Worst Hockey Rinks to Play In

[SE16RiverRat]

What do you think?

[mulefarm]

Without a doubt, the old Golden Valley ice center. All concrete around boