My brother and I are planning a trip next season once the schedules come out to catch the Flyers play in either Montreal (preferably as neither of us have been there) or Toronto maybe Ottawa and while we are up there - we would like to catch a couple OHL games before heading south. Not having A rooting interest in any particular teams we were hoping to visit a couple nice towns with fun stuff to do and a couple cool buildings with some history maybe.
In the interest of mileage teams in the east Division would be preferable.
well I can tell you where not to go... and before I do, I have the right to say this because I live here... and this is Sudbury. If I didn't have a dream job here I probably would've moved a long time ago. Nothing here as far as cool buildings or interseting things to see. You'll also kill your car from all the salt. There's more salt on our roads in the winter time than there is in the ocean.
I must give this town 1 upside, if your a woodsman like me and like the outdoors, you could go fishing on a choice of about 50 lakes, there's also a couple of nice walking trails in the forest. That's about as interesting as it get around here.
If you come to Ottawa, forget about the OHL. Go to a game in Gatineau! OHL arenas are libraries compared to the Q.
The Civic Centre in Ottawa is a pretty good OHL venue (if you don't mind picking bits of ceiling out of your hair), but it has nothing on the Bob (Centre Robert Guertin).
Montréal gives you Boisbriand (just north of Montréal), Drummondville, Victoriaville (a fun team to watch, if you don't have a vested interest in the other team), Shawinigan, and maybe even Québec within fairly easy range. Hull too, of course! Victo also has a Wilfred Laurier museum.
If you're really tied to the OHL, for some reason, the K-Rock Centre is brand new and pretty nice, but the Frontenacs are terrible, so there isn't that much in the way of atmosphere. It is a pretty nice city though.
Edit - If you're coming up next season, Sherbrooke also isn't prohibitively far from Montréal.
I know I am a bit biased but Kingston would be a good arena to see and not out of your way. It is a new arena and you do not need to get tickets in advance. There are a lot of great seats even at centre ice available.
The Frontenacs will be a much different team that has played in Kingston for a long time. To give you and idea why, here from another thread is the BluePrint that Gilmour and Gill have for this team.
If you come to Ottawa, forget about the OHL. Go to a game in Gatineau! OHL arenas are libraries compared to the Q.
The Civic Centre in Ottawa is a pretty good OHL venue (if you don't mind picking bits of ceiling out of your hair), but it has nothing on the Bob (Centre Robert Guertin).
Montréal gives you Boisbriand (just north of Montréal), Drummondville, Victoriaville (a fun team to watch, if you don't have a vested interest in the other team), Shawinigan, and maybe even Québec within fairly easy range. Hull too, of course! Victo also has a Wilfred Laurier museum.
If you're really tied to the OHL, for some reason, the K-Rock Centre is brand new and pretty nice, but the Frontenacs are terrible, so there isn't that much in the way of atmosphere. It is a pretty nice city though.
The civic center hold a ton of history and for some that is very appealing.
Edit - If you're coming up next season, Sherbrooke also isn't prohibitively far from Montréal.
The civic center hold a ton of history and for some that is very appealing.
The civic center hold a ton of history and for some that is very appealing.
It still has nothing on the Bob. If you're trying to compare championships, 2 Memorial Cups and 3 Robertson Cups to 1 Memorial Cup and 7 President's Cups. One way or the other, we're both cornerstones of our respective leagues. Great players have come from both. The Bob was also the original home of the 67's (the Civic Centre wasn't finished yet).
Besides that, the 67's are playing out of Scotiabank Place for the next two seasons.
It still has nothing on the Bob. If you're trying to compare championships, 2 Memorial Cups and 3 Robertson Cups to 1 Memorial Cup and 7 President's Cups. One way or the other, we're both cornerstones of our respective leagues. Great players have come from both. The Bob was also the original home of the 67's (the Civic Centre wasn't finished yet).
Besides that, the 67's are playing out of Scotiabank Place for the next two seasons.
At the major jr level i would agree but the over all picture the civic center does hold alot of history be it the Ottawa Nationals of the wha the many boxing events the list goes on and on.
At the major jr level i would agree but the over all picture the civic center does hold alot of history be it the Ottawa Nationals of the wha the many boxing events the list goes on and on.
I never said that the Civic Centre doesn't hold a lot of history, but if he's looking for atmosphere, the Bob > The Civic Centre, AINEC.
Sadly, we're but a footnote in the history of the WHA.
I've been to four....five if you include St. Mike's in Toronto that was the most delightful little arena with no backs or individual seats in the country. The best thing to do is do a tour of all of them, but yeah, like has been already said, the JLC is pretty spiffy, Hershey Centre is pretty nice. I've also heard the arenas in Erie and Saginaw have great atmosphere with the Americans who don't care if you think they're being too loud.
I've never been but Brampton sounds like it would be a fun atmosphere. From what I've read they really do up the military stuff during the game. Seems to me they fire off a cannon when they score and other military themed things all game.
