AJHL Rink Rankings

 

Last week I ranked the SJHL rinks from my point of view and I was amazed by the feedback. In one week alone, you all made it one of my most viewed post on Twitter and my most read post. So thank you all for the support! I did promise to do the Alberta Junior Hockey League. A lot has happened since I joined the league. The Oil Barons went through three coaches in two seasons, a general manager and saw a revamping of their board of directors. For the league, it started at 16 teams when I arrived, saw five franchises defect to the BCHL, added a new team via expansion and three other teams went through ownership changes. Of the original 16 teams, I was blessed to get to call games in every one of their rinks at least once. This list will include those five teams, but in an Honorable Mention category. Again, disclaimer, this list is based on my view point as a broadcaster, which will be different from a casual fan. Enjoy! 

HM. Brooks - Centennial Regional Arena

One of the newest rinks among the old 16 AJHL teams. The Bandits moved into the CRA in 2010 and turned it into an absolute fortress that teams hated playing in. Large crowds are a common feature of this building, who always seem to have something positive to cheer for. From a broadcaster's perspective, it's great....if you're the home broadcaster. A suite above center ice houses the radio, production and camera crew for the Bandits. For the road team, you are stuck in an end zone on top of a tower, a long way from the action. It is not a pleasant experience. The video board helps, but only a little. This is a building that reminds you who has home ice advantage in every aspect. At least the atmosphere is elite.

HM. Blackfalds - Eagle Builders Center

Fans love this building. Players enjoy playing in it. The Eagle Builders Center has all the modern bells and whistles that can leave casual junior hockey fans in awe. Kudos to a job well done to the ownership group who had the vision of bringing the Calgary Mustangs to central Alberta. For a broadcaster, you almost feel forgotten. Like the majority of rinks in Alberta, the home broadcasting crew have a prime location at center ice. For the road crew, well the location is decent. The road box is over top of a blue line. What loses points is the box itself. It's extremely cramped. With the chairs in the press box, you can hardly move back and forth. A wall also juts out blocking the one zone, forcing the broadcaster to lean out of the booth to call the game. I felt bad for the top row of fans who had to endure with me yelling in their ears as Evan Arnold scored with a minute left to tie the game at 1-1. The arena is elite, but unfortunately that is for everyone but the broadcaster.

HM. Okotoks - Viking Rentals Center

Of the five teams that left the AJHL, this might be the best of them for a broadcaster. Okotoks did a terrific job with this building. A main arena that can accommodate 2,000 fans that includes a video board, an excellent atmosphere when full and a central press box that holds both home and away broadcasters. Sure, it might be a little bit tight, but the central location puts this well above a bunch of other arenas in Alberta. The other interesting note are the open windows to the booth. It's a nice touch, allowing the broadcaster to get a feel of the energy of the building, rather than walling them up in a fish bowl. Sure, it can open some unwanted interactions with fans (something I did not encounter in my lone game in Okotoks) but again, this is probably the best rink of the five who left for a road broadcaster.

HM. Sherwood Park - Randy Rosen Rink

Oh the closet. This is an arena I do not miss. Slated to be replaced in a couple years and it couldn't happen fast enough. First a couple of positives. I love the banners of their players lining the walls above both sets of stands, even though they weren't up to date. The championship and retired number banners hang with pride from the rafters. Some of the seats are cushioned. That is about where the positives end. The broadcast location, literally a closet in the corner with a window that is open to the fans and kids who run up and down the stairs. Seriously, I don't know how many times I had a kid give me a song request thinking I was the DJ! The views from inside the booth aren't great, especially when you have to dodge a post that covers the near side zone. And if you have a color commentator, look out. I'm pretty sure when Dave Dawson joined me, he stood outside on the concourse. The kicker? It isn't better for the home team who are stuck in a different corner. There have been some classics played between the Crusaders and the Oil Barons in the Randy Rosen Rink, but it will not be missed by a broadcaster.

HM. Spruce Grove - Grant Fuhr Arena

I know the Saints are moving into a new arena for the upcoming season and it looks phenomenal! However, my experience in Spruce Grove is the historic Grant Fuhr Arena. I loved the atmosphere of this building. Fans are used to success here and it shows in the attendance. Sure the seats aren't comfy, but fans fill the building and are vocal. For the broadcaster? It isn't ideal. Stuck in the corner (a common theme in Albertan rinks) you can feel far from the action. It is an elevated platform which allows the broadcaster to see clearly to the far end. That is a nice touch. My biggest gripe was not being able to see the clock which was on the same side as the road broadcast booth. Seriously, you had to lean over the railing just to hope to get a glimpse of anything on the clock. It led to some comical moments of air of trying to read a color commentator's Hawaiian hand gestures of how much time was remaining. With a new arena including a prime broadcast booth, the only thing that may be missed from the Grant Fuhr Arena is it's energy.

