I am hoping to make it to an NHL game this year, just wondering if most of the arenas are the same, closest to Blackhawks, but Columbus and St. Louis are doable for me too.

Most arenas are more or less the same. The Barclays Center is weird because it's not meant for hockey so the sightlines are all fucked up, the Saddledome has weird seating bowls, Montreal has a steeper rake than anywhere else because Quebec has lax building codes for hockey rinks, and the MTS Centre up in Winnipeg is a good 2,000 seats smaller than anywhere else in the league. But arenas are arenas, for the most part.

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I’ve thought about heading up to Minnesota for a game this year just take one in in a different arena and I prefer The twin cities to St. Louis. I can’t recall the saddle dome experience.

The last couple years started going to more sporting events, would like to add hockey, only have been to a Fort Wayne Komets game, and always interested in the arenas too.

Thanks for the info

They say attending a game in Toronto is a thing.

You should be able to literally pick your seat in Detroit.

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

I went to one last year and it was fine. I would't classify it as a different experience.

Montreal or Winnipeg would be cool.

I've been to Columbus, St Louis, and MSG for hockey games. Just make sure it is a good match-up. I saw Rangers/Leafs in MSG, and it was fantastic. While CH does not like MSG, I thought it was great after the update.

I also enjoyed game 7 of Hawks/Blues at Scott Trade.

Columbus is a boring town, although the area around Nationwide is decent for a small city.

My wife and son saw a game in the Twin Cities last year and liked it. I think that stadium is on the St Paul side, which is terribly run down.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

Yeah, the arena is in St. Paul, but near the convention center and the Capitol, so I think there's a little bit going on directly around the arena. It's the lesser Twin City for sure, though, obviously.

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We were there over the summer. The contrast between Minneapolis and St Paul is stark.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

If you get a chance, go to Xcel Energy Center. Best building in the league and you can get a Hawks-Wild game there off of StubHub. No keep out the red garbage

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

What about the War Memorial?

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Players partake in a complimentary fashion show before the game

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“When I walked in this morning, and saw the flag was at half mast, I thought 'alright another bureaucrat ate it.'" - Ron Swanson

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I watched a youtube video of area around Columbus arena, looked pretty neat.

People used to say the Met Center was the best arena in the league, too. Shame the North Stars didn't work out.

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My fantasy hockey team name is Peter North Stars.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

I went to a Hawks game in Tampa a couple of years ago. Nothing fancy, but a comfortable stadium with some decent food. Main benefit was no jackets in January.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

Doing the Florida swing some year is on my list but am in no rush, mainly because they always seem to be terrible those two games.

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

Yeah they a nice job around that place. It's a small, pretty run down downtown area, but it's mostly new around the arenas. Been in the State Auto Insurance box. It took me a while in my drunken state to understand the cannon thing. Then I realized the Blue Jackets were some civil war thing...seemed dumb to me. I kept thinking there was an insect that looked blue. I don't know why.

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Hawaii (fuck) You

They used to have a bee as their secondary logo/mascot while insisting the name referred to Union soldiers. Eventually, they gave up on the bee and went all in on the Civil War stuff.

Columbus as NHL destination was always a head-scratcher to me, especially because Nationwide spent all this money on a new arena only for Ohio State to build a virtually identical arena like one mile down the street. The situation got so bad that the county/state quietly had to bail them out a few years ago to keep them from moving. I understand wanting to get in on Ohio, but Cincinnati has nothing going on between football and baseball season save for some hit-or-miss college hoops programs. I'd rather contend with Xavier than Ohio State. But in all honesty, the expansion team should have gone to Hamilton or Milwaukee instead.

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United Center - amazing how it's a quiet as a library. Part of that is audience, but also part of it has to be design of the building.
Columbus, OH - Underrated small city. Enjoyable game.
Tampa - More like the UC but louder. Nice arena.
Nashville - Best hockey game experience I've had. downtown area kicks ass....very loud arena.
Dallas - Surprised how nice the arena was. Similar in layout to Columbus and nashville.

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Too bad you have to spend the game surrounded by shithead Nashville fans and their babyshit yellow sweaters.

I went to a game at the Met Center when I was a kid...Hawks/North Stars...I think I was about 11 or 12, so I don't have great memories, per se, I just thought it was cool to go to a game at a different arena.

I went to the Joe about 4 years ago when the Wings didn't suck...saw Kings/Wings...great game, awesome atmosphere...probably the loudest arena I had been in since the old Stadium...

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