Day in the Life of an NHL Fan: Part 3
- Emma Dowsett
- Feb 23
- 9 min read
In the final part of our so-called travel across the NHL, four fans talk about their game day experiences. Who knows, maybe this will help you plan your next trip!
San Jose Sharks
Jenna talks about what life is like at a Sharks game.
Best way to get to your home rink?
Since I'm already in the area on game days, my favorite way to get there is to drive and park in Downtown San Jose, which saves some money. It's about a 10-15 minute walk to the arena, but there's always other fans that choose to do this as well, so it can feel like you're walking in a big group. There's also stadium parking lots with spots that can be reserved for about $35, as well as a Caltrain station close by, which is very convenient for those in other parts of the Bay.
Name and fun fact about your rink
SAP Center. There's open space near the Shark Head entrance where fans can high-five the players as they come out during intros!
Door open rule?
Season Ticket Holders: 75 minutes before start time.
General Public: 60 minutes before start time.
Go to food item?
My favorite game day meal is either Bibo's NY Pizza or Smoking Pig BBQ! I love getting a slice of Shark Bite Pizza, a pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac n cheese, or the brisket fries. I've also recently been loving the helmet nachos at the club level concessions.
Warmups
I always try to go to warmups whenever I go to a game. If you're bringing a sign and want the best spot possible, definitely go straight down to the seats when doors open. The areas with no netting get filled up pretty fast, even on weekdays. Personally, I go just to watch the players and enjoy the ambiance, so I try to find any open spot behind the netting. My favorite part is watching the players go off to the side and stretch. They can be doing the most normal stretches and it's still amusing to me.
A funny story I have is from the beginning of the season when an usher, a very nice older gentleman, was telling us about how a player was "trying to toss a puck over but couldn't because he couldn't get it over the netting." I was a bit confused but I laughed it off because of his wording. Surely enough, the next game I go to I see Fabian Zetterlund tossing the puck up to the netting, with his stick, just for fun. That's when it clicked, "Ohhh, that's what he was talking about!"
Pregame walkouts
The Sharks pregame walkouts will never get old to me! Literally though, I will record it every time. It starts off with a little intro video of the players with footage from media day and golden moments from past games (i.e. Eklund's Hatty). The lights on the arena seats also start to light up, illuminating teal and white. Of course, the infamous Shark Head comes down and the players skate through it, making their entrance on the ice.
Anthem traditions and singers
The main anthem tradition fans follow is saying "HEY [opposing team] YOU SUCK!" Other misc. traditions (throughout the game) include doing "the chomp" during powerplays and fist pumping during goals.
Whose is your arena PA, in arena host, any other notable people during games?
In Arena Host: Emily Harlan.
PA Announcer: Danny Miller.
Notable People: Randy Hahn, Drew Remenda, and Tara Slone.
Giveaways during games?
T-shirts, of course! They also recently started to give away slices of pizza during games. Also, when the Sharks score three goals at home, fans get free tacos from Taco Bell.
TV timeout games and intermission games?
Some of the TV timeout games/activities are Tank Trivia, Party Cam, Tank Pics, AI Filter Cam and the Coca-Cola Fin Race. Intermission games that I remember off the top of my head are musical chairs and a shooting accuracy type game.
3 Stars of the game traditions?
Following a Sharks win, the Sharks players who are named a star of the game will toss a puck to someone in the stands.
Where to go for player signings and meetings after games?
To meet players after the game, you can go towards the back of the arena and wait where the players drive off. It's typically barricaded and you can find fans already waiting.
Players that typically interact with fans after games?
While I haven't waited to meet players post-game, I always see a ton of fan content with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Henry Thrun and William Eklund.
Calgary Flames
Avid Flames fan Chloe, tells us about a game day in Calgary.
Best way to get to your home rink?
Drive there!
Name and fun fact about your rink
Scotiabank Saddledome. It's the 5th highest capacity NHL arena.
Door open rule?
An hour and a half before game start.
Go to food item?
Chicken nachos from Banded Peak!
Warmups
We usually show up just before warmup starts. If you want to get close to the ice, I would say be there 25-30 minutes before warmup starts. I notice when there are Canadian teams playing, both sides have tons of fans with signs. My favourite warmup tradition is MacKenzie Weegar shooting the puck to the other net at the end of warmup when everyone is off the ice.
Pregame walkouts
I love the new walkout song "Burn it to the ground" by Nickelback this year. I also enjoy when they play "Country Roads" for karaoke on the Jumbotron.
Anthem traditions and singers
"See" and "Red" are emphasized during the American anthem.
Whose is your arena PA, in arena host, any other notable people during games?
Grant Buchanan is the in-arena host.
Giveaways during games?
They usually do a few t-shirt, hoodie, and other merch tosses during each game; I have even caught a few! Quite often they also do the Tim Hortons cup shuffle where someone wins a signed jersey!
TV timeout games and intermission games?
I love the little kids' shootout they do. My brother used to play for Bow Valley, so watching them is super fun! I also like the Connect Four game they play, typically with people without jerseys, and if they win, they all get a jersey.
3 Stars of the game traditions?
3 stars is super fun. I have three little cousins and one game they were all picked to go on the ice to meet the stars. They were super excited! My one cousin likes to show me his signed Huberdeau blasty chain all the time.
Where to go for player signings and meetings after games?
We typically head out right after games. The one time I did get a bunch of signatures was the home opener where they did a red carpet. I got signatures from Dustin Wolf, Blake Coleman and more!
