge of arenas and their use of technology.

The use of the technology could easily be the best thing about this arena as the American Airlines Center has more digital signs than any other sports and entertainment facility, more advanced replay boards, high tech sound and P.A. systems, internet access in luxury suites and conference rooms, and a special kind of ticket tracking technology that lets the arena know special information about the guest to they can better meet the needs of the guest.

Depending on the person, these technological extras could easily top the list of amenities at the arena, but I do think that there is one thing that can top this.

The view in the main bowl is absolutely astonishing.

You don't just look up and see a bunch of rafters and things hanging from the catwalks, it is a beautiful sight.

You also can't forget the food. The American Airlines Center offers 15 different concession restaurants for the fans to choose from, each with a great menu. If you can't find something good to eat here, you're far too picky.

Detroit Red Wings: Joe Louis Arena

One of the most historic venues still going in the NHL and sports world in general, Joe Louis Arena has been the home of the Detroit Red Wings since 1979.

Since it's been around for quite a long time, it really isn't anything special to look at. It's grey and very neutral, just blending into the background.

There is no special atrium that you walk into in the front, that is definitely a more modern twist that the newer arenas are adding.

Sadly this isn't one of the arenas that fills its seats every single night either, more due to a poor economy which has really hit people in Detroit hard than a lack of passion for the team.

Detroit is easily amongst the most passionate fans in the NHL, regardless of anybody's feelings towards the team.

I think the best part about Joe Louis Arena has to be all the history hanging in the rafters.  The 11 Stanley Cup Championship banners hanging next to the names of great NHLers past are enough to have all hockey fans tingling at the history present.

Edmonton Oilers: Rexall Place

Another very old and well-loved hockey house, Rexall Place has housed the Edmonton Oilers since 1974.

This arena has seen days of glories and some pretty horrendous days of late, but one thing has always been consistent.

The fans of the Edmonton Oilers are easily the best thing about Rexall Place because you know for a fact that no matter how well the team is doing, that arena is going to be packed with 17,100 screaming Oiler fans that love their hockey.

One thing I do have to say as a negative for this particular arena is the introduction of the cheerleaders over the past couple of seasons.

Come on Edmonton, whose idea was that? You're home to one of the greatest NHL dynasties that has ever played the game and your fanbase is always there, why on earth do you need the cheerleaders?

Another place on my NHL Arena bucket list, I want to pose next to Wayne Gretzky's statue.

Florida Panthers: Bank Atlantic Center

The Bank Atlantic Center might be the most visually appealing of all of the current NHL arenas. If you don't believe me, just have a look at this picture.

It's a good thing that the arena is something to look at, as the team playing within the arena has not exactly been a sight to see for the past 10 years or so.

Still, even with the on-ice product not being exactly what the customer hoped for, this arena has a lot of things done right.

Food is a common theme in this list so far, but The Bank Atlantic Center truly has done something that no other arena has thought to do.

Rather than having the concessions lining the walls of the corridors and having lines that can go out well into the walkways, causing traffic congestion and other issues, The Bank Atlantic Center has put all of their concessions and food stops in food courts on each level.

Areas set completely off from the corridors so that no fans are stopped by huge lines and can find their way to the other huge line waiting for them in the bathroom. I joke.

This simple design plan makes you look at pretty much every other arena in the country and say, "Well how come you guys aren't doing that?"

Kudos to the folks at The Bank Atlantic Center.

Los Angeles Kings: Staples Center

I know, I know, but it's really hard to find a picture of The Staples Center that doesn't have something involving the L.A. Lakers on it. Sorry about that.

At any rate, this one is an easy one for me.

Shortly after the end of the season, I saw that the L.A. Kings were going to pursue a bit of an experiment this year and attempt to take a page out of the book of soccer.

The L.A. Kings are going to set aside several hundred seats in the lower bowl for an L.A. Kings Supporters Group.

This is supposed to be a group of fans that will be especially rowdy, leading the arena in the "Let's go Kings" chant, and maybe a few others.

Whether or not this ends up catching on and being a huge success is yet to be seen, but the fact that they are giving it a try is something that is incredibly cool in my book.

