Scotiabank Arena - Toronto Maple Leafs
- Dave Cottenie
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14
Scotiabank Arena 40 Bay St Toronto, ON M5J 2X2 Canada
Year Opened: 1999
Capacity: 18,800
Leafs Forever
There are few sports franchises in the world that are as iconic as the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their brand is intertwined with Toronto and Canada in a fashion that is only enjoyed by the truly historic and elite franchises. Founded in 1917 as the Toronto Arenas, the Leafs have a rich history and revered place among the “Original Six” franchises. The testament of this history is found in the eleven Stanley Cup banners that hang in the rafters, nine after the team was rebranded as the Maple Leafs in 1927. The Maple Leafs juggernaut is helmed by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), a unique conglomerate formerly owned by corporate rivals Rogers Communications and Bell Canada and Larry Tannenbaum. In 2024, it was announced that Rogers was buying out Bell to the tune of nearly $5 billion, essentially giving Rogers full control of the Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Marlies, Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts and Scotiabank Arena. This does not include the Rogers Centre and Toronto Blue Jays, which Rogers owns separately.
The venerable home for the Leafs for decades was the “Cashbox on Carlton,” Maple Leaf Gardens. In 1999, the Leafs moved closer to the lake, directly west of the CN Tower to the former Toronto Canada Post Delivery Building, which is currently known as Scotiabank Arena. It is difficult to argue that there is a better-located facility in the NHL, and the building is constantly changing for the betterment of the fan experience. All that remains is for the Leafs to get that elusive Stanley Cup back under the blue and white banner.
Food & Beverage 5
Scotiabank Arena offers a culinary experience that is as good as any franchise in sports. MLSE is very conscious of the concessions that it offers and the Scotiabank Arena website provides a comprehensive accounting of all of the options. All of the expected staples are available, usually found in the Food Junction stands. Also new to Scotiabank Arena are a few grab and go areas. There are many specialty stands throughout the area that take the culinary experience to the next level. Some of these include Cherry Street BBQ, Chingchein Rice Dog, Kibo Sushi, Hogtown Gourmet Hot Dogs, Hot Stove Carve, Molson Canadian Brewhouse, Pizza Pizza, The Poutinerie, St. Patties, Tim Hortons and Wicked Carib. There are also a number of premium dining experiences as well as six different bars. Overall, it seems that there is little a fan could want that is not on the menu.
Atmosphere 5
Scotiabank Arena provides one of the best atmospheres in the NHL. Located on Bay Street, the Scotiabank Arena really should be approached from the west, which is Maple Leaf Square. The main entrance from the square features a massive videoboard above the entrances. Maple Leaf Square is the location where fans of the Leafs and Raptors congregate to watch the game outside during the playoffs. Highlights of the Scotiabank Arena exterior are the “Search Light Star Light Spot Light'' structure, which is actually part of the original Air Canada Centre logo, and Maple Leafs’ Legends Row. The most honoured Maple Leaf players are immortalized in a series of bronze statues that not only cross eras but seemingly interact with each other. Frank Mahovlich, Wendel Clark, Dave Keon, George Armstrong, Johnny Bower, Red Kelly, Charlie Conacher, Teeder Kennedy, Tim Horton, Turk Broda, Syl Apps, Mats Sundin, Borje Salming and Daryl Sitler are all part of the fantasy team.
The summer of 2025 saw a significant renovation to Scotiabank Arena, which sometimes seems to be perennially under construction. The lower level concourse was a focus for this round. LED ribbon boards, and a refresh of the concourse improves the cleanliness of the arena. At Gate 5, a new production area for the pregame show, Gate 5 Live has been completed and the Union Station gate now has an innovative LED ceiling for fans to marvel at as they enter. The concourse does have a modern fresh look, however, the tunnel entries to the seating bowl, which used to feature a variety of pictures of important Scotiabank Arena moments have been replaced with a benign, uniform mosaic consistent with the Scotiabank Arena brand. The most recent renovation also included a revamping of the 500 and 600 level suites. Up next is the 300 level concourse amongst other changes. The full renovation rundown can be found on the Scotiabank Arena website.
When entering the two tier seating bowl, fans are bombarded with the history and accomplishments of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The two early Stanley Cup banners from the Arenas in 1918 and 1922 as the St. Pats, hang at the north side of the arena, starting from the east. These are followed to the west by the nine Maple Leafs Stanley Cup banners including 1932, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1962, 1964, and 1967. Each banner features a picture of what the trophy looked like when presented that year. On the opposite, south side hang the banners of the retired numbers for the Maple Leafs. Hockey legends Frank, Mahovlich, Wendel Clark, Dave Keon, George Armstron, Charlie Conacher, King Clancy, Ace Bailey, Red Kelly, Johnny Bower, Turk Broda, Hap Day, Bill Barilko, Tim Horton, Teeder Kennedy, Syl Apps, Mats Sundin, Borje Salming Darryl Sittler and Doug Gilmour all have a home here. These banners have an appropriate home right in front of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Gondola, where the various press sit. The ice runs from east to west with the perfect center ice picture coming from the south side.
The Maple Leafs also provide a solid game day production, which deftly melds the tradition with the modern. LED projectors are used liberally in the pregame to show images on the ice surface. The updated 600 level has a permanent home for the in house DJ, Summerknocks, who takes song requests on social media. Organist Jimmy Holmstrom plays throughout the stoppages in play. Each game the Leafs honour a member of the military with a spotlight and a member of the Leafs Alumni presenting a jersey from the stands. The Leafs mascot, Carlton, interacts with fans and shoots t-shirts into the crowd and participates in promotions. The Leafs are flanked by minor hockey players swinging their flags as the home team enters the ice. Overall the Leafs’ production is not over the top as it is in some other markets and feels that it is just about at the right point.