12. Drayton Valley - Omniplex

Sorry Drayton Valley, but someone has to occupy the last position. There is a lot that puts the Omniplex in this spot as a broadcaster. First is the large amounts of dust around the rink. Second is the broadcast location. Stuck in the corner, you can choose to be behind the stands unable to see parts of the rink with the possibility of fans blocking your view, or you can be on the media platform, unable to see the zone underneath you. Even the home broadcaster is stuck with the same dilemma. The seats aren't particularly comfy, however, I do like the fact they are green like the Thunder's primary color. It is an underrated touch to any arena. The other plus is that the Omniplex only ever seems to host unusual games that tend to entertain. However, poor broadcast location and not being particularly clean puts Drayton Valley at the bottom of the list.

11. Whitecourt - JDA Place

Talking with several broadcasters, Whitecourt probably would be at the bottom of their list. My introduction to JDA Place was a preseason game. I went down to the broadcast platform in the corner to find it covered in water. An old building, JDA Place is a relic from its Junior B days. Fans are passionate here, and thanks to Shawn Martin, they have plenty to cheer about. Its saving grace is also the fact that the home broadcaster has a booth at center ice with the camera. But for the road team, the platform is less than ideal. I've had scratches sit nearby to ensure no fans would come over. It has happened! It's a difficult building for opponents to win in and will continue to be that. Fans create a fun atmosphere, but this is not a fun rink to call games in.

10. Devon - GFL Twin Arena

The AJHL's newest member's rink leaves a lot to be desired. Now granted, there are promised changes that should provide much needed improvements. Promises of a new scoreboard location and increased capacity will help. What puts Devon above Whitecourt and Drayton Valley is the fact the makeshift platform is somewhat central, located over the blue line. I enjoy being close to the action, it helps give you a feel of the game at ice level. However, not being able to see the clock is a huge minus in my book. Other knocks include having a protective screen block your view of the ice and trying to balance on a stool to look over the screen to see all areas of the rink. I'll be intrigued to see what kind of changes the Xtreme make to their rink to improve it, but for now it remains near the bottom of the list.

9. Bonnyville - RJ Lalonde Arena

We enter the section of the countdown of rinks that I generally enjoy calling games out of. The RJ Lalonde Arena is a unique one. Home of the tiniest neutral zone in the AJHL, the RJ provides a home advantage that other teams seem to struggle to figure out. I'm not quite sure what it is. The fact that shots come from different angles here, the obnoxiously loud goal horn, the video board that hangs so low 6'6" players almost bump their heads off it. Something about the RJ makes it an extremely difficult building to win in. The broadcast booth is set up in the corner of the rink, occupying what used to be a section for the crowd. Seats remain behind the booth, blind to the ice. Both broadcasters share the booth, but there's plenty of space to avoid bleeding into each other's broadcast (I think). The video board helps a lot too, especially if you miss something at the far end. Despite the corner location, this is an arena I generally enjoy calling games in.

8. Lloydminster - Centennial Civic Centre

The 2024/25 season was the final time the Bobcats played at the CCC. Bound for a new arena in the southeast quadrant of the city, Lloydminster says goodbye to one of the quaint arenas in the league. Yes, the broadcasters set up in the corner, like most AJHL rinks, but it was separate from the crowd and elevated to eliminate blind spots on the rink. Yes, the horn is one of the loudest in the league, but it added to what can be one of the craziest atmospheres in the AJHL. Yes, the roof sloped downwards to the center, but it added character in a crushed can sort of way (Moose Jaw fans know what I'm talking about!). I also thought it was a nice touch having photos of all the Junior A teams lining the walls in the rink. It's the end of an era in Lloydminster. Hopefully the new arena holds onto the character the Civic Center possessed. And may the broadcaster not be forgotten in the new rink.

7. Grande Prairie - Bonnetts Energy Center

Okay, this will draw some controversy. Players absolutely love playing here. The glass has a lot of give, the size of the Bonnetts Energy Center makes it feel like you're in a WHL rink. The entertainment fires up the crowd which comes to the arena in droves when the Storm are doing well, like last season. However, as a road broadcaster, this building loses some spots. Located above the stands at a table, the broadcaster is in danger of being harassed by the local crowd. During particularly full nights, it can be tough to see the ice. Keep in mind I'm 6-foot tall, and one game I had to stand on some folding chairs to see the ice over the crowd, praying the chairs wouldn't give out underneath me. It is a great building to wander and see the hockey history of Grande Prairie as well as the major bands who have played there. But a less than ideal set up for the road team loses GP some points. Probably doesn't help when I've witnessed multiple blowouts in this building too.

