Photos Courtesy of Sean MacDonald, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.71
Abbotsford Centre 33800 King Rd. Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M85
Abbotsford Canucks website Abbotsford Centre website
Year Opened: 2009 Capacity: 7,000
AHL on Abby Road
In 2009, the AHL put a team in Abbotsford, BC, a town about an hour southeast of Vancouver, right on the US border. The Heat were the affiliate of the Calgary Flames and played at the Abbotsford Centre, which had opened two years prior. At that time, the AHL had no teams in the West (Oklahoma City was the closest at 1,583 miles away) and attendance averaged around 50% of the venue's 7,000 capacity.
It was an untenable situation and the team eventually moved to Adirondack for the 2014-15 season, before heading back west to Stockton as part of the minor hockey reorganization where the AHL put five teams in California. This new Pacific Division was just what was necessary to make hockey work in Abbotsford, though it took six more years before the Vancouver Canucks moved their AHL affiliate here in 2021.
Now in their fourth season, the Abbotsford Canucks are an important part of hockey in the Lower Mainland, providing a pipeline to the parent club while also producing some entertaining evenings. Stadium Journey made their first visit to Abbotsford Centre recently and this is what we found.
Note that all prices are in Canadian dollars, with the exchange rate of approximately 1 USD = 1.4 CAD.
Food & Beverage 4
There are several concession stands all around the main concourse with an excellent selection. There is a Hot Menu at one stand that includes a variety of burgers and dogs that come with fries and range from $12 to $17.
The most tempting option, however, is the loaded poutine, which is your normal poutine (available for $8) plus bacon, crispy onions, and sour cream, a good deal at $12. Another stand has Nathan's footlongs for $16, and you can add cheese for $2 or chili and cheese for $5. Snacks include popcorn, which was $4 as part of the Midweek Feature Menu (we attended a Tuesday night game, which is less popular than the weekend matches), while candy and ice cream range from $3.50-8.
A pizza place sells five varieties of slices for $6.50 each and you can add a dip for $1.50. There is also a milk and cookies stand for the kids, where the $6.50 purchase price goes entirely towards Canuck Place Children's Hospice.
The Midweek Feature Menu also includes $4 bottled water, $4 fountain pops, and $5 domestic beers (355 ml cans) through the first intermission. Other beers are $9, which suggests this is the normal price at all other times. The variety of beverages is quite impressive for such a small venue, with iced tea, Gatorade, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, French vanilla, and English toffee available for those who want to avoid the booze, while wine ($9), cider and coolers ($9.50) are other alcoholic options besides beer.
Atmosphere 5
Most fans enter through Gate 1 on the east side of the building, which takes you to the main concourse. There is just a single level of seats here, with the concourse running midway along so that if you have lower seats, you walk down, but if you have upper seats, you walk up.
The middle sections on both sides are clubs and the seats are more comfortable. Interestingly, there is no barrier between the club section and the ones next to it, so you get the two types of seats right next to each other, which might spark jealousy for the less fortunate fan.
There is also an upper concourse that goes around three-quarters of the rink; along the sides, it is a narrow hallway that is decorated with photos of the Canucks in action as well as some concerts that have been held here. At the north end, there are a few loge boxes that are reserved, though it seems like anyone can walk around to take pictures.
The reason the upper concourse does not encircle the entire rink is that there is a unique feature on the south side of the building known as the South Rise, where the concourse floor rises slightly above the spot where the Zambonis enter the rink. This is an open space and you there are a few standing spots with a couple of tables directly behind the net.
The scoreboard is typical for this size of rink, with squares on all four sides. There is blue and green lighting used in the few minutes before the players came out to warm up and it makes the rink very attractive.
Neighborhood 3
The venue is located on King Road, just south of the Trans-Canada Highway and a couple of miles north of the border. It is not an area where you would do much walking from what I could tell, but you don't have to as right across the street is Canuck Empire Brewing, which has a great selection of beer and food, as well as daily specials. It is closed Monday and Tuesday, so avoid games on those nights if possible; if not, try Field House Brewing just five minutes away for a pregame pizza and pint.
If you are in the mood for something less pubby, Sushi Box is just a block away, and if that fails to excite you, then you can find several eateries a couple of miles north of the highway.
In terms of lodging, the Coast Hotel and Suites is on the east side of town; Sandman Inn on the north, and Best Western Plus Regency Inn near the airport. To be entirely honest though, with Vancouver just an hour away, most fans would be staying closer to there and simply make this an in-and-out visit.
Fans 4
Attendance was just over half the average for the game we attended as it was a dreary weeknight and the parent team was hosting Montreal at the same time. Overall, attendance this season has dropped about 16%, from 4,816 to 4,014, which is still quite good for the AHL. The fans that are there are quite serious and watch the game intently, as you would expect in Canada. They are also very respectful and cheer heartily and do not get up during the action.
Access 4
Abbotsford is about an hour from Vancouver along the Trans-Canada Highway and just over two hours from Seattle, leaving I-5 at Bellingham and crossing at Sumas. There is an airport in Abbotsford as well, though flights are not particularly frequent.
Parking can be found in lots on either side of the building; you have to park in a numbered stall and pay for your parking by phone ($15); if you get there early enough, you might be able to find free parking on a street nearby, though be careful as some residential areas prohibit parking if you don't have a permit. Exiting the lot can take time as there is a traffic light that allows you onto King Road, which can be busy at times.
Inside, the concourse is wide enough and the seating bowl has enough legroom. Concession lines were manageable and I did not notice any issues with restrooms, although as is usually the case at hockey games, you will have to wait a bit at intermission.
Return on Investment 3
The box office is next to Gate 1 and tickets start at $35 including fees on TicketMaster, though sideline seats can run up to $77 and those on the glass $98. This is quite expensive for the AHL and when you add the parking charge, a family of four is paying over $150 before food and drinks, which are reasonably priced for the most part. With that said, the rink is quite nice and the quality of hockey is very good, so the ROI is typical for this level.
Extras 3
The Vancouver Canucks have had uniform problems for decades but there is no such issue with their affiliate, whose Johnny Canuck logo is among the best in sport and merits a point. A giant goalie mask out front makes for a good photo op. There is also an educational display on how rainwater is used to make the ice as Abbotsford Centre is the first professional grade indoor rink to use rainwater in its ice.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Abbotsford Centre is an excellent AHL arena, though prices are a bit high. Overshadowed by the parent club just down the road, the baby Canucks are probably not high on too many Stadium Journeyers lists, but the visit is worthwhile, particularly if you can enjoy a pregame pint or two at the Canuck Empire across the street.
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