Minnesota Wild: Xcel Energy Center

The Xcel Energy Center is just one of so many brilliantly and beautifully constructed venues in the NHL, all these new arenas are just so gorgeous to look at.

The Minnesota fans are always great because they are so passionate about the game of hockey, Minnesota isn't called "The State of Hockey" for nothing.

The passion of the fans is easy to see in the fact that the attendance has been pretty much consistently good ever since the Wild brought the NHL back to Minnesota, and the team hasn't been very good for a long time now.

Saying the fans are the best part about The Xcel Energy Center is an easy way to go, and is probably true, but I think the best part about this arena is the jumbo-tron.

The Xcel Energy Center's jumbo-tron is one of the best in the NHL, in my opinion.

There are three distinct levels to this jumbo-tron, and it just gets bigger as you keep going up towards the ceiling.

All the screens are in color and everybody in the house is able to see a part of the screen from where they are sitting. This was truly a well thought out concept in the design process.

Montreal Canadiens: Bell Centre

It's really hard to compare with the old Montreal Forum that has the unique feature of the players bench not being separated from the first rows of the fans.

It's entirely possible that the history of the Montreal Canadiens, and the Colorado Avalanche for that matter, if the glass had been between the players and the fan gallery.

Nonetheless, just look at the photo above and try not to get chills just by looking at a still photo.

The environment for games withing the Bell Centre, which can seat over 21,000 people, is easily one of the most intimidating for opposing teams in hockey.

Then throw in that you are playing against the franchise with the most Stanley Cup Championships in the history of the game, and second most league championships in all of professional sports, and in the shadow of a regular Pantheon of former NHL greats, and the history makes it truly almost a religious experience.

With the exception of the Hockey Hall of Fame, the home of the Montreal Canadiens might be the Vatican of the hockey world.

Nashville Predators: Bridgestone Arena

The Bridgestone Arena opened in 1996 and has always been the home of the Nashville Predators since their inaugural season of 1998.

The outside of the arena is pretty cool and has a pretty unique design. It kind of looks like the arena is wearing a hat on top of the it.

One of the things that I have always liked the most about The Bridgestone Arena is that they have a stage set up where they have bands play for the fans during intermissions.

This might not be a huge deal to many sports fans as the time between periods is usually the designated time to go out and buy your beer or visit the bathroom, but in a town like Nashville it's always important to have music.

This is another perfect case of the owners knowing their fan base.

I might be wrong about this, but I think that many of the fans attending games inside of The Bridgestone Arena really like having the live entertainment at the games.

Of course, most of it is country so the actual bands themselves don't appeal to a city slicker like me.

New Jersey Devils: Prudential Center

The Prudential Center is one of the newest buildings in the NHL having just opened its doors to the public in 2007 and it is a gorgeous building.

Taking a page from many of the more popular designs, The Prudential Center sports a fantastic atrium surrounded by glass at the main entrance.

Since this building was designed by the same folks that designed the Xcel Energy Center of the Minnesota Wild, it isn't much of a surprise that their best feature is also my favorite in New Jersey.

The jumbo-tron in this building is amazing! Not only does it provide a great view to all the sides of the arena, but this sucker is one of the largest LED screens in the whole world, not just the NHL.

Try watching a game here and not enjoying all of the replays and in game action, I dare you.

New York Islanders: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is an old building, and it really does show its age.

The Islanders thought that they had a slam dunk after running a huge advertisement campaign to get tax payers to assist in funding a new arena, but that sadly got voted down.

The Islanders really are in need of a new arena because there isn't really anything visually remarkable about this arena, nor does the inside help the cause.

One thing that this arena does have is a lot of history, and that does speak for something.

Housing the Islanders since 1972. this building was witness to something that had never happened in the NHL and probably won't happen every again.

The New York Islanders of the early 80s were perhaps the most dominating dynasty in the history of the game, and took home four straight Stanley Cup Championships from 1980 through 1983, winning 19 straight series in the process.

This was truly special, and is something that will never be seen in the game of hockey ever again.

