Who has the best and worst NHL fans?

Question

I am in Boston, but there is no way we have the best fan base. We used to, in the Garden days, but now the vibe in the stadium is dead. I went to MSG for the first time last week. It was a Saturday afternoon game against the worst team (Philly) yet there was a constant buzz in the crowd. I loved it. Montreal as well.

Answer 1

Questions need to be more specific.
Best attendance-San Jose, Colorado
Loudest-Edmonton, Philly
Band Wagon-Ducks, Red Wings, Penguins
Worst attendance-Nashville, Ducks, Thrashers
Best building-Columbus, San Jose, Calagary
Worst Building-Red Wings, Ducks, Stars
My favorite fans ever were the Panthers in 96-when they threw rats on the ice to celebrate a goal-including covering Patrick Roy.
I hate the fact corporations own lower bowl seats and don't go to the games or give the tickets to people who will.
I haven't been to a lot of the Eastern Conference buildings though. The Best was the Forum during the Gretzky era.

Answer 2

I will just rate the areas that I have seen hockey in, the rest you can take on your own dime.

Chicago - It was alright if the rink wasn't the size of a goldfish bowl it would be better, and you could get better views, fans are above average.

Calgary - Surprisingly bad for a Canadian city, not very lively, if not for the Molson I would say about the worst

Colorado - About half the stadium was great, maybe even a little more. The other half were so ignorant on the game they probably thought it was cricket.

Minnesota - old stadium blew, the new one is a great place to watch a game, always up beat and sold out, fans great.....stadium the best.

St. Louis - it is an armpit....city stadium fans. You name it it is an armpit.

Phoenix - want to see a game for $5......you get what you pay for

Anaheim - Fans don't know hockey from pro wrestling but they like to have fun at the game

San Jose - Lots of people and they know a little about the game but are still lost on fine points. Still have some fun at the game and I would go back.

Answer 3

Doesn't it seem on televised games that fans in the Canadian arenas are more into the games. Don't know if its the microphones but it seems much louder and I don't see empty seats. And in general, they know their hockey. Take your pick, Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, etc.
Being a Redwings fan, I've been to a few regular season games. The lower bowl is mostly corporate season tickets these days. The last few times we've sat next to someone that hadn't a clue about the game but was there on someone else's dime. Check out the first few minutes of any period at the empty seats. It does get better for the playoffs though. Thankfully.
I do miss some of the old buildings. Most arenas look alike now. Boston Garden and Chicago Stadium in the playoffs. It didn't get much better than that.

Answer 4

There are a number of teams/fans that fit the bill. I would say some of the teams out west due to sportsmanship, or lack thereof (which I don't mind) when the Wings play you hear the chants.... Let's Go Ducks/Kings/Hawks...... Detroit Sucks etc. A lot of people here would agree that Detroit has some of the worst fans also. I would agree. Whether some of these are homer/bandwagon/fair-weather etc, If you watch or go to some of the games at the Joe you are guaranteed to see fans who sit on their hands without clapping, chanting, or cheering until they are satisfied that the Wings will win, trepidation I believe. As if they don't know what or how to root their team on. You will also see that the Joe doesn't fill up 100% of the time partly due to the rough economic conditions in Detroit and also being spoiled. Teams like Columbus won't sell-out the Joe because of the average fan thinking there is an easy win without much excitement, hence tickets go unsold and even unused. I can't blame teams or their fans for this or being bad. I will add, it does bring a sense of competition and satisfaction if and when Detroit ends up on the winning side. I love how most College teams get their fans into the games with their cheers/jeers. Always electric. Take Michigan for example (and others): Starting in goal for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.......Jason Pearce........Michigan fans hold the newspaper to their face and shout after the player intro "Who Cares?" Must be the age/maturity thing maybe?

Answer 5

I would say that Montreal has both the best and worst fans in the game. Montreal games have been sold out for the passed 3 years. It is impossible to buy a ticket passed the end of October. Even pre-season games are all sell-outs. Given this enormous amount of support the atmosphere is un-deniable even when they are playing some crappy team from the Western Conference. Montreal has a unique set of chants, and the best beer in all of North America to fuel the fire.
However, Montreal fans have also been known to turn on their team rather quickly. Cheers turn to boos rather quickly when the team loses more than two in a row. Many decent players have been booed out of this city including the best goaltender ever 'Patrick Roy' and most recently Patrice Brisebois and Jose Theodore. Some of the more shamefull events include the ocasional booeing of the American national anthem and an incident where bananas were thrown at Kevin Weekes 'a black' goaltender. However, like in most cities you always have a few idiots who spoil it for the rest. For the most part Montreal fans are just plain passionate about hockey, and les bleus, blanc, et rouge.
If you want an answer for the absolute worst fans I would have to say Toronto. They are clearly the most obnoxious. They have'nt won the cup since 67 yet the fans act is if they had just won every time they score. They also tend to be like a disease. Thousands of Toronto fans spread, making the trip to other teams cities. The reason is Toronto has got to be one of the most boring cities anywhere. These people parade themselves in your own town cheering for a team that does not even have color pictures of their last Stanley cup.

Answer 6

I cant belive so many people are saying things bad about flames fans. I would have to say going to their games is so much fun. Everyone is actually pretty lively. If u just go to regular season games its kinda quieter than if u go to a game during the playoffs. i personally think the flames fans are not the worst!!! Have u heard about the red mile?? well it got so out of hand and so crazy that it was banned. that proves that calgary and fans love their hockey team. Once u get out of the Dome its crazy after a win, in pubs, clubs and on the streets. its soo loud and i feel sorry for the ppl that live around the area. tHE red mile i would have to say is crazy. People still go to it and they dont care if they get a fine for doing crazy things. the red mile thing only happens during the playoffs. If u dont no what the red mile is, its a street called the red mile that eveyone goes to after a win, and even not after a win sometimes and people party on the streets and there is some bad things that happen to, it gets so out of hand becuz the fans are so hard core! i love flames fan, they are awesome, the BEST.

Answer 7

Most loyal- Leafs, cuz their team stinks, but they still stay close and do their best to say their their the best blah blah blah

Most Unloyal (bandwagon)- Ducks

Loudest- Oilers

Most World Wide- Canucks, they have nucks all over asia if you didnt know, and alot in europe.

Quietest- Really I dont know. Dont hear much from LA. They rarely boo or cheer really loud.

Smallest amount of Fans- Chicago?

Lamest- Aves, well, at least the ones I met.

Most Hardcore- Maybe the Wild or some other team in the NW.

Friendliest- Senators, really, the ones I met are pretty nice to other teams.

Answer 8

I have to put a word in for anyone who's still a Flyer's fan, because that is true loyalty right there. I'm from Western New York, so of course I'm going to say that the Sabres have the best fans. No matter what that team does or where they go, we love them and support them and realize how lucky we are to have them. Worst fans as far as noise and rudeness have to be Leafs fans. I have never met ruder more pigheaded people in my life.

Answer 9

MSG is awesome but I would say Montreal as now it's a very young vibrant crowd who are not like the obnoxious "24 Cups" doofs.

Worst--Make Belief fans who live in delusional land...OK, cheap shot. Most boring crowd I've witnessed live was in Atlanta.

Answer 10

I went to a regular season game in Calgary a few years ago. It was the year they went to the Stanley cup final. Arguably it was a very boring, defensive game against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (They were "Mighty" back then). The stadium was quite full, if not sold out. However, it seemed like half the crowd were asleep and the other half were reading a novel.

I exaggerate, but it was definitely the most life-less crowd I've been in at a NHL game.