HOW NHL TEAMS PERFORM AFTER MOVING INTO A NEW ARENA
Last month it was announced that the Calgary Flames will be moving into a new building sometime in 2027. Maybe moving into a new house will reignite the Flames (pun intended) and put them back on the road to success.
When the Flames moved from Atlanta to the Stampede Corral in Calgary, the team improved by nine points (92), and won their first round playoff matchup. A nice improvement from the previous year’s 83 point non-playoff campaign.
The Flames got another little boost three years later when they moved into the Saddledome, putting up 82 points on the season – four more than their last year at the Corral. So it’s entirely possible that we’ll see the Flames jump up in the standings a bit in 2027.
But all that has me wondering if moving into a new building is something of a cheat code. So this week, I’m taking a look at how moving into a new building affects a team’s performance.
Let’s get moving!
UTAH HC/ARIZONA COYOTES
As it turns out, there’s a team moving into a new building this season, when the Utah Hockey Club moves into the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
This team has pretty much been living out of a suitcase since it moved from Winnipeg in 1996. But they seem to handle it well, improving in the standings after two of their three moves.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
The Isles have never taken a step backwards following a move. After a brief stint as hipsters in Brooklyn, the Isles moved back home to Queens in 2021 and were rewarded with a 13-point boost in the standings.
DETROIT RED WINGS
Moving homes has typically been bad luck for the Wings. They’ve moved twice in their 98 year history, and each time they dropped points and missed the playoffs.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
The Penguins proved that they didn’t need to live in an Igloo to survive and thrive. When they left the Civic Center (AKA, The Igloo) and took up residence in the PPG Paints Arena, they threw down a 106 point season (more than a PPG… get it?), although they did not successfully defend their Stanley Cup championship.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
The Tampa Lightning are like your weird buddy that likes to live in repurposed churches and warehouses. They played in an Expo Hall for their first season, and then a baseball stadium where they made their first playoff appearance.
But when they moved into a regular hockey rink, Amalie Arena, in ‘96 they dropped 14 points in the standings. But just like any new home there’s a period of getting used to all the strange sounds, how the floor creaks, the right shower setting for perfect warm water. Lightning figured that all out and brought a cup home 8 years later.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
The Florida Panthers made good progress in 1998 when they moved into Amerant Bank Arena, posting 78 points, up from 63 the year before. But that’s cold comfort considering that they had made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996.
DALLAS STARS
In 1994 the Stars moved into Reunion Arena in Dallas. That year they amassed 97 points, up from 82 in their last season in the Twin Cities. But the team was already trending upward, having made the Cup Finals in 1992.
In 2001, the Stars moved into American Airlines Arena, and dropped down to 90 points from 106 the year previous.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
Moving has always been a great experience for the Avs. They arrived in Denver in 1995 from Quebec City, and promptly won the Stanley Cup. Four years later The Avalanche took up residence in the Pepsi Center (now Ball Arena), and they were again unphased winning the cup the arena’s second year. Avs sure know how to throw a housewarming party!
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Not since Letterman moved from NBC to CBS has a move been so highly publicised. In 1996, the Habs moved out of the ageing Montreal Forum and into the Bell Centre. They were only able to muster 77 points, down from 90 the previous year, but they still made the playoffs.
Unfortunately the Habs have not been able to turn this home into the iconic shrine their former residence once was.
ATLANTA THRASHERS/ WINNIPEG JETS
In 2011 the Jets flew north to MTS (now Canada Life) Centre, and improved by four points from their 80-point campaign in Atlanta the year previous.
When compared to the Jets who played at the Winnipeg Arena in 1996 and then Canada Life Centre in 2011, the Jets improved from 78 to 84 points.
OTTAWA SENATORS
In 1996, the Sens moved into their new arena, the Canadian Tire Centre, and nearly doubled their previous year’s point output — 41 up from 23.
Sounded more impressive than it was, huh?
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
The Capitals had one heck of a house warming party when they took possession of Capital One Arena in 1998, making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals 1998.
They fell back down to earth the following year with just 68 points and no playoff appearance.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
The Blues moved into the Enterprise Center in 1994 and mustered 61 points, which was an improvement from the 91 points they posted the previous season. You read that right. Thanks to a labour lock-out, 1994–1995 was a shortened 48-game season, and 61 points amounts to 106 over 84 games.
Also, remember the 84-game schedule? Like what is this, baseball?
BUFFALO SABRES
New digs can do wonders for your confidence. That’s why it’s part of every Queer Eye makeover. So, it shouldn’t be too surprising that the Sabres won the Northeast Division in 1996 after moving into their new arena, the KeyBank Center.
NEW YORK RANGERS
Moving to their new arena, the legendary Madison Square Garden in 1968 was great for the Rangers.
They put up 90 the year they moved, up from 72 points the season before.
HARTFORD WHALERS/CAROLINA HURRICANES
Moving from Hartford to Carolina had no real effect one way or the other on the Hurricanes in 1997. Same when they moved into PNC Arena in 1999.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Both times the Devils have moved, they’ve experienced slight drops in their season point totals. Seems like they really like having a stable home.
I guess it’s the whole “Devil you know” thing.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
The Canucks dropped from second to third in the Pacific Division following their move to Rogers Arena in 1995. Maybe they were distracted by the high cost of rent in Vancouver.
The ‘Nucks went on to lose in the first round of the playoffs to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Colorado Avalanche.
EDMONTON OILERS
Moving to their new arena, Rogers Place, injected a little jump into the 2016 Edmonton Oilers. They added 33 points to their season total following the move.
Haters will say that it had more to do with it also being Connor McDavid’s first healthy season.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
The biggest leap in points following a move belongs to the San Jose Sharks who improved by 58 points after settling into their new arena, the SAP Center.
Finishing with 82 points in the ‘93-’94 season, and upsetting the heavily favoured Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
LA KINGS
In 1999, the LA Kings moved into their new arena, the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena,) and received a 25 point jump in the standings as a housewarming present.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Maple Leaf Gardens was so legendary that the 31 points on the Leafs’ logo is a nod to 1931 — the year that the Gardens opened. But, the move must have been overdue, because the Leafs’ record improved in the year they moved by nearly 30 points.
BOSTON BRUINS
TD Garden opened in 1995, and the Bruins experienced a slight downturn in point percentage from the shortened ‘94–’95 season.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Moving to the United Center in 1994 was a bit of a lateral move for the Hawks, at least in terms of points percentage.
In terms of character, well I’m not sure even the Louvre could beat the Old Chicago Stadium in that category.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Believe it or not, the Philadelphia Flyers had the exact same record the year they moved into the Wells Fargo Center as they did in their final season at the old Spectrum.
The only difference is that they made the Cup finals in their first year at Wells Fargo.
MOVIN' ON UP
Looking at all of these examples, it does appear that teams tend to get a boost in the standings in the year that they move into a new arena. We’ll see if this observation holds true with Utah HC.
Oh, and I know that gambling is ubiquitous in hockey these days but please, please, please, do not take this as gambling advice. Think of it more as curious research, which is what this blog is about. So, if you want more of that, sign up for my 4 Shots with Keener newsletter, delivered hot and fresh to your inbox every Friday.
See you next week!