New York Rangers: Madison Square Garden

Built in 1968, Madison Square Garden has withstood the test of time and is still considered to be one of, if not the greatest arena in all of sports.

So much history in all venues of professional sports have walked through the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden.

There is absolutely no doubt that this history of all sports, not just hockey, is easily the best thing about Madison Square Garden.

Think of all the memorable moments that have happened here.

While I'm sure that people who are older than me can think of a few, is there a more iconic moment of New York hockey than seeing Mark Messier take the cup from a much younger Gary Bettman after the 54 year drought that had cursed New York for so long?

They say New York City is the center of the universe, well Madison Square Garden might be the center of the sporting universe.

Ottawa Senators: Scotiabank Place

Ottawa is another city that is absolutely filled with hockey history, though their recent history has left a bit to be desired.

Still, you have to love seeing the banners in the rafters that date all the way back to 1927.

Ottawa fans absolutely love their hockey and take part in one of the fiercest rivalries in hockey when the Senators suit up against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Still, the best part of Scotiabank Place happens just before every single game.

Now I love listening to the national anthems being sung in all Canadian cities because all of the fans can always be heard singing along, the national pride in Canada is something to be admired.

While the fans of Ottawa are definitely no different in singing along, they can't be heard of their anthem singer Lyndon Slewidge. Not because they aren't singing loud enough to be heard, but because Slewidge goes into beast mode when singing the Canadian National Anthem.

A rousing version that is in both English and French, Slewidge seems to be singing with literally every single voice in Canada. This is truly a breathtaking thing to witness.

Philadelphia Flyers: Wells Fargo Center

The Wells Fargo Center is another arena that houses a team rich in NHL tradition and history, which is easily among the best things about this arena.

The fans of Philadelphia, while widely disliked by many other fans from other teams, are some of the loudest and most passionate fans in all of hockey and can easily be considered one of the best things about this arena.

Perhaps the best feature of this arena lies out in the concourses.

The Wells Fargo Center has some of the best interactive games for fans of any of the arenas on the National Hockey League.

As The Wells Fargo Center also plays host to the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, many of the game revolve around them as well.

I was trying to find some actual photographic evidence to back me up on this one, but couldn't find anything other than a report of these games from The Ultimate Sports Road Trip.

The talk about air hockey tables and basketball shooting games readily available in the concourse areas which is something that can definitely add to the excitement of a fan's trip to see their favorite team, especially if said team isn't playing that well.

Just jump out onto the concourse and pretend that you're playing for the Flyers as you dominate the air hockey tables.

Phoenix Coyotes: Jobing.com Arena

I find the name of the Phoenix Coyotes' arena, Jobing.com Arena, to be one of the most ironic names in the world.

If you're not catching my drift, find a friend of yours who watches the WWE and ask them what a jobber is, that should give you a bit of a hint.

Nonetheless, Jobing.com Arena is actually a very nice arena on the inside.

The jumbo-tron is similar to the ones in Minnesota and New Jersey, so that is definitely a plus but I don't think that it is the best feature about the arena.

If I were to choose the best feature of this arena, I would have to choose the outdoor party deck that allows people to be enjoy their beverages outside.

Arizona is able to provide the type of climate that allows for that kind of party deck throughout the long hockey season.

That would be a pretty nice stop between periods, if you ask me.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Consol Energy Center

What started out as a highly anticipated arena has turned into an arena that is drawing fire from many Penguins fans.

The Igloo was always a fan favorite throughout the NHL as far as the design of the arenas were concerned, but the building was old and the new Console Energy Center.

Since the arena just opened up at the start of last season, it's really hard to pick the greatest feature about it, so I'm going to be a little liberal with my choice here.

I would have to say that the potential of the building is the best feature. Yes, there may be a lot of things that several fans don't necessarily like, but there is still a lot of potential.

After a few years of getting used to the new place, after having such an iconic home like The Igloo, Pens fans will love the new home and will build a great home there.

San Jose Sharks: HP Pavilion

The Shark Tank, as they affectionately call hp Pavilion, is one of the more interesting looking buildings that I have ever seen.

