October is here. And while this time of year brings plenty of nice things, like falling leaves, pumpkin spice everything, and sweater weather, in Montreal, it marks the return of something even bigger: hockey season.
The Canadiens officially kicked off their 2026-27 campaign last week, and for the first time in a long time, the Habs look like real contenders.
But as the team emerges from a years-long rebuild, watching them play in person doesn’t come cheap. In fact, taking your family to a game at the Bell Centre might cost you more than at any other arena in the league, according to a new report.
The Bell Centre is the NHL’s most expensive arena for families
Canada Sports Betting recently analyzed all 32 NHL arenas to figure out how much a typical game day costs for a family of four. Its package includes four tickets, two beers, two soft drinks, four hot dogs and one parking spot.
The Bell Centre came out on top, at a whopping $1,565.56 CAD. That’s $508.29 more than the league average of $1,057.27, and over $100 more than the second-most expensive arena, T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
Here’s what that $1,565 gets you
As you might expect, tickets make up the vast majority of the bill. Here’s the full breakdown for a Canadiens game in Montreal:
- Four tickets: $1,471.01
- Two beers: $28.48
- Two soft drinks: $16.06
- Four hot dogs: $17.51
- Parking: $32.50
That works out to an average of roughly $368 per ticket.
Here’s the silver lining, though. Once you’re inside, the arena’s prices aren’t that bad (well, at least compared to some other rinks). The Bell Centre’s food and drink total of $62.05 is well below the NHL average of $86.26, and parking also comes in under the league average of $36.81.
So it’s not the hot dogs breaking the bank. It’s getting through the door.
The most expensive NHL arenas for families
Here’s the top five:
- Montreal Canadiens (Bell Centre): $1,565.56
- Vegas Golden Knights (T-Mobile Arena): $1,459.57
- Toronto Maple Leafs (Scotiabank Arena): $1,394.91
- Boston Bruins (TD Garden): $1,375.88
- New York Rangers (Madison Square Garden): $1,364.37
Ticket prices were pulled from Ticketmaster, based on more than 180,000 individual listings, with outliers removed. Concession prices were based on historical data adjusted for inflation, while parking was based on standard game-day rates from official arena or partner sources.
Prices can vary depending on the opponent, seat location and day of the week, so your own game day could cost more or less.
How other Canadian teams compare
Canadian arenas landed at both ends of the ranking. Here’s where all seven ended up:
- Montreal Canadiens: 1st, $1,565.56
- Toronto Maple Leafs: 3rd, $1,394.91
- Edmonton Oilers: 9th, $1,206.54
- Calgary Flames: 20th, $921.83
- Vancouver Canucks: 25th, $827.31
- Winnipeg Jets: 31st, $732.92
- Ottawa Senators: 32nd, $712.70
That’s right, the cheapest arena in the entire NHL is just a two-hour drive away. A family day at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre costs $712.70, a full $852.86 less than in Montreal.
So if you’re desperate to catch a Habs game without draining your savings, it might be worth keeping an eye on their next trip to Kanata.