NHL Arenas: Ranking the Central Division Teams’ Homes

Apr 9, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; A general view of the Pepsi Center prior to the game between the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Central Division Arena #3: Pepsi Center (Colorado Avalanche)

The first four arenas in this ranking were all, well, what you expect a hockey arena to look like. Nothing special and kind of bland. Then there’s Pepsi Center, commonly called “The Can” (it’s Pepsi Center, get it?), home of the Colorado Avalanche. Nice shape, nice color, great architecture, amazing environment. Okay, you can’t really take the Rocky Mountains into account here, but it’s definitely a cool side feature.

Before Pepsi Center was completed in 1999, as part of a Denver sports venue upgrade that also included Coors Field (Colorado Rockies, MLB) and Sports Authority Field (Denver Broncos, NFL), the Colorado Avalanche played at McNichols Sports Arena which is now, er, a parking lot for Sports Authority Field. Well, Pepsi Center combines the traditional shape of a hockey arena (oval, duh) with modern colors and add-ons (e.g. the foyer) with modern architecture.

The only thing that could make this arena even cooler would be if it was burgundy and blue. But, the Denver Nuggets (NBA) would probably be jealous then, since Pepsi Center is their arena as well. Oh well.

Next: Central Division Arena #2