Players that typically interact with fans after games?
Again, not really sure. I think I have seen clips of MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson on social media though!
Vegas Golden Knights
Grinesa explains what a game day in Vegas is like!
Best way to get to your home rink?
Uber since it's on the strip. If you have free parking for any of the casino properties nearby, driving is fine! It's cheaper and more convenient to Uber though.
Name and fun fact about your rink
T-Mobile Arena aka The Fortress!
Fun fact: I'm pretty sure there is a nightclub built into it somewhere because it's Vegas. Also, since it's on The Strip, you can walk from the rink to half The Strip. My favorite place while waiting outside is the Hello Kitty Cafe, which is roughly less than a five minute walk from the arena.
Door open rule?
A little over an hour before the game.
Go to food item?
Shake Shack fries!
Warmups
If you go to the warmups, try to get there as early as you can since it gets busy. Most players are more likely to interact with younger fans, as do most hockey players, which is always sweet. A lot of the signs have puns with players names. I think Mark Stone gets the most since it's easy to think of stone jokes.
Pregame walkouts
The Jumbotron video usually has a knight in golden armor exploring the desert and the mountains of Vegas. The helmet drops down as players walk out and they walkout through the helmet.
Anthem traditions and singers
The anthem's singer is Carnell Johnson, nicknamed Golden Pipes. When singing, we emphasize the word "Night" for the Knights.
Whose is your arena PA, in arena host, any other notable people during games?
Mark Shunock and Katie Marie! Katie Marie is a Las Vegas local and really knows how to entertain since she's also a major member of the Las Vegas theatre community!
Giveaways during games?
Raising Cane's sponsored raffle and giveaways sponsored by other Vegas companies. I once won a free car wash from WOW Car Wash!
TV timeout games and intermission games?
They have a bunch of different shootout games and holiday games. I like that sometimes they have mini-shows from some of the Cirque shows. One game I went to had a mini Beatles Love show with the cars on the ice, which was fun to watch and made intermission go by a lot faster!
Where to go for player signings and meetings after games?
I know places host events with signings. Inscriptagraphs held an event where Tomáš Hertl was, I believe, doing signings. Last year, Port of Subs did one where Keegan Kolesar was there for a meet and greet, so it connects with businesses and the community for signings. I haven't attended these events, but my friends have and they say although it's quick, players really try to connect to fans.
Players that typically interact with fans after games?
I think most players try to take time to wave and give away pucks, especially since the team is super community-based. The Vegas Golden Knights started right after the October 1st shooting, so it was ingrained into players' minds to build a community since day 1 when they started up at Vegas' most vulnerable moment. Players with the team for longer, like Mark Stone, tend to have this mindset more ingrained in them. I had season passes for two seasons, but I was near the Fortress area with the announcers, so I couldn't interact as much!
Edmonton Oilers
Sophie talks about what a game day in Edmonton looks like
Best way to get to your home rink?
Rogers Place is in the middle of downtown! The Ice District is nice and accessible to walk to, so if you can get an Uber or take public transit down, I’d walk from there. You get to see a lot of cool things!
Name and fun fact about your rink
Rogers Place has a practice rink alongside the main rink! It connects directly to the JW Marriott downtown, so no need to walk outside during winter if you stay there! It connects to the Ice District as a whole, which has an outdoor rink where you can skate at, as well as many different restaurants you can eat at pregame or post game.
Door open rule?
2 hours ahead of time! The lines move quickly, but get quite long close to doors open. There's also always performances going on in the entrance.
Go to food item?
They have a lot of options around the concourse, but the loaded nachos are a favourite for my family! They're definitely worth it!
Warmups
Usually, I would recommend getting there at doors open to get comfortable with the arena and have time to get a good spot for warmups. Warmups are usually 30 minutes before scheduled game time, but I'd get down there for a good spot around 40 or 45 minutes before!
Pregame walkouts
"Enter Sandman" by Metallica is our walkout song, and "It's Time" by Laidback Luke and Steve Aoki ft. Bruce Buffer is our puck drop countdown song. It's a pretty awesome intro and the Oilers doors opening into a walkout down the hallway is always an epic watch.
Anthem traditions and singers
Robert Clark is our go-to anthem singer, he's super awesome and has been with the team since 2013. During the regular season, there are no traditions, but in the playoffs, he'll sing from somewhere in the crowd and let the crowd take over and sing the rest of the anthem. It creates an amazing atmosphere!
Whose is your arena PA, in arena host, any other notable people during games?
Al Stafford is our PA announcer and Chelsea Bird is our in-arena host! Both do an awesome job enhancing the atmosphere and bringing energy during games! If you're lucky, you might be able to catch Gene Principe doing segments down by the Zamboni doors pre-game!
Giveaways during games?
Usually pizza and donairs, as well as the classic t-shirt tosses.
TV timeout games and intermission games?
Classics like trivia, U9 cross-ice games, and opportunities to win tickets or swag.
3 Stars of the game traditions?
Stars always give out some cool Oilers swag!
Where to go for player signings and meetings after games?
It's quite hard because Rogers Place exits straight into downtown, but it's a good spot to go postgame to see interviews on 104th by the Wayne Gretzky statue. There are glass windows so you can see the entire room with all its memorabilia and everything!
Players that typically interact with fans after games?
It really depends game by game, but usually most of them are happy to stop and interact after a win, especially during playoffs!
Edited by Neha Grewal
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