Neighbourhood 5
Scotiabank Arena has a prime location that is second to none in the National Hockey League. Scotiabank Arena is located right in the heart of the excitement in Toronto, one of the top tourist cities in North America. Toronto is a vastly cosmopolitan city that offers just about anything that visitors could want. The restaurant scene in Toronto is fantastic and there are a multitude of pre and post game spots for food and drink within mere steps of Scotiabank Arena. Real Sports is located right in Maple Leaf Square as is e11even. The Loose Moose, The Fox, Miller Tavern, Taverna Mercatto, and Kellys Landing, to name a few, are all great options that are within walking distance. A unique dining experience fans could choose to partake in is at the top of the CN Tower which features excellent food and the best view of the city there is.
Toronto is also a sports fan haven as there are a ton of other sporting options. Scotiabank Arena is shared with the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. Just down the road is Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays of MLB. Heading west along Lakeshore Blvd. will bring fans to Exhibition Place which has BMO Field and Coca-Cola Coliseum on the grounds. These are the homes of the Toronto Argonauts, Toronto FC and Toronto Marlies. A pilgrimage to the old Maple Leaf Gardens may be of interest. The hockey and basketball teams of Toronto Metropolitan University can be found here. Just north is the University of Toronto where the Varsity Blues have a variety of athletic teams including hockey, basketball and football.
There are plenty of other tourist destinations in the immediate area. The CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium are worth checking out. The Eaton Centre is an iconic Toronto shopping destination and there are always events going on at Harbourfront. However, any fan reading this review must take a trip to see the hallowed Hockey Hall of Fame. Just a few blocks from Scotiabank Arena, it is arguably as good as Cooperstown and warrants multiple trips.
For fans wishing to stay near the Scotiabank Arena, the Westin Harbour Castle is close. However, any downtown option will be on the pricey side.
Fans 4
Toronto Maple Leaf fans are among the most loyal and ardent in the NHL. The fanbase has ached for a Stanley Cup since the last one was won in 1967, but the attendance at Scotiabank Arena and Maple Leaf Gardens before that, has never fallen off. At the time of writing, at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, the Leafs averaged almost 18,600 and ranked 6th in the league. The previous two seasons, the Leafs averaged over 18,000 fans per game and ranked in the top 10 in the league. Leaf fans are a notoriously quiet group and have a reputation as being more corporate than raucous. It is not unusual for the opening faceoff of the game or a period to be met with a half-full lower bowl.
Access 4
Getting to the Scotiabank Arena by car will force fans to traverse the Toronto traffic, which can be a real challenge. The Lakeshore is quite far from Highway 401 in the north, so using Lakeshore Blvd or the Gardiner Expressway to travel east or west along the lake will be required. There are plenty of parking options around which can be found for $20 or more. The real travesty is that the City of Toronto has not taken any lessons from other cities when events are put on. Upon exiting Scotiabank Arena, Toronto Police are not present aiding in the movement of traffic, leaving drivers on their own to get out of downtown. On the plus side, public transit downtown is very good. Union Station is attached to the Scotiabank Arena. TTC subways and GO Transit trains along with Via Rail trains can be found here. Fans should check the TTC or GO Transit websites for maps, fares and schedules.
Getting around the Scotiabank Arena is not terribly difficult, however fans need to keep in mind that there is rarely less than a full house in the arena and intermissions will be congested. Washroom facilities are more than adequate, but will have lineups during intermissions as well.
With security protocols and procedures in constant flux, Stadium Journey strongly suggests visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs and Scotiabank Arena websites for the most up to date security information before heading to the arena.
Return on Investment 3
The Maple Leafs are possibly the most expensive experience in the NHL. For the 2023-24 Fan Cost Index, the Leafs topped the charts with over $700 on the index. For a comparison, the NHL average was just $432. Tickets for the Leafs are generally hard to come by, other than the secondary market. Dynamic pricing does make pinning down a price difficult, however, for a mid-week game, against an opponent that would not be considered premium, standing room starts at $85. Seats in the upper bowl start at $115 and seats in the lower bowl start at $200 and travel north to around $425. Although concessions are top notch, fans will still pay premium prices. Parking is not cheap downtown either. Make no mistake, the experience at a Leafs game is solid, but fans will definitely pay for the privilege.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the new Scotiabank Arena Tours which give fans a look behind the scenes that they have never had before at Toronto’s premier arena.
An extra mark for Joe Bowen, the iconic Toronto Maple Leafs broadcaster who has been the play by play voice of the team since 1982. The 2025-26 season will see the curtain fall on his legendary career and one final “Holy Makenah!”, his personal catchphrase.
An extra mark for the continued rivalries the Leafs have with so many teams including the Red Wings, Senators, Sabres and of course, the Canadiens.
Final Thoughts
All hockey fans should consider making a pilgrimage to see the Toronto Maple Leafs and extend the trip to see the city of Toronto and especially the Hockey Hall of Fame. Scotiabank Arena remains among the premier venues in the league and MLSE has done a spectacular job keeping the arena relevant for the last two decades and continuing to revamp and upgrade the experience.
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