And of course, all of them are Canadian. Together with dozens of hockey’s best-ever players, the game’s most famous arenas (do you know which one is a National Historic Site?) and many of the game’s most famous moments, Canada’s NHL cities are the most storied in history. Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver are vacation destinations for hockey fans. To some, a trip to any of these cities to take in a game is the pilgrimage of a lifetime.
Those making the trip to one of Canada’s seven NHL cities want to make the most of their hockey holiday. For the best chance to bump into NHL stars, read on to find out which hotels are the most likely to host visiting teams. Check out our recommendations of restaurants for pre-game eats and nearby bars for post-game drinks. Here are the tips and insider information – seasoned with history and fun facts – hockey fans need to make the most of a Canadian NHL getaway.