Many of the NHL arenas we know and love for each respective sports franchise are shared with its NBA counterpart. These joint venues often result in the creation of a large environment where plenty of fans can find a seat to watch hockey games live. Ever wonder what NHL arenas are the largest in America (Canada included)? In this article, we’ll outline the five biggest NHL arenas based on their seat capacity.

5. Scotiabank Saddledome (Calgary Flames), 19,289 seats

Beginning the list of biggest NHL arenas by their seating capacity is the Calgary Flames’ home of the Scotiabank Saddledome. Built in 1983, this arena offers up to 19,289 seats for onlookers to observe their favorite hockey team based out of downtown Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Interestingly, the Scotiabank Saddledome is one of only nine arenas with 19,000+ seats and is the only place where you can watch both the Calgary Hitmen (WHL) and Calgary Flames (NHL) from the same environment.

4. Little Caesars Arena (Detroit Red Wings), 19,515 seats

Up next is none other than one of Detroit’s finest venues known as Little Caesars Arena. The home of the Detroit Red Wings was constructed recently in 2017 with just under a $900 million budget and offers a whopping 19,515 seats for viewers to sit and watch. Some cool notable features of Little Caesars Arena include retail outlets, glass roofing and an entire entertainment district all built through eight stories in the shape of a bowl. Some of this was done in concurrence with the Detroit Pistons of the NBA, making Little Caesars Arena not only one of the largest arenas by capacity but one of the nicest as well.

3. Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia Flyers), 19,537 seats

Of course, the famed Wells Fargo Center takes the #3 spot as one of the largest NHL arenas in existence. The center was constructed back in 1996 as the home of the Philadelphia Flyers, with a cost of just $210 million to build. Located in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the arena features just 22 more seats than Little Caesars, making it a crazy environment for in-house viewers. Since 2010, the naming rights have been held by financial service company Wells Fargo after having its original name changed from Spectrum II Arena.

2. United Center (Chicago Blackhawks), 19,717 seats

As a site for one of the most modern successful NHL teams of the last decade, the home of the Chicago Blackhawks is known as the United Center and offers an incredible 19,717 total seats for fans who manage to buy a ticket. The breathtaking arena finished being constructed in 1995, and served as a full-time replacement to the West side of Chicago’s ‘Chicago Stadium’. While this arena comes in second for the largest in the NHL by capacity, it’s the #1 biggest NBA arena as it is also home of the Chicago Bulls. One of the coolest parts of the stadium’s history is that you can not only find a statue of the legendary Michael Jordan, but big-time Blackhawks players such as Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita as well.

1. Bell Centre (Montreal Canadiens), 21,105 seats

While it’s not a venue within American borders, the legendary Bell Center, home of the Montreal Canadiens, takes the cake for being the largest-capacity NHL arena of all. As the second of two arenas based out of Canada to make this list, the Bell Centre is the only NHL venue that offers over 21,000 seats, with 21,105 to be exact. The stadium was built in Montreal, Quebec back in 1996 and was originally known as the Molson Centre, serving as the home arena for arguably one of the best NHL franchises to date. The Bell Centre is only beaten out in capacity worldwide by one other hockey stadium, the SKA Arena (capacity 21,500), which serves as a location for Kontinental Hockey League games out in St. Petersburg, Russia.