40. Avenir Centre, Moncton
The best junior hockey facility on this list, bar none. If this was only a ranking of how class your video board was or how nice the building is, this could easily be first overall. But it's in Moncton, and Wildcats fans have never exactly been known for making a lot of noise in support of their team, or showing up in huge numbers. If this place sold out every night and had an atmosphere like the Colisée in Quebec City, this easily could be number 1 in the CHL.
39. CN Centre, Prince George
Outdated decor and a car-dependent location surrounded by parking lots are my only real criticisms of the CHL's most isolated arena. The Cougars fans were louder than I'd heard they usually were, and the arena otherwise was lovely. I'd wager that a more long-term successful team would make the atmosphere even better, but I was still impressed by my visit to PG.
38. Keystone Centre, Brandon
A spiritual twin to Owen Sound, only larger and slightly nicer. The Keystone Centre is bigger on the inside than it seems like it would be on the outside, and it's a classic CHL dank pit of a rink in the best possible way. Despite attending a sold-out game against Winnipeg, the atmosphere was only just okay. Location on the fringe of the city also isn't ideal, with one of the coldest walks in from the parking lot in the CHL.
37. DFCU Center, Flint
I wandered around this rink back in the UHL days and marvelled at how run-down it was. The amount of money that's gone into upgrades since then is astonishing, and it's no longer run-down, but they preserved all that lovely mid-century modern charm to it as well as adding some of the most comfortable seats in hockey. Bland whitewash decor is about my only criticism – back in the UHL days everything was Flint Generals blue and gold, and painting the rink in blue and orange now would make it feel even homier.
36. Sasktel Centre, Saskatoon
Better than I expected it would be. Sure, any NHL-sized arena with a curtained-off upper bowl is never going to win any contests for intimacy or atmosphere, but I still came away impressed with Blades fans. The team makes the absolute most of its branding and I loved the creativity with showing the Pac-Man logo eating pellets and PA Raiders logos on the big screen. Location is a big minus, in an industrial park on the fringe of the city.
35. Brantford Civic Centre, Brantford
Like going back in time to my childhood and watching games in an updated, smaller London Gardens. Sure, it's difficult to get around, but the sightlines for hockey are incredible and the atmosphere is terrific. That new arena is coming, so definitely see the Civic Centre while you still can.
34. North Bay Memorial Gardens, North Bay
Very difficult to get around in, but it's got character like crazy and terrific sightlines. One of the less-interesting older buildings in the league. Game operations haven't changed an iota since their days in Brampton. I've never been a fan of the Battalion branding, but I am glad for that team that they've finally got a community to embrace them for who they are.
33. Essar Centre, Sault Ste. Marie
The old Sault Gardens was one of my favourite old barns I ever went to. The new rink is a fairly generic CHL clone, though all the red paint everywhere makes it obvious who plays here. A good atmosphere and the historic stained glass and angel from the Gardens makes me rank this as the best of the three OHL identical triplets. Downtown location is a big plus as well.
32. Sandman Centre, Kamloops
Could be higher on the list if the sound system volume wasn't so damned loud. The prototype clone and still one that does it better than most, Kamloops' rink is small enough to be intimate by clone standards. Great downtown location and I loved the tiny upper level seating; high and close is always a great view of a hockey game.
31. Colisee Desjardins, Victoriaville
The smallest full-time rink in the CHL, and you never forget that while inside. As intimate as a CHL rink gets and a pretty great atmosphere to boot. Navigating around inside is hard, and it's surrounded by parking lots, so it's absolutely not perfect, but I still really enjoyed my visit here. Sort of like Utica in the AHL, in that it's hard to believe such a small, intimate rink holds such a high level of hockey.
29. Toyota Center, Tri-City
A rarity in that it's an American arena built entirely and specifically for hockey. Gameday ops aren't the best I've seen, and lack of a centre scoreboard isn't ideal, but the sightlines are fantastic and the crowd was pretty decent, too. Location in the middle of suburban sprawl could be better, but it's still a solid 80's coliseum.
29. Meridian Centre, Niagara
We're well into “good rinks that I like” territory by now. Niagara did a lot right with their rink, building it downtown. There's loads of history on display and usually a good atmosphere. It's a very above-average clone rink, but still a clone at the end of the day. Someone not as biased towards older rinks as I am would certainly have this one ranked higher.
28. Erie Insurance Arena, Erie
The run-down old Tullio would have been significantly lower. Erie managed to keep the character and atmosphere of their old barn when they expanded and upgraded it, and well done to them. Historically one of the best crowds in the OHL, when they get going, they can still really get going. An 80's coliseum that's been maintained and updated into a genuinely good modern building, while still keeping the soul and atmosphere of an older one.
27. Dow Event Center, Saginaw
The local fans are among the friendliest I've ever encountered on the road. Atmosphere is generally top notch in Saginaw, the downtown location is about as good as it gets, and the all-pervasive smell of toasted beer nuts throughout the arena has me salivating just thinking about it. Sightlines are pretty terrific as well, and the renovations in anticipation of the 2024 Memorial Cup fixed the minor maintenance issues I'd once had with this rink.
26. Videotron Centre, Quebec
Junior in an NHL rink is never going to be the best experience, even when the crazies in Quebec manage to sell out their giant rink. Hard to figure out where to rank this one, because comparing an NHL-sized crowd and experience to the rest of the CHL is somehow unfair. I wound up with Quebec at 26, a decent ranking, but reflective of the fact that at the end of the day going to see the Remparts doesn't feel like going to a junior hockey game. I've been to 27 of the 32 NHL rinks as of this writing, and if I were comparing this to an NHL rink I'd have it somewhere in the middle as well.
25. Mary Brown's Centre, Newfoundland
A generic early CHL clone rink on the inside, but there's more at work here than in most places. The arena is possibly the best-located in the CHL, right downtown, a few steps from the bars and restaurants of George St and a few more from the harbourfront. Inside, the team does all the little things well enough, and between the usual big crowds and local flavour, going to a game here feels like an event far more than many places in the league. A major renovation to add hang-out spaces and some more colour in the bland concourses would bump this place even higher, but it's still one of the best 90's/2000's clones.
24. Centre Marcel-Dionne, Drummondville
My longest active drought in the CHL, my only visit here was in January of 2005 for a rivalry game against Victoriaville, and the crowd got so intense that the SQ had to be called in to break up multiple fights in the grandstands. Drummondville's rink is small, colourful, intimate, and the passion of those hometown fans is hard to duplicate. One of the best atmospheres in the CHL. I'd love to go back sometime.
23. Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Spokane
One of a trio of medium-sized rinks in the CHL, Spokane was the OG and still does a lot well. I loved how unashamedly and completely 1990's all the decor still was in Spokane, the atmosphere was good, and the location is pretty decent as well. Very little to criticize other than the playing of sound effects during play and the lack of a centre scoreboard, but I'd still call this one of the better arenas I've been to.
22. South Okanagan Events Cenre, Penticton
Little has changed since the doors opened in 2008, which is the only reason I have for pushing this one out of the top 20. Apart from an outdated scoreboard and sound system, I've got nothing to criticize - it's a terrific modern arena with a good location, terrific atmosphere, and history on display like few other teams anywhere in hockey. Going to a game in Penticton feels like a big deal in a way that few other places do, and the bones of the arena are excellent too, with good sightlines and professional-grade game presentation.
21. Tribute Communities Centre, Oshawa
Why, oh why, did they build it with maroon seats when that's their archrival's colour? Oshawa's clone rink is about as good as they come, with a lot of thought put into things like coat hooks for the standing room only sections. Team history on display everywhere, which is wonderful. Downtown location is excellent. Miles ahead of the old Civic Auditorium, which even in the early 2000's felt like the OHL had long ago outgrown it.