Upcoming Chicago Blackhawks dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
United Center seat choice in brief
For a Chicago Blackhawks game, aim for the stretch of sideline from one blue line to the other (the blue lines are the markings that set off each defensive zone), in the middle-to-upper rows of the 100s or in the 200-level club. The Near West Side arena holds 19,717 for hockey, and that slice of the bowl lets you track every rush and see each bench swap players.
- Home goals in front of you: the net Chicago targets in periods one and three.
- Price compromise: lower-bowl corners.
- Budget: front rows along the 300-level sideline.
- Skip if you can: the top rows of the 300-level corners.
Regular-season hockey runs October to April; any playoff games follow in spring.
100s, the 200 club ring and the steep 300s
The building went up in 1994, opening that August on the opposite side of Madison Street from the old Chicago Stadium site. Add standing room and the hockey crowd can reach roughly 22,400. The Bulls are co-tenants.
100 level
The lower bowl. The first row sits against the glass; at hockey games, those ticket holders order from a dedicated menu without leaving their seats.
200 level
Only a few rows deep, surrounded by suites (the arena has three suite tiers), and with entry to the club lounges.
300 level
The lowest-priced seats sit in this tall, sharply raked bowl. You see everything, and since there are so many seats up here, they are usually still available late unless a rival or a playoff opponent is in town.
Between the blue lines, or behind the net?
- The glass: fast and physical, but from the front row, action against your own boards and deep in the far corners is hard to see.
- Middle and upper 100s on the sideline: the most complete view in the building.
- The end Chicago attacks twice: many regulars choose it because home scoring chances come their way. The shoot-twice end and the bench sides were not confirmed in the sources for this page; the seating map for each event marks them, so check before buying.
- Lower-bowl corners: a sensible middle ground on price.
- The 300s: a front-row seat on the 300-level sideline frequently beats a rear seat behind the goal in the 100s, and costs less. The top corners are the weakest seats.
Red Wings, Blues and the dates that sell first
Exhibitions begin as September ends. Half of the 82 regular-season games, from October to mid-April, are home dates, and the postseason takes over from late April.
- Detroit Red Wings: the oldest feud, between two Original Six clubs, and one of the loudest nights of the year.
- St. Louis Blues: the modern division rival, close enough for Blues fans to make a weekend drive.
- Vancouver Canucks: repeated postseason meetings in the 2010s built real bad blood.
- Weekend and holiday dates: Saturdays, Sundays, Thanksgiving week and the end of December sell quickest.
- Star visitors: a team built around the league's top scorer brings neutral fans.
- Outdoor games: a Winter Classic or similar event is ticketed separately from the normal home slate and priced on its own.
For the widest choice, try a weeknight in January or February when a Western Conference team from another division visits.
Bus 20, the Green Line and the lettered lots
You will find the arena roughly two miles west of the Loop at 1901 West Madison. Public transit beats driving most nights.
- Bus: the Madison bus (CTA No. 20) pulls up at the arena, and when the game ends, the No. 19 United Center Express heads back to Union Station, the Loop and Michigan Avenue.
- L train: walk from the Damen stop (Green Line) or the Ashland stop (Green and Pink lines); the Illinois Medical District stop on the Blue Line is a little farther, a few blocks to the north.
- Rideshare: use the Uber Zone in Lot E at Madison and Wood, open from two hours ahead of the event until an hour after it ends.
- Driving: lots surrounding the building are labeled by letter, and Lot C holds accessible spaces. They open 150 minutes before the event, and prepaid parking costs less.
Bags, cash and kids on laps: the house rules
The arena's rules for 2025–26:
- Bags: bring a small purse or bag of roughly 10 x 6 x 2 inches at most. Backpacks stay out, though you can pay to store one near the Uber Zone.
- Payment: cards and phones only.
- Gates: usually an hour and a half before puck drop; once you leave, you cannot come back in.
- Young children: a child shorter than 36 inches can attend a hockey game free when held on a grown-up's lap.
Policies change, so review the United Center FAQ shortly before the game. Reserved Seat backs every order, outdoor games too, with a 100% guarantee.
The anthem roar, outdoor games and six Cups
Be in your seat before the national anthem. The crowd roars from the first note to the last, a ritual born in a 1985 playoff series with the Oilers. The building inherited the Madhouse on Madison nickname from Chicago Stadium, and Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita are honored with bronze statues, added in 2011–12.
Chicago joined the league in 1926 and was one of just six NHL teams from 1942 to 1967, alongside Boston, Detroit, Montreal, New York and Toronto, the group now known as the Original Six. For decades the name was spelled Black Hawks; the team switched to one word in 1986 after finding that spelling in its original franchise papers. Ownership has stayed in the Wirtz family across several generations; Danny Wirtz took over as chairman following the July 2023 death of Rocky Wirtz. The team competes in the West's Central Division.
- 1934 and 1938: championships arrive early, inside the club's first 12 seasons.
- 1961: Cup number three, and then nothing for 49 years.
- 1994: farewell to Chicago Stadium, home since 1929.
- 2009: the Red Wings visit Wrigley Field for the city's first Winter Classic.
- 2010, 2013 and 2015: three Cups in six years, the club's best stretch.
- 2014: a Stadium Series win over Pittsburgh, 5–1, at Soldier Field before 62,921.
- December 31, 2024: the Winter Classic returns to Wrigley Field, and the Blues win 6–2 in front of 40,933.
The current schedule and roster are on the Blackhawks' team site.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best section type for a Blackhawks game?
Sideline seats from blue line to blue line, either mid-to-upper rows in the 100s or the 200-level club.
Are 300-level seats at the United Center worth buying?
Front rows on the 300-level sideline are a good deal with a full view. Because the bowl is steep and tall, avoid the highest corner seats.
Which CTA train goes closest to the United Center?
The Green Line's Damen stop and the Green and Pink lines' Ashland stop are closest; the No. 20 Madison bus drops you at the door.
Do young children need a ticket for a Blackhawks game?
Not if they are under 36 inches and stay on an adult's lap, per the arena's 2025–26 rules.
Why do fans cheer during the anthem at Blackhawks games?
It began in a 1985 playoff series with the Oilers and has carried on ever since; the crowd cheers from start to finish.
When did the Blackhawks last win the Stanley Cup?
In 2015, completing three titles in six seasons after wins in 2010 and 2013. The club's earlier Cups came in 1934, 1938 and 1961.