Three seat choices that matter most in hockey
The best all-around seat for an NHL game is at center ice (the sections along the side of the rink at the red line), about 8 to 15 rows up in the lower bowl. From there you can follow the puck to both nets, watch line changes at the benches and look over the glass rather than through it.
- The glass. The first rows against the boards put you at eye level with checks and the sound of skates, which is the reason people buy them. The cost is the view: curved glass and players in front of you blur the far end of the rink, so you will watch part of the game on the video board.
- The attack-twice end. Teams change ends every period, so the home club shoots at the same net in the first and third periods. Sitting behind that goal means more home scoring chances in front of you, including the closing minutes. Each arena guide names that end.
- The upper level. Unlike football or basketball, hockey often plays well from high up. The puck is fast and small, and a high angle shows passing lanes and how the play takes shape. A center-ice seat in the upper deck can beat a low corner seat.
Corners in the lower bowl split the difference: closer than the upper level, with a good diagonal view of one net and a weaker view of the other.
Picking the night: what drives demand
A club with 42 home games has plenty of ordinary nights and a short list of dates that sell first. Knowing which is which is how you get a better seat for the same effort.
- Original Six games. The Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs share the league's oldest rivalries, and their meetings draw crowds well beyond what the standings suggest. Montreal leads all clubs with 24 Stanley Cups; Toronto has 13.
- Divisional opponents. They meet most often and are the most likely playoff opponents, so March and April games inside a division carry real stakes.
- Visits from Canadian clubs. U.S. arenas within driving distance of the border often fill with traveling fans for those games.
- Saturdays and holidays. Saturday night is the strongest slot on most schedules, and holiday weeks bring families.
- The home opener and the stretch run. Both outdraw a midwinter weeknight.
The quietest dates are weeknight games against non-rivals who are out of contention. Those are your best chance to sit low near the glass or right at center ice.
The 84-game schedule and its calendar
The league has 32 clubs, 25 in the United States and seven in Canada, split into the Eastern and Western conferences with two eight-team divisions each. The 2026–27 season, which started on September 29, 2026, is the first with 84 regular-season games since 1993–94, a change made under the new collective bargaining agreement. To fit the extra games, the preseason dropped from six games to four.
- September: preseason exhibitions, often featuring prospects and split squads.
- Late September or early October to mid-April: the regular season, half at home and half on the road, with division rivals appearing most often.
- February: the 2027 All-Star Game is set for February 7 at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. It is the first since the league held the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025 and paused for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- April to June: four best-of-seven playoff rounds, ending with the Stanley Cup Final.
For comparison, 42 home dates is half a baseball club's 81 and roughly five times the eight or nine an NFL team hosts.
Outdoor games in football and baseball stadiums
The outdoor games are the largest single dates on the regular-season calendar, and they behave nothing like a normal home game. A stadium holds several times as many people as an arena, so there are far more seats, but many of them are a long way from a rink laid across the middle of the field.
- Winter Classic: an outdoor game first played on New Year's Day in 2008. The 2027 edition shifts to December 31 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, with the Utah Mammoth hosting the Colorado Avalanche.
- Heritage Classic: the outdoor game held in Canada. The 2026 edition is scheduled for October 25 in Winnipeg, Winnipeg Jets against the Canadiens.
- Stadium Series: a different venue each year. The 2027 game is set for February 20 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with the Dallas Stars facing the Vegas Golden Knights.
- Global Series: regular-season games in Europe since 2017. In 2026–27, the Seattle Kraken and Carolina Hurricanes meet in Helsinki in November, and the Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators play in Düsseldorf in December.
At a stadium game, aim for the lower rows near the football midfield. You sit high enough to see over the boards and close enough to follow the puck. Upper-deck seats behind the end zones are for saying you were there, not for watching hockey.
Every club by conference and division
Eastern Conference
- Atlantic Division: Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins
- Metropolitan Division: Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes
Western Conference
- Central Division: Winnipeg Jets, Utah Mammoth, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks
- Pacific Division: Vegas Golden Knights, Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Kraken, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks
The newest clubs are the Kraken, who started in 2021–22 at Climate Pledge Arena, and the Mammoth, who began in 2024–25 as the Utah Hockey Club at the Delta Center. Vegas, an expansion team from 2017–18, won the Stanley Cup in 2023. Many teams share a building with an NBA tenant, including Madison Square Garden and the United Center, where crews cover the ice and convert the floor between back-to-back events.
Playoff tickets and how the bracket works
Sixteen clubs make the postseason, eight from each conference: the top three in every division plus two wild cards (the next two best records in the conference, regardless of division). The first two rounds stay inside a divisional bracket, which is why the same rivals keep meeting in the spring. All four rounds are best-of-seven, and the Final is played in June.
Playoff dates arrive on short notice. A home game is confirmed only when its series is scheduled, Games 5, 6 and 7 happen only if needed, and season-ticket holders get the first chance to buy. Before buying a conditional game, read what happens to your order if the series ends early. A long run can also stack two or three home games in one week, and the middle game of such a homestand often sells for less than a potential clincher.
Planning a hockey trip
Choose the game with the team guide, which covers rivals, demand, the attack-twice end and gameday habits. Then pick the seat with the arena guide, which explains section numbering, the best hockey seats, transit and the entry rules. Bag rules change between seasons, so check the arena's current policy before you go.
Plenty of fans make a road trip of it. The Sports Events and Tourism Association counted 109.7 million attendees who traveled 50 miles or more to sporting events in 2024, and 63.5 million of them stayed overnight (Sports ETA). The city guides for Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia, Seattle and Toronto cover getting to the arena and where to stay nearby. Reserved Seat backs every order with a 100% guarantee. Schedules and outdoor-game announcements come first from NHL.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best seat for watching an NHL game?
A center-ice seat about 8 to 15 rows up in the lower bowl shows both nets and the benches clearly. Upper-level center ice is a strong value alternative because the high angle suits hockey.
Are seats against the glass worth the extra cost?
They deliver the noise and contact up close, but curved glass and players block much of the far end. Buy them for the experience, not for the clearest view.
How many regular-season games does each NHL team play?
Beginning in 2026–27, each club plays 84, half of them at home, the most since 1993–94. The schedule had been 82 games.
When is the Winter Classic?
It began in 2008 as a New Year's Day outdoor game. The 2027 edition is scheduled for December 31 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah Mammoth against the Colorado Avalanche.
Why do I have to wait for playoff tickets?
Home dates are confirmed only once each series is scheduled, later games depend on the series going long, and season-ticket holders buy first.