6. Camrose - EnCana Arena

In a lot of ways, EnCana Arena reminds me of Affinity Place in Estevan. Couple thousand seats. A tall, open arena. The type of building that has so much potential. Inaugural broadcaster of the year, Tim Ellis, has the best seat in the house. A press box right above center ice providing the best views of the action. For the road broadcaster, it isn't as elegant, but it's still a decent spot. High above the ice on the second level, you are stuck at a table in the corner, but the broadcaster still has an unobstructed view of every inch of ice. You are at risk of the kids who love to run around the second level (sometimes can be limited by a barrier of chairs) but other than that, the EnCana is a good arena to call a game.

5. Olds - Olds Sportsplex

Grab your jackets, we are off to the coldest rink in the AJHL. I actually don't mind calling games at the Sportsplex. I know fans dislike the cold, combined with the rock solid bench seating, but as a broadcaster this is one of the more ideal booths in the league. It's high above center ice, allowing the broadcaster to see every inch. I enjoy that a lot! My only gripe is the acrobatics it takes to see the clock. Located in the corner, more often than not, the heaters hanging from the roof block one's view of the clock. There is a mini scoreboard in the roof that includes time and the score, but if you want to see shots on goal or time remaining on a power-play, you have to be flexible to get a good angle on the scoreboard. Still, an under rated rink in my books and I don't complain about doing a game in Central Alberta.

4. Canmore - Canmore Recreation Centre

Another underrated rink in my books. I know coaches and players dislike this arena because of the benches. Fans receive the luxury of cushioned seats, and despite it being a tad chilly, they are vocal and provide an amazing atmosphere. But as a broadcaster, I have a handful of reasons why I enjoy calling games at the CRC. A central location allowing crystal clear views of the ice. Scoreboards at both ends for easy checking of all the information you need. A rowdy crowd. It's an excellent rink. Sure, you feel like you're in a fish bowl with the lobby behind you, yes the broadcaster desk is a tight squeeze, but those are minor inconveniences. To me, Canmore is one of the best places to broadcast a hockey game. Bonus points if your team stays in the Rocky Mountain city and gives you a chance to take in the sights. I highly recommend it.

3. Drumheller - Drumheller Memorial Arena

I went back and forth between who would land in number two and who would get number three. At the end of the day, this is my personal list and I'm letting my bias win out. Drumheller is a gem. Most people struggle to get over the tight confines, the bench seating, the vintage feel, but I love calling games in Alberta's Badlands. First off, a central location. That will always win you points. It's right above the bench among the crowd. You feel the intensity from both the fans and the players. Yeah, it's sometimes comical to see your head pop up in front of the camera for those watching on FloSports, but that's a minor inconvenience. Scoreboards in every corner makes it easy to pick up time and shots on goal. This is an elite building to call a game. The reason it's in third and not in second is not the fault of Drumheller. But I've gotten sick during three of the four trips at the arena. Great place, for whatever reason my body doesn't agree.

2. Calgary - Ken Bracko Arena

The Max Bell Center has a special place in my heart. I grew up in the area and have memories of watching Mac's Tournaments (now the Circle K Classic) and other hockey games here. Sure, the atmosphere can be lacking, just ask Dan O'Toole. But it is an excellent junior A rink. History of the Canucks and Northstars wrap around its walls. Stars of the Circle K Classic are on full display. On top of all that, one of the best broadcast booths in the league. A dedicated booth that hangs over center ice. The only thing that may block your view are the numerous championship banners that hang from the roof, and the Canucks will be adding three more. The loud horn. It is an unbelievable building to call games in. I've heard, they installed a new video board in the arena and most of the booth will be taken up by the equipment to run it. That will be a shame if the road broadcaster is moved to the concourse and may drop Calgary down this list in future years. But for now, Calgary remains one of the best places to call a hockey game.

1. Fort McMurray - Centerfire Place

Yes, I am the Oil Barons broadcaster. Yes, I am biased. But with that out of the way, there aren't many places in Junior A that can beat Fort McMurray. When the building is full, it is rocking. Even when it's half full, it is rocking. Fans love their Oil Barons. In game entertainment is similar to a major junior market and we haven't touched on the broadcast booths. Yes, booths as in plural. Each broadcaster gets their own booth. Spacious and above the ice surface, Centerfire Place provides unobstructed views for both broadcasters. The arena has a reputation as being one of the most intimidating rinks in junior hockey. While it has lost that luster in recent years, it is still the premiere rink to call a game at in the AJHL.