One of the biggest markets in hockey has been voted to have the best ice in the league, again.
On Tuesday, the NHL Players’ Association released its annual Player Poll, with athletes giving their thoughts on everything from who the best goaltender and playmaker is in the league to which player has the best style or which PWHL rules should be adopted.
Also, players gave their thoughts on which arena in the league has the most favorable playing surface. Of the 585 players who cast their ballot, the decision was unanimous: the Bell Centre has the best ice.
It marks the seventh consecutive season where the home of the Montreal Canadiens has the best frozen water. While it might not be a surprise to the traditional hockey fan, it might stun some with the knowledge that the building is nearing 30 years old, beating out new rinks like UBS Arena (New York Islanders) and Little Caesars Arena (Detroit Red Wings).
Nearly 45 percent of players polled voted in favor of Bell Centre.
The second-best ice is Rogers Place, though only 14.9 percent of players believe as much. The home of the Edmonton Oilers, opened in 2016, has featured players like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Darnell Nurse, who have become accustomed to the great ice. Some might say Edmonton is one of the better environments for great ice because of the nice, cold climate in northern Alberta.
Another frigid climate in Canada that has made for a smooth surface is the Canada Life Centre, home of the Winnipeg Jets. While only 10.8 percent of players say the smallest arena in the league has the best ice, players like Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele probably have some good things to say about it.
Other arenas that received some notoriety include the Xcel Energy Center (Minnesota Wild – 7.5 percent) and T-Mobile Arena (Vegas Golden Knights – 4.6 percent).
