List of ice hockey arenas by capacity

The following is a list of ice hockey arenas by capacity. Only those arenas that regularly host ice hockey games with paid admission (e.g. professional, major junior, or university) are included. Outdoor stadiums that have hosted occasional hockey games are not included. Buildings under construction are not included. Buildings which no longer host hockey matches are listed but not ranked, and the capacity for defunct buildings in the capacity at the time of closing unless otherwise mentioned. Buildings are ranked by their current capacity for hockey games, not for other events, which is often substantially different because of ice hockey's unique playing surface, the ice rink. Capacities do not include standing room tickets. All arenas with a capacity of more than 15,000 are included.
The majority of these arenas are in Canada and the United States, with a small number in Europe, none are on any other continent. Most of the largest arenas are home to professional teams, mainly from the National Hockey League (NHL). All thirty current NHL arenas are listed. None of teams in the top leagues in Finland (SM-liiga), Sweden (Elitserien), or in the international Kontinental Hockey League (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, and Russia), and only one team each in the top league of Germany (Deutsche Eishockey Liga) and Switzerland (National League A) play in an arena with a capacity larger than 15,000 and most play in arenas of less than 10,000, despite the reputation of these leagues as Europe's best, and the KHL's recent attempt to compete with the NHL for talent. More arenas in the junior Western Hockey League or minor-professional American Hockey League are in the above 15,000-seat class than in all of the European leagues combined. The sample of the best European venues can be indentified by examining the host sites of the Ice Hockey World Championships.
==Arenas by capacity==
Rank 	Arena 	Capacity 	City 	Country 	Home Team(s) (League, Dates)
defunct	Thunderdome 	>28,180 	St. Petersburg 	 	Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL) (1993–1996)
1 	Bell Centre 	21,273 	Montreal 	Canada 	Montreal Canadiens
defunct	Greensboro Coliseum 	21,273 	Greensboro 	United States 	Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) (1997–1999), Carolina Monarchs (AHL) (1995–1997), Greensboro Monarchs (ECHL) (1989–1995), Greensboro Generals (EHL/SHL) (1959–1973)
defunct	The Palace 	20,804 	Auburn Hills 	United States 	Detroit Vipers (IHL) (1994–2001)
3 	Joe Louis Arena 	20,066 	Detroit 	United States 	Detroit Red Wings
4 	United Center 	19,717 (formerly 20,500)	Chicago 	United States 	Chicago Blackhawks
5 	Wachovia Center 	19,519 	Philadelphia 	United States 	Philadelphia Flyers
6 	St. Pete Times Forum 	19,500 	Tampa 	United States 	Tampa Bay Lightning
7 	Pengrowth Saddledome 	19,289 	Calgary 	Canada 	Calgary Flames, Calgary Hitmen
8 	BankAtlantic Center 	19,250 	Sunrise 	United States 	Florida Panthers
9 	Scotiabank Place 	19,153 	Ottawa 	Canada 	Ottawa Senators
10 	Scottrade Center 	19,150 	St. Louis 	United States 	St. Louis Blues
defunct	Izod Center 	19,040 	East Rutherford 	United States 	New Jersey Devils (NHL) (1982–2007)
11 	Air Canada Centre 	18,819 	Toronto 	Canada 	Toronto Maple Leafs
12 	HSBC Arena 	18,690 	Buffalo 	United States 	Buffalo Sabres
13 	RBC Center 	18,680 	Raleigh 	United States 	Carolina Hurricanes
14 	General Motors Place 	18,630 	Vancouver 	Canada 	Vancouver Canucks
15 	Philips Arena 	18,545 	Atlanta 	United States 	Atlanta Thrashers
16 	American Airlines Center 	18,532 	Dallas 	United States 	Dallas Stars
17 	Lanxess Arena 	18,500 	Cologne 	Germany 	Kölner Haie
18 	Rose Garden 	18,280 	Portland 	United States 	Portland Winter Hawks
19 	Verizon Center 	18,277 	Washington 	United States 	Washington Capitals
20 	Madison Square Garden (IV) 	18,200 	New York City 	United States 	New York Rangers
21 	Nationwide Arena 	18,136 	Columbus 	United States 	Columbus Blue Jackets
defunct	Capital Centre 	18,130 	Washington 	 	Washington Capitals (NHL) (1974–97)
22 	Staples Center 	18,118 	Los Angeles 	United States 	Los Angeles Kings
23 	Xcel Energy Center 	18,064 	St. Paul 	United States 	Minnesota Wild
24 	Ford Center 	18,036 	Oklahoma City 	United States 	Oklahoma City Blazers
25 	Pepsi Center 	18,007 	Denver 	United States 	Colorado Avalanche
26 	Allstate Arena 	18,000 	Rosemont 	United States 	Chicago Wolves