It just looks so industrial with all of those white pipes exposed throughout the building. I have no doubt that that was part of the plan and is supposed to be part of the appeal. I get it, and I think it works.

That is a pretty neat feature about the arena, but I don't think that it's the greatest feature.

Of all of the teams that have a small tunnel that they skate out of, I think that the Sharks have the best one by far.

The Avalanche used to have a mountain, the Oilers had an oil rig, but I think that giant shark head that the players come out of is easily the coolest in the entire NHL.

The fans love it, and so do I.

St. Louis Blues: Scottrade Center

Scottrade Center, formerly known as the Savvis Center, is widely regarded as one of the better arenas in the NHL.

People don't usually think about the St. Louis Blues when they think about teams that have a lot of history, but the St. Louis Blues have seven division championships and have been to the Stanley Cup Finals several times.

In fact, the Blues were part of one of the most iconic moments in Stanley Cup history but were on the wrong side of things when Bobby Orr scored the overtime goal that sent him flying into history.

The fans of St. Louis are a great bunch as well and are very passionate about the game, but I do have to say that the history of the game that exists in St. Louis is the greatest part about Scottrade Center.

Tampa Bay Lightning: St. Pete Times Forum

The St. Pete Times Forum is actually the third home for the Tampa Bay Lightning in their short but storied history.

To the credit of Tampa Bay, the Lightning have been a big success of the introduction of the game of hockey into non-traditional markets. 

The Lightning have a great collection of fans that keep their building loud.

What I think is the best feature about the arena is the jumbo-tron.

The St. Pete Times Forum's jumbo-tron is a great mix of the old-school style that is done in the square style, and the modern touches of the Sony LED screens.

Very classy and very cool.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Air Canada Centre

Toronto is a very easy choice for what is the best part of the arena.

Toronto is like the Mecca of the hockey world and the Air Canada Centre helps them maintain that status.

It's a great arena that is more modern but still has all the appeal of the old Maple Leaf Gardens.

The history of the team is richly celebrated throughout the arena, especially with the 13 Stanley Cup Championship banners in the rafters.

Still, the best feature of The Air Canada Centre is easily the fans of Toronto. The Maple Leaf fans rival any fan base in the world for the most passionate fans in the game.

The Maple Leafs fans know their hockey and they are passionate about it. When this team is playing well, you can feel it all the way back in Ottawa.

Vancouver Canucks: Rogers Arena

Rogers Arena has another feature that is really easy to choose as the best feature.

Naturally we have to mention the fantastic team that has been playing and the great fans that have been supporting them on their run to the top of the NHL.

Still, none of that compares with what is easily the greatest jumbo-tron in the NHL today.

It made a lot of sense for Rogers Arena to get a brand new jumbo-tron since they were serving as the center of action for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

After witnessing Sidney Crosby score one of the biggest goals in the history of Canadian hockey, the awe-inspiring jumbo-tron in Rogers Arena continues to show fantastic moment after fantastic moment in spectacular definition.

Washington Capitals: The Verizon Center

The Verizon Center is another great hockey arena that has a lot to love.

The fans of the Washington Capitals are very loud in the building and take it personally when their team loses. They are rabid for their team in D.C.

The jumbo-tron is another very high quality jumbo-tron that is great quality.

What I find is easily the coolest feature about this arena, other than seeing Alex Ovechkin light up the score board every single night, is the fact that there is a subway station in the arena.

Other arenas, like the Pepsi Center in Denver, have light rail stations (or something similar) come right up next to the arena, but I don't know of another arena in the NHL that has the subway station come right into the arena.

It makes it so easy for fans to get to the game in a very highly and densely populated city like Washington, D.C.

If I go to the Verizon Center, I know how I'm getting to the game.

Winnipeg Jets: MTS Centre

The MTS Centre in Winnipeg has served as a great home to the AHL Manitoba Moose for several years now.

Now, thanks largely because of the new MTS Centre, Winnipeg is getting its team back.

It's very easy to say that the best feature of the MTS Centre will be the new team that will be playing on the ice at the start of the new season.

Congrats Winnipeg, we're glad to see you back in the NHL!