I've never been but Brampton sounds like it would be a fun atmosphere. From what I've read they really do up the military stuff during the game. Seems to me they fire off a cannon when they score and other military themed things all game.
Not to mention their scary-ass drill sergeant mascot!
I've never been but Brampton sounds like it would be a fun atmosphere. From what I've read they really do up the military stuff during the game. Seems to me they fire off a cannon when they score and other military themed things all game.
Well that's the first time I've ever heard Brampton and "fun atmosphere" in the same sentence. They do a few military inspired things during the game (one minute to ceasefire, for example) but there are a lot of OHL barns that are a lot more fun.
Brampton is awful. Unless you like a lot of space and not a lot of crowd atmosphere.
Best bet is St Catherines (Niagara). Amazing, small, packed arena and the people are insane and 50% have noisemakers. There is a percussion band in the crowd. It only seats 3,100, but it is tight and you are right on top of the action. The rink itself is tiny which allows the teams to go end to end in no time. The seats are wood, double fold down seats. A lot of nooks and crannys in the arena.
Only has a season or two left. Go there as it is a dying breed.
I've been to games in 27 OHL buildings past and present, and if I had a three-day weekend to watch OHL games, I would go to some combination of Niagara, Kitchener, Belleville, Peterborough, Saginaw or Sudbury. They are six older buildings with decent atmospheres that aren't just your generic sports and entertainment centres.
I've been to games in 27 OHL buildings past and present, and if I had a three-day weekend to watch OHL games, I would go to some combination of Niagara, Kitchener, Belleville, Peterborough, Saginaw or Sudbury. They are six older buildings with decent atmospheres that aren't just your generic sports and entertainment centres.
Peterborough? The average age of a Petes crowd is about 60, and everyone glares at you if you make any sort of noise. I'd have been okay if they were just glaring at me (in full Barberpole), but they were glaring at my Petes fan wife (in full Maroon & White regalia) too! I guess Olympiques fans are just too rowdy for Peterborough's taste...
Without the constraint of time or distance, I would say the must see arenas for atmosphere and facility are:
1. The Aud (Kitchener) - Good historic feel with good building energy.
2. JLC (London) - Two level CHL arena is impressive no matter how annoying the fans are (lol).
3. Civic Center (Ottawa) - Odd shaped building worth seeing.
For the original question, I would think if he lands in Toronto, then you go to Niagara, Oshawa and Mississauga or Brampton. Niagara would probably be the best overall experience and there's no reason to go to both sucky Mississauga and Brampton arenas although at least tickets would be VERY easy.
If it were Ottawa, I'd look to hit Ottawa and Gatineau as well as maybe hit Belleville and Kingston. I would definitely consider staying in Gatineau.
As well, if I were the original poster, I'd look at rosters and see what players I'd like to catch in a OHL arena. Nothing like seeing NHL players at OHL prices (well most OHL prices).
Of course, with what they want to do, they'll be at the mercy of the schedule. Regardless, good luck and hope it all works out.
Peterborough? The average age of a Petes crowd is about 60, and everyone glares at you if you make any sort of noise. I'd have been okay if they were just glaring at me (in full Barberpole), but they were glaring at my Petes fan wife (in full Maroon & White regalia) too! I guess Olympiques fans are just too rowdy for Peterborough's taste...
It's definitely not the loudest building in the world, but you can just feel the history, and there's not a bad seat in the house. It's very intimate, even if it's not very loud.
Well that's the first time I've ever heard Brampton and "fun atmosphere" in the same sentence. They do a few military inspired things during the game (one minute to ceasefire, for example) but there are a lot of OHL barns that are a lot more fun.
You're not incredibly far from Erie, where next season, they'll have the stud, Connor McDavid and (when the arena is actually full!) the Otters apparently have the loudest fans in the OHL.
Cannot go wrong with Niagara, Oshawa, Ottawa, Belleville and Kingston. Kingston has some fantastic scenery; check out their 1000 islands.
For someone who's been to nearly half the OHL's arenas, here's my best and worst:
Best overall: JLC(London). NHL arena to half-scale is the best way to describe it. A close second is the WFCU Centre in Windsor...steep seating, good overall presentation.
Best atmosphere: Niagara. Yes, the arena's old, etc. But you can FEEL the crowd when the game is going...and there's an edge to them as well.(In a GOOD way, I must add.) Erie is a close second. And they will soon be blessed with a MUCH better arena to work with...and it will always be the Tullio to me, even if Erie Insurance put its name on the arena.
Worst: Compuware(Plymouth). This is how NOT to do hockey; put a rink into a building that can double as a Wal Mart. Plus, you'll be punished by hearing the worst PA announcer I've ever heard in my life.
Not too far behind: Brampton/Mississauga(tie). Not the arenas themselves...they're OK. But there is no passion or energy in those places. It's like going to church half the time.
OHL arenas are libraries compared to the Q.