27= 	Bradley Center 	17,800 	Milwaukee 	United States 	Milwaukee Admirals
27= 	Toyota Center 	17,800 	Houston 	United States 	Houston Aeros
28 	Jobing.com Arena 	17,799 	Glendale 	United States 	Phoenix Coyotes
defunct	Kemper Arena 	17,647 	Kansas City 	 	Kansas City Scouts (NHL) (1974–1976), Kansas City Blues (CHL) (1976–1977), Kansas City Blades (IHL) (1990–2001), Kansas City Outlaws (UHL) (2004–2005)
29 	Prudential Center 	17,625 	Newark 	United States 	New Jersey Devils
30 	TD Banknorth Garden 	17,565 	Boston 	United States 	Boston Bruins
31 	Times Union Center 	17,500 	Albany 	United States 	Albany River Rats (AHL) (1993-present), Albany Choppers (IHL) (1990-1991)
defunct	Manchester Evening News Arena 	17,500 	Manchester 	United Kingdom	Manchester Storm 1995-2002
32 	HP Pavilion at San Jose 	17,496 	San Jose 	United States 	San Jose Sharks
33 	FirstOntario Centre 	17,383 	Hamilton 	Canada 	Hamilton Bulldogs
34 	Wachovia Spectrum 	17,380 	Philadelphia 	United States 	Philadelphia Phantoms
35 	O2 Arena 	17,360 	Prague 	Czech Republic	HC Slavia Praha
defunct	Chicago Stadium 	17,317 	Chicago 	United States 	Chicago Blackhawks 1929-1994
36 	Honda Center 	17,174 	Anaheim 	United States 	Anaheim Ducks
37 	Sommet Center 	17,113 	Nashville 	United States 	Nashville Predators
38 	BOK Center 	17,096 	Tulsa 	United States 	Tulsa Oilers
39 	Jerome Schottenstein Center 	17,200 	Columbus 	United States 	Ohio State Buckeyes
defunct	Reunion Arena 	17,001 	Dallas 	 	Dallas Stars (NHL) (1993–2001)
defunct	Verizon Arena 	17,00 	North Little Rock	United States 	Arkansas Riverblades (ECHL) (1999-2003)
40 	Mellon Arena 	16,958 	Pittsburgh 	United States 	Pittsburgh Penguins
41 	Rexall Place 	16,839 	Edmonton 	Canada 	Edmonton Oilers, Edmonton Oil Kings
42 	PostFinance Arena 	16,789 	Berne 	Switzerland 	SC Bern
43 	Qwest Center Omaha 	16,680 	Omaha 	United States 	UNO Mavericks
defunct	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium 	16,433 	Buffalo 	 	Buffalo Bisons (AHL) (1940–1970), Buffalo Sabres (NHL) (1970–1996)
defunct	Montreal Forum 	16,400 	Montreal 	Canada 	Montreal Maroons (NHL) (1924-1938), Montreal Canadiens (NHL) (1926-1996), Montreal Junior Canadiens (QJHL, OHA) (1933-1972), Montreal Voyageurs (AHL) (1969-1971), Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge (QMJHL) (1972-1975), Montreal Juniors (QMJHL) (1975-1982)
defunct	Maple Leaf Gardens 	16,307 (circa 1968) 	Toronto 	Canada 	Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) (1931–1999), Toronto Marlboros (OHL) (1931–1989), Toronto Toros (WHA) (1974–1976)
44 	Pacific Coliseum 	16,281 	Vancouver 	Canada 	Vancouver Giants
45 	Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum	16,234 > 	Uniondale 	United States 	New York Islanders
defunct	US Airways Center 	16,210 	Phoenix 	United States 	Phoenix Coyotes (NHL) (1996–2003), Phoenix RoadRunners (ECHL) (2005–2009)
defunct	McNichols Sports Arena 	16,061 	Denver 	 	Colorado Rockies (NHL) (1976-1982), Colorado Flames (CHL) (1982-1984), Denver Grizzlies (IHL) (1994-1995), Colorado Avalanche (NHL) (1995-1999)
defunct	The Forum 	16,005 	Inglewood 	United States 	Los Angeles Kings (NHL) (1967-1999)
defunct	Amway Arena 	15,948 	Orlando 	United States 	Orlando Solar Bears (IHL) (1995–2001),Orlando Seals (ACHL/WHA2) (2002–2004)
defunct	Madison Square Garden (1925) 	15,925 	New York 	 	New York Rangers (NHL) (1926–1968), New York Americans (1925-1942)
defunct	Omni Coliseum 	15,278 	Atlanta 	 	Atlanta Flames (NHL) (1972-1980), Atlanta Knights (IHL) (1992-1996)
46 	XL Center 	15,635 	Hartford 	United States 	Hartford Wolfpack
47 	Wells Fargo Arena 	15,581 	Des Moines 	United States 	Iowa Chops
defunct	Winnipeg Arena 	15,565 (1979-1996) 	Winnipeg 	Canada 	Winnipeg Warriors (WHL) (1955-1961), Winnipeg Jets/Clubs/Monarchs (WCHL) (1967-1977), Winnipeg Jets (WHA, NHL) (1972-1996), Winnipeg Warriors (WHL) (1980-1984), Manitoba Moose (IHL, AHL) (1996-2004)
48 	Colisée Pepsi 	15,399 	Quebec City 	Canada 	Quebec Remparts
49 	Kohl Center 	15,237 	Madison 	United States 	Wisconsin Badgers
defunct	KeyArena 	15,177 	Seattle 	United States 	Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) (1977-1994, 1995-2009)
51 	MTS Centre 	15,015 	Winnipeg 	Canada 	Manitoba Moose
defunct	Detroit Olympia 	15,000 	Detroit 	 	Detroit Cougars/Falcons/Red Wings (NHL) (1927–1979)
defunct	Met Center 	15,000 	Bloomington 	 	Minnesota North Stars (NHL) (1967-1993)
*
Category:Indoor ice hockey venues in Germany