About the Guide
I love hockey rinks. Actually, I love stadia of all descriptions. I love ballparks for their quirky individualism, and I even love football stadiums, even though I despise football itself. I've often said that I'd love to visit all 30 MLB ballparks, or all 30 NHL arenas, but that is a task for when I'm older and wealthier. But the truth is, I'm not really an NHL fan. The combination of the corporate game and the rapid overexpansion and clutch and grab epidemic in the 1990's killed most of my enthusiasm for the pro game, but at the same time my love of the CHL only increased as I bought London Knights season tickets as soon as I could afford them when I was 16. My original sojourn into traveling fandom began in October 2002 at the age of 20, when I attended my first real "road" game in Guelph, and I fell in love with junior hockey all over again as I began to see more of my home province and experience the differences between the arenas of the OHL.
When I first began traveling in junior hockey, I never thought someday I'd start getting into the Q eventually, but a year away in St. John's at grad school got me into the league, and there was no going back. The distances are farther than in the OHL, but I'm older now and have a car, so plugging away at a rate of few rinks a year should be doable. Someday I'd like to get to all 18, as well as all of the former arenas, but it will remain to be seen if that is actually possible. Fan contributions make this site what it is, so if you have anything to contribute, please send it on.
This site is a chronicle of my travels around Eastern Canada while partaking in the greatest form of hockey on earth. I hope you enjoy it.
A note about language: As a born and raised Anglo from Southern Ontario, my French is about as good as you could expect from someone who's never had to speak it daily. I took French throughout school up to the end of high school, and I can read and write it at a relatively decent level. I can read the Journal when I'm in Montreal, read a menu, and respond to emails en français. However, my conversation skills are such that I still have to translate everything in my head before speaking, and I simply haven't got the time to properly write out the entire site in my second language. I hope to attract French-speaking readers to this site, and I am sorry that it's not bilingual. Someday I would like it to be. However, any emails written to me in French will be responded to in French, and I will do my best to communicate with any junior hockey fans, no matter what their background. Also, if any bilingual person wishes to translate the entire site gratis, let the record show that I wouldn't say no.
What do I Look For in an Arena?
Simply put, atmosphere. Good facilities are nice, but in order for the arena to attach itself to my heart, it needs to have a little bit of soul. Loud fans, passionate fans, the place had better not be antiseptic. The corporate NHL is slowly killing off the blue-collar support that teams have traditionally had, and this trend is slowly spreading to the junior ranks. Whether the arena is new or old, it needs to have a heart.
Sections of the Guide:
What's the Arena Like?
This section will provide basic information about the arena itself: the layout, good and bad seats, architecture, etc.
Future Developments:
This section will tell if there are renovations scheduled for the building, or if it's going to be pulled down and replaced entirely.
What's It Like for Away Fans?
Part of the travelling experience is the way different fans in different cities treat foreign interlopers. Why are fans in one city nice while fans in a different city are hostile? It's good to know if you'll be treated well by the opposing fans or if they'll throw things at you. It's also best to know this before you go, and this will help you know. This section only is accurate, though, assuming you're relatively polite and well-behaved; if you're a jerk on the road you deserve everything you get. Also, be aware that the reception you get in an arena may be different than what I got - be aware of who your local rivals are and act accordingly.
One note is that the "away fans" section only counts the adult fans from the opposition. Kids tend to be the same everywhere you go: mouthy and non-intimidating. Don't let them bother you. If the adults are intimidating, that's when the arena will get a high rating.
How to Get There:
Simple: Directions to the arena. Most directions are given from the main highways.
Admission Prices:
How much a ticket will set you back.
Franchise History:
This section traces the history of each team, and all the cities through which the team has moved over the years.
Retired Numbers:
The numbers which proudly hang from the rafters of QMJHL arenas, celebrating the league's rich heritage.
Local Rivals:
If you're interested in going to a game in which your team isn't playing, how do you decide? The best contests are the ones featuring the best rivalries. Watch Remparts-Sags instead of Remparts-Fog Devils for a sense of the real spirit of the team and their fans.
Special Thanks:
Special thanks to anyone who has contributed to this website. Especially given how far away I am from the Q, it's the fan contributions that make this site great.
Thanks to each and every friend I've made on the road through the message boards and this website. CHL fans are great people.
Gigantic thanks to Paul of Saginaw and his company, The Computer Guy & Associates, for providing web hosting.
Thanks to Chris Beach for photos, road trips and everything else. Flames suck.
Finally, thanks to Julie for indulging and understanding my weird hobby, and for a lifetime's worth of fun together. We'll hit all 30 ballparks someday.