Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.29
Avenir Centre
150 Canada Street
Moncton, NB E1C 0V2
Year Opened: 2018
Capacity: 8,800
The Wild Maritime Hub
There is a bit of an argument as to where the hub of the Maritime provinces is in Canada. Many point to Halifax, as it is the biggest city. However, the combination of geography and population might just give the nod to Moncton, New Brunswick. The population of the City of Moncton is almost 80,000 with the metropolitan area coming in at almost 158,000. The location is much more central to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island than Halifax, which is on the east coast. In 2018, Moncton further expanded their case by building the Avenir Centre. With a downtown location, a capacity of 8,800 and their main tennant, the QMJHL Moncton Wildcats, Avenir Centre hosts plenty of concerts and shows that attract people from all over the area. Avenir Centre has co-hosted the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships and is in the mix for a future Memorial Cup. The naming rights are held by Avenir Hearing, a local chain of hearing clinics.
The Wildcats were founded as the expansion Moncton Alpines in 1995 and played out of the Moncton Coliseum. After one season they were purchased by local industrialist Robert Irving and renamed the Moncton Wildcats. For the 2024-25 season, the Wildcats have lured USports hockey coaching legend Gardiner MacDougall to take the reins of the team. Moncton has seen plenty of NHL alumni pass through including Corey Crawford, Brad Marchand and former coach Ted Nolan. The WIldcats earned the Presidents’ Trophy as the best team in the QMJHL in 2006 and 2010.
Food & Beverage 5
Avenir Centre offers best-in-class concession options. There is something for everyone available and concession stands are unique and do not all have the same menu. The expected hot dogs, popcorn, pretzels and the likes are available but there is also so much more. Big Belly Deli offers a variety of sandwiches including Philly Cheese Steaks and Montreal Smoked Meat; The Hub offers a variety of burgers; Slice of Paradise offers a variety of unique pizza options; Mexi’s Fresh Express has a variety of TexMex options; Sugar Rush has a variety of confection options; Authentic Poutinerie has a variety of poutine options; and Beaver Tails has a variety of the uniquely Canadian treat available as well. Pepsi products are the soda of choice in the Avenir Centre and Tim Hortons has a stand serving up Canada’s staple coffee. Moosehead Light has a huge presence at Avenir Centre and would probably be considered the beer of choice.
Atmosphere 4
Avenir Centre is a modern, professional looking building. There is a large plaza at the northeast side of the arena which features some modern sculptures and a small ice rink, and leads to the main entry. The exterior is a combination of brown, marble-like covering and huge windows. The north entrance leads to a huge, modern atrium with plenty of natural light able to pour in. The mascots are available to welcome fans and pose for photo ops and there are banners honouring such Wildcat Alumni who made it to the NHL like Brad Marchand, Keith Yandle and Corey Crawford. The team store is on the main level at the north entry. Fans will ascend the staircase to the main concourse, which is bright and wide and clean. The concourse has a brand-new feel to it and remains a bit sterile. There are a few things for fans to look at, including a large Tim Hortons Timbits Hockey display and team pictures for all of their years in existence. There are not a ton of other Wildcats markings.
Inside the arena, the ice is oriented from south to north with the centre ice logo picture best taken from the east side. The seating consists of modern plastic arena seats of various colours and numbers of rows. The east side has the fewest seats, but does offer two stories of luxury boxes as well as the pressbox. At ice level on the south side, the seats have been retracted and the Moosehead Light Ice Bar is available for fans. A modern, four-sided videoboard hangs above centre ice. On the north side of the arena banners for the 2006 and 2010 Presidents Cup as QMJHL Champions hang, along with banners for division and conference championships. On the opposite side, the retired number 29 honouring Corey Crawford hangs. Banners for local legends of a previous era Phillip Doiron, Oscar Gaudet and Bill Riley also hang.
The Wildcats do their best to put together a professional gameday production. The team enters the ice from the northwest corner through illuminated cat claws. Classic rock often plays through the crystal clear sound system and the in-game host leads a few promotions. Finally, organist Lynden Steeves entertains the crowd from the southeast corner box with his musical talents and red, sequined blazer.
Neighbourhood 5
Avenir Centre is located in Downtown Moncton. Moncton is known as a bit of a foodie haven and there are tons of places to grab pre or post game food and drink. Some options include La Vida Resto-Bar, Chris Rock Tavern, Monk10 Taproom, Gahan House Hub City, Tide and Boar Gastropub, Triiio Restaurant, Gusto Italian Grill, Gallagher’s Irish Pub and Pump House. Université de Moncton fields athletic teams in USports, specifically hockey at Aréna Jean-Louis Lévesque. Other tourist options include Riverfront Park, Resurgo Park, Musée Acadien and Moncton Highland Games. Moncton is a bilingual city so there will be plenty of French to hear. For fans wishing to stay near the arena, Crowne Plaza Moncton Downtown, Delta Hotels Beausejour and the Hyatt are all good choices within walking distance.
Fans 4
Moncton fans have turned out to see the Wildcats. At the time of writing, the Wildcats averaged over 4,900 fans per game. In the previous season, 2023-2024, the Wildcats averaged over 4,600 fans per game. In both cases this ranked the Wildcats third in the QMJHL behind Québec and Halifax. Moncton fans like to use cowbells on Wildcat goals or huge plays, however, they are very quiet during the play and hearing some talk on the ice was not impossible during the game that was reviewed.
Access 5
Avenir Centre is located in Downtown Moncton at the corner of Main Street and Canada Street. It is a couple of blocks from the junction of Main Street and Vaughn Harvey Boulevard, which is a main north-south artery. It is quite a distance from the Trans-Canada Highway, so going through some of the city when coming from the north will be necessary. There is parking on site at a cost and many fans attempt to find other parking downtown. For fans who wish to take public transit to the game, the Via Rail Train Station is immediately southwest on Canada Street and doubles as the bus depot. There are also bus stops on Main Street. Fans should consult the Codiac Transpo website for fares, maps and schedules. Inside the Avenir Centre, the councourses are wide and bright and it is a very comfortable arena. Washroom facilities are good for the facility.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets for the Wildcats are $25 with discounts for Seniors, Youth and Students. Fans will probably have to pay around $14 for parking and concession prices are a bit on the expensive side. However, the Wildcats put together a very professional gameday production and the quality of the hockey on the ice is very high. Overall, taking in a Wildcats game when in the area is a must.
Extras 3
An extra mark for preserving Moncton hockey history with the retired numbers of local legends.
An extra mark for the professional environment provided by the Wildcats and Avenir Centre.
An extra mark for the Maritime hub location of Moncton.
Final Thoughts
Avenir Centre provides a maritime hub for plenty of entertainment acts in Moncton. The Moncton Wildcats are benefitting from this top-notch facility and are putting on a professional-like production, making the Wildcats a must-see event in the QMJHL.
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