Bell Centre
Bell Centre is a hockey rink in Montreal, Quebec, home of the Montreal Canadiens (NHL, Atlantic Division). It opened in 1996, making it 30 years old in 2026 and seats 20,962 for hockey. That makes it the largest rink in NHL.
Rink facts
- Location
- Montreal, Quebec
- Home of
- Montreal Canadiens
- League
- NHL · Atlantic Division
- Opened
- 1996
- Capacity
- 20,962
- Former names
- Nouveau Forum de Montréal / New Montreal Forum (planning–1996)
Molson Centre / Centre Molson (1996–2002) - Also home to
- Montreal Victoire (PWHL) home games
- Size rank in NHL
- 1st of 32
Famous moments at Bell Centre
- Survivor Series 'Montreal Screwjob' (1997)
- UFC 83, first UFC event in Canada (2008)
- 2021 Stanley Cup Final Games 3 and 4 (2021)
- The arena opened and replaced the Montreal Forum (1996)
- Hosted the 2009 NHL All-Star Game
- The Canadiens took Juraj Slafkovský first overall at the NHL Draft (2022)
- Hosted four round-robin games of the 4 Nations Face-Off (2025)
Game night
Getting there. Linked to Lucien-L'Allier and Bonaventure Metro stations; Lucien-L'Allier Exo commuter rail terminal; Terminus Centre-Ville; underground city and Central Station
Seating & views at Bell Centre
Hockey capacity is 20,962, which the page calls the largest indoor arena in Canada. The stands are steep to improve sightlines. Seating has three main tiers: the 100 level ('the reds'), the 200-level Club Desjardins and the 300 level. Sections 318–320 have their own scoreboards on the back of the press gondola.
Parking & tailgating
Public parking costs a fixed $20 to $45, and the arena takes only cards. The arena connects to the Lucien-L'Allier and Bonaventure Metro stations, the Lucien-L'Allier commuter rail terminal and the underground city.
Sources: Wikipedia, blog.ticketmaster.com
Plan your trip to Bell Centre
Rinks near Bell Centre10
- 1U SportsEd Meagher Arena — Concordia Stingers same city
- 2U SportsMcConnell Arena — McGill Redbirds same city
- 3Junior ACentre récréatif Édouard-Rivet — Montréal-Est Rangers 7 mi
- 4Junior AAréna Jean-Béliveau — Longueuil Collège Français 7 mi
- 5AHLPlace Bell — Laval Rocket 7 mi
- 6CHLCentre d'Excellence Sports Rousseau — Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 7 mi
- 7Junior AColisée de Laval — Laval L'Énergie 7 mi
- 8Junior ACité du Sport — Terrebonne Cobras 9 mi
- 9Junior ASportplexe Pierrefonds — Montréal Phoenix 11 mi
- 10Junior AAréna régional de la Rivière-du-Nord — Saint-Jérôme Panthères 23 mi
Questions about Bell Centre
Where do the Montreal Canadiens play home games?
The Montreal Canadiens play at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.
How many people does Bell Centre hold?
Bell Centre seats 20,962 for hockey.
When did Bell Centre open?
Bell Centre opened in 1996.
What other rinks are near Bell Centre?
Ed Meagher Arena is also in Montreal. See the full list of nearby rinks on this page.
Where do you park at Bell Centre?
Public parking costs a fixed $20 to $45, and the arena takes only cards. The arena connects to the Lucien-L'Allier and Bonaventure Metro stations, the Lucien-L'Allier commuter rail terminal and the underground city.
What is the seating like at Bell Centre?
Hockey capacity is 20,962, which the page calls the largest indoor arena in Canada. The stands are steep to improve sightlines. Seating has three main tiers: the 100 level ('the reds'), the 200-level Club Desjardins and the 300 level. Sections 318–320 have their own scoreboards on the back of the press gondola.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your rink? Get the “Listed on RinkGuide.com” badge for your website.