Not all sports venues are created equal. In the NHL, this is especially true, where teams play in multi-purpose stadiums built for hockey and basketball teams to play in (among others), dedicated hockey stadiums, and even a college hockey stadium.
Arizona Coyotes – Mullett Arena
Mullett Arena, itself, isn’t bad; however, it is the meaning behind the stadium that makes it almost undoubtedly the worst in the NHL.
The Arizona Coyotes moved to Mullett Arena in 2022. They left their long-time home, the Gila River Arena in Glendale, during a dispute with the city over not selling enough tickets to make it meanwhile for them to rent out the arena.
The Coyotes (and their predecessors, the original Winnipeg Jets) have never had much success as a franchise, only winning one division title throughout their entire history and, as of today, being the oldest franchise in the league to never have played in the Stanley Cup Finals. The team has been in seemingly constant discussions about possible relocation over the last decade, further thinning out their seemingly ever-decreasing number of fans.
Given that Phoenix is not exactly thought of as a hockey city, the team will constantly be discussed in rumors about possible relocation. In the meantime, however, while they will be calling Mullett Arena their home and sharing the ice with Arizona State’s hockey team and skating on ice without their own as the primary logo, the Coyotes’ home arena will likely remain the worst in the league, right or wrong.
Calgary Flames – Scotiabank Saddledome
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The third oldest stadium in the NHL is also one of its most outdated. Originally built in 1983, the Saddledome has seen only one major renovation in its history, and even that was in 1994.
Spectators have complained in the past about how the Saddledome feels old and worn down, which wouldn’t be a bad thing if it wasn’t also extremely accurate. Many stadiums have survived and even thrived off an old-time feel, but they have also had renovations throughout the years in order to maintain the experience for the fans.
Discussions are currently underway to build a new arena for the Flames, but in the meantime, the Saddledome remains one of the worst in the NHL.
Florida Panthers – FLA Live Arena
The recently renamed FLA Live Arena does not provide much in terms of atmosphere, commonly failing to reach two-thirds capacity since its creation in 1998. The arena, itself, suffers from its location, being an hour from Miami and 30 minutes from Ft. Lauderdale, the two major population centers in the area and also being on the edge of the Everglades.
The arena is surrounded by two small neighborhoods on opposite sides, a shopping mall to the south, and the Everglades to the northwest. On the inside, the arena doesn’t have any major issues and is good for hockey, but the location of the arena makes it one of the worst in the NHL.
Ottawa Senators – Canadian Tire Centre
The Canadian Tire Centre suffers from the same problem as the FLA Live Arena; the stadium is located about 30 minutes from downtown Ottawa. Additionally, the arena requires a long walk from the parking lot and seems to be pretty mediocre in comparison to other stadiums.
As a result, the Senators are the only team in Canada that routinely struggles to reach full capacity. The arena was expanded in 2005, but that was the only renovation it has had since its christening in 1996.
There have been talks in recent years about building a new arena for the Senators in downtown Ottawa, and for the fans of the team, it would be a welcomed change from the disappointment that is the current Canadian Tire Centre.
Carolina Hurricanes – PNC Arena
PNC Arena suffers from a similar problem to several of the arenas on this list; the only difference is that its location is not as far away from the city as many of the others. The Hurricanes play 15 minutes from downtown Raleigh, but Raleigh’s people don’t show up to games; the Hurricanes average under 14,000 fans per game, good for one of the fewest averages in the league.
The arena was built in 1999 and has been renovated several times, so the fan experience is fine. It is also home to the NC State basketball teams, and the Wolfpack fans regularly pack the arena, so the arena, itself, isn’t the problem.
The Hurricanes are the only team from the big four sports leagues (NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB) to call Raleigh home, and it just doesn’t seem like a city meant for professional sports. In addition to NC State, Raleigh is also close to Duke University and the University of North Carolina, and the rivalries between the three schools take up most of the sports attention in Raleigh. There is a reason the other professional sports teams in North Carolina call Charlotte home, and it’s because Raleigh is a college sports city.
Anaheim Ducks – Honda Center
The Honda Center, located in downtown Anaheim, doesn’t suffer the location issues that have been documented thus far. Rather, the arena hasn’t been renovated since its construction in 1993, and has started to become somewhat outdated in recent years.
The marble floors in the concourse and palm trees leading up to the entrance help, the arena still has issues in terms of its atmosphere and overall fan experience. Given the age of the stadium, a modern renovation could help return the Honda Center to its days of old.
New Jersey Devils – Prudential Center
Located in downtown Newark, the Prudential Center is only 15 miles from Manhattan, and it reflects it on the outside. However, once you get inside, the arena falls short of the expectations.
Like PNC Arena, the Prudential Center was built for a combined usage between an NHL team and an NCAA basketball team, in this case, the Seton Hall Pirates. Built in 2007, it has never had a major renovation, and it leaves fans disappointed given the outside of the building.
Given that the New York Rangers and New York Islanders also play in the area (though in New York City proper) and that both teams give their fans a better atmosphere, fans can be forgiven for skipping their stop in New Jersey and opting to go to Manhattan or Queens instead.
Colorado Avalanche – Ball Arena
Built as the home for the Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets, the Ball Arena was opened in 1999 and has served as the home for both teams since. The arena’s jumbotron is regarded as one of the better ones in the NHL, but that is the lone saving grace for it.
The arena, itself, is fine, but it is just another of the mediocre arenas in the NHL, and given that there are so many better arenas in terms of atmosphere and overall fan experience, it finds itself on this list. It has also never had a major renovation (something that is becoming a common theme on the list), so the fans are stuck looking back into 1999 as opposed to the more modern amenities of its competitors.
Dallas Stars – American Airlines Center
The home of the Dallas Stars and the Dallas Mavericks, the American Airlines Center is another arena that was designed to accommodate multiple sports teams, and while it works for both, it is beginning to show its age. Opened in 2001, the arena has never had a major renovation, and it is beginning to show, as the fan experience has continually declined over the last decade.
The arena is fairly big for an NHL arena, and it regularly exceeds 75% capacity, but it lacks the atmosphere that the NHL’s best rinks provide. Both teams will be staying until 2031 at least, so unless there is a major renovation, the arena will continue to provide mediocre hockey experience for the next eight years.
Buffalo Sabres – KeyBank Center
The Sabres have their own arena in the heart of Buffalo on the banks of Lake Erie, so location isn’t the issue, and neither is the need to be multi-purposed. The area is beautiful, given the view over the lake, but the fan experience leaves a lot to be desired.
The arena opened in 1996, and has had two major renovations in 1999 and 2012, but the food and drink leave much to be desired. The parking for the stadium is another major concern, as there is limited parking at the stadium itself and what little parking there is has to be shared with a casino next door. Fans could need to walk up to a mile on particularly packed days in order to make it to the arena.
Overall, the arena is fine, but the amenities turn it from a decent arena to one of the worst in the league.
St. Louis Blues – Enterprise Center
Built in 1994, the Enterprise Center has never had any major renovations in its history. The arena is extremely outdated, and given that it is home to approximately 175 events per year, there is never much time during the offseason to do any major renovations.
Given that they have had no ability to renovate the arena, the Blues play at an arena where there are too few restrooms, and where the food and drink leave much to be desired. Once again, it is not a bad arena, but given that so many arenas in the NHL are great, it finds itself near the bottom of the list.
