If you’re planning a hockey road trip this season, fans say some arenas are worth the drive, while others may leave you wishing you’d watched from home.
A new study analyzing more than 203,000 Google reviews of hockey venues across Canada has crowned Centre Slush Puppie in Gatineau, Que., home of the QMJHL’s Gatineau Olympiques, as the country’s highest-rated hockey arena. The facility earned an average rating of 4.66 stars from 842 reviews.
At the other end of the rankings sits Sudbury Community Arena, home of the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves. The northern Ontario rink received an average rating of 4.00 stars from 851 reviews, making it the lowest-rated hockey venue included in the study.
The rankings were compiled by entertainment website playcasino.com, which examined Google reviews for 55 arenas across the NHL, AHL, PWHL and Canada’s three major junior leagues. Only facilities with at least 300 reviews were considered.
Quebec Dominates the Top 10
Quebec arenas dominated the rankings, claiming seven of the top 10 positions.
Joining Gatineau near the top were Shawinigan’s Centre Gervais Auto (4.59), Rimouski’s Colisée Financière Sun Life (4.57), Quebec City’s Videotron Centre (4.55), and Montreal’s Bell Centre (4.54).
Among NHL buildings, Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena ranked highest with a 4.56-star average and more than 40,000 reviews, the most of any venue examined.
Reviewers praised the country’s top-rated arenas for clean facilities, strong sightlines and energetic atmospheres.
Western Arenas Fill Much of Bottom 10
The study found seven of Canada’s 10 lowest-rated arenas are located in Western Canada.
Facilities in Lethbridge, Regina, Victoria, Kelowna, Saskatoon and Calgary all landed near the bottom of the rankings. The NHL’s lowest-rated venue was Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre at 4.27 stars, while Calgary’s aging Scotiabank Saddledome wasn’t far behind at 4.28.
According to reviewers, poor seating, limited legroom, expensive concessions, long food lines and parking frustrations were among the most common complaints.
Despite the rankings, it’s worth noting the average arena still scored a respectable 4.41 stars, suggesting Canadian hockey fans remain fairly fond of their local barns, even if some could use a little extra room between the seats.
