Ottawa Senators

Canadian Tire Centre holds about 18,652 for hockey and has been the Senators' home since 1996. The location in Kanata, well outside Ottawa's urban core, is the defining inconvenience of attending a Sens game. Most fans drive - the arena has ample parking - and the Highway 417 corridor can back up on game nights coming from downtown. Budget extra time if you're heading out from the Market or Glebe neighborhoods.

The Senators made the Stanley Cup Final in 2007 and had a strong playoff run in 2017 before a difficult stretch of years followed by a reset. The current roster is built around a legitimate core of young talent and the rebuild has been more purposeful than most. For hockey fans who appreciate watching a team develop, there's real interest in what Ottawa is putting together. The arena district in Kanata has restaurants and sports bars within the Canadian Tire Centre complex that handle the pregame crowd.

Ottawa as a city has good food options if you're coming in for a night - the ByWard Market area downtown rewards the extra effort of doing the city properly rather than arriving just for the game. If you're already in Kanata, there are decent spots near the arena in the immediate complex.

Senators tickets are available through Evil Tickets - the rebuild years can be a good time to see the building at a reasonable price point.