Top Five NHL Stadiums

Hockey fans know them by heart. Boston Garden, Chicago Stadium, the Olympia in Detroit, New York’s first Madison Square Garden, Montreal’s Forum, and Maple Leaf Gardens. 

They were iconic venues of the Original Six teams in the National Hockey League. Each had a feeling all its own, complete with rabid fans who gave their side a definite home-ice advantage year after year. That was true both in the regular season and especially during the NHL playoffs.

Of course, 2025 was different because none of the four Original Six U.S.-based teams (Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, and New York Rangers) made it into the postseason. That was a first.

Back to the theme of this story, which is the top stadiums (arenas) around the NHL. Lists such as these are quite subjective, encompassing such things as the building itself, the surrounding locale, and the passion of the fans. We’re not factoring in the price of tickets, which is accepted to be expensive regardless of where you go.

The aforementioned Original Six now includes a renovated Madison Square Garden, which was opened in 1968 and is by far the oldest building in the league. What hasn’t changed are the die-hard Ranger fans, who haven’t sniffed a Stanley Cup since 1994 (their lone title since 1940).

Also impatiently waiting are fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena (the last Cup was 1967) and Bell Centre’s Montreal Canadiens faithful (the last Cup was 1993). Toronto has long been regarded as the toughest ticket in the league.

Among the newer-age buildings, T-Mobile Arena and the Vegas Golden Knights are considered to have the best in-game experience against the backdrop of the Strip. Rogers Place, home of the Edmonton Oilers, has a surrounding Ice District that earns high marks around the league.

Those five venues certainly are among the best in the league, but not all. There isn’t really a wrong list, but since the task was five buildings, these (in no particular order) were chosen.

Obviously, your preference (and your mileage) may vary.

Here’s a bit of a primer on the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs…

Who is Predicted to Win the Stanley Cup?

The eight, best-of-seven opening-round 2025 series were well underway as of this late-April writing. At the outset of the playoffs, however, odds were tight atop the board. The defending-champion Florida Panthers were 7-1 (+700) co-favorites, along with the Dallas Stars (their lone Cup was in 1999).

Right behind at 8-1 (+800) were the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights.

Next were the 9-1 (+900) Carolina Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton, of course, nearly finished a historic comeback in the Finals last season, but lost Game 7 at Florida.

It’s somewhat strange that he two best-record teams in NHL games, as in the Washington Capitals and Presidents’ Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets, found themselves at 10-1 (+1000).

Odds are/were fluid (in fact, they’ve changed during the first round of play), so it’s the job of the bettor to check NHL scores and find the best time to invest.  

What NHL Team Has Never Won a Stanley Cup? 

We need to be a bit more specific here, as in what teams have never been to the Finals of the Stanley Cup. Looking at the 32 teams in the NHL schedule, those five would (alphabetically) be the Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Utah Hockey Club (former Arizona Coyotes), and Winnipeg Jets (both incarnations).

Does BetUS Offer Constant Updates on NHL Betting Lines?

Indeed. There are individual game and series odds throughout the NHL playoff picture. Additional props are available around individual games and the length of each series, plus a board associated with the biggest individual postseason award, the Conn Smythe Trophy. 

Any Final Thoughts?

Anyone who pays even marginal attention to NHL hockey is acutely aware of the playoffs.

There are spectacular games and exciting chances to make some money. Continuing to invoke the phrase ‘do your homework’ because it’s essential if you’re going to gain any advantage against the NHL playoff odds.