welcome

Air Canada Centre - Toronto, Ontario
There’s something about the Canadian way of life that just seems to appeal to me. With its wide expanses of untapped wilderness, its international cities and small towns that harbour a down to earth, fun-loving culture, how could one not embrace our neighbors to the North? Their national anthem reads like an Ode to Greenpeace, and their dedication to the sport of professional hockey is unmatched throughout the rest of world. In a land where ice hockey is the national pasttime, where kids learn to skate as soon as they can walk, this is where a quest like the Frozen Pond Pilgrimage could really take root.

In March 2011, I traveled to Toronto, Ontario to assemble the ultimate NHL Hockey experience in a city that lives and dies by their beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. My goal was to stitch together a full day of NHL Hockey related activities culminating in a matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins at the Air Canada Centre that evening.
 

 

TD Garden - Boston, Massachusetts
The city of Boston’s reputation for great sports fans is well deserved, as the emotional investment that’s made on the part of these fans into their local teams is evident all over the city. To truly appreciate the Bostonian Sports scene, if you're visiting from out of town, I’ve found that it’s important to stop in on several hotspots around town in order to soak up the local culture and actually become a part if it. So in an effort to personally understand what the Beantown NHL hockey experience is all about, I was on hand in early March to watch the Boston Bruins take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at TD Garden as part of my Frozen Pond Pilgrimage.

I began my Boston Bruins experience with a visit to a place that’s developed iconic status in the area since the 1980’s, the old Bull and Finch Pub, which today is simply known as “Cheers”. The exterior is immediately recognizable, but fans of the popular sitcom will quickly realize that the producers of the show took several creative liberties in designing the
 

 

United Center - Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois is a great sports town. Boasting representation in all four of the major professional sports leagues, fans residing in the Chicago area have wealth of professional sports options available to them throughout the year and a unique fan subculture has evolved in the area. The typical Chicago sports fan is a die-hard follower of the home team with a diverse knowledge base and a storied history of success. What stands out, apart from the unwavering support of the hometown product, is the connection to local taverns and restaurants that are as much a part of Chicago’s sports traditions as the teams themselves. Founded in 1926, the Chicago Blackhawks were part of the group of six teams that comprised the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These teams, including the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs, are now known as the Original Six. Winning four Stanley Cups since their formation, with the most recent in 2010, I knew that a trip to the United Center, the home of the Chicago Blackhawks, would prove to be an invaluable experience as
 

 

 
St. Pete Times Forum - Tampa, Florida
There’s something that just seems unnatural about watching professional ice hockey in a warm weather city like Tampa, Florida. But as the NHL looks to expand, and I’m all for expansion, these warm weather cities are a natural fit to help increase the footprint of a game with a strong northern presence. I was in south Florida on the heels of my trip to Super Bowl XLIV in Miami and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch the Tampa Bay Lightning as they played host to the Boston Bruins at St. Pete Times Forum in downtown Tampa.

The home of the Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Pete Times Forum, is situated it a great little stretch of the downtown area. Parking lots around the area ranged in price from $5-$15 and it appeared as though finding parking is typically not going to be an issue. The area around the arena has several bars and taverns that are worth checking out. Across the street is a spot called Hot Tuna, formerly Hot Tuna in Tampa on the Frozen Pond PilgrimageAndreychuck’s, that’s a great place to grab a burger and your favorite ice cold beverage of choice.
 

 

HSBC Arena - Buffalo, New York
The city of Buffalo, New York is a great blue-collar town with a solid tradition of die-hard support for their local franchises. Buffalonians are a resilient breed of sports fan that has seen its share of heartbreak when it comes to World Championships, but through these disappointments, a solid fanbase of unwavering supporters has been fortified continuing to press on. It is this group of fans that come out to HSBC Arena throughout the NHL season to watch their beloved Buffalo Sabres take to the ice in downtown Buffalo. The return of the Blue and Gold to prominence under head coach Lindy Ruff and superstar goaltender Ryan Miller means that this long suffering fanbase can finally breathe a sign of relief as the Sabres have shown they are relevant in the hunt for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Pearl Street Grill & Brewery on Frozen Pond PilgrimageTo kick off my HSBC Arena experience, I like to go to the Pearl Street Grill & Brewery before the game. Located just up the street from HSBC Arena and a short Metro ride away, this microbrewery offers some exceptional draft beer and great food. With a pregame buffet featuring local favorites before
 

 

Joe Louis Arena - Detroit, Michigan
In kicking off my quest to see an NHL hockey game in every arena in the National Hockey League, I figured that no place would make a better inaugural trip than Hockey Town itself, Detroit, MI. With eleven Stanley Cups, six President’s Trophies and a solid fan base of blue collar rowdies, the city of Detroit seemed like an ideal spot to kick off my crusade.

The Joe Louis Arena downtown is an aging facility, but it’s centrally located with mass transit monorail access and plenty of parking within walking distance of the arena. Situated adjacent to the Cobo Hall Convention Center, we ended up parking in the Cobo Hall basement for $10 and walked to the arena from there. As you walk through The Joe, the ghosts of great ones are there to greet you as you enter. The main entrance is flanked with statues depicting the likeness of Detroit Hockey Town legends, Gordie Howe statue at Joe Louis Arenaincluding Gordy Howe and Ted Lindsay. Joe Louis Arena is a great venue within which to watch some premiere NHL Hockey with a solid local tradition for excellence on the ice. As you enter through the red curtains into the seating areas, the amount of banners hanging from the rafters is intimidating. The bar for success is obviously set extremely high, as year after year the Detroit Red Wings respond with a solid effort that takes them deep into the playoffs. The crowd is one of the better NHL crowds in the league as well. Noise levels and spirits are soar throughout the game as the crowd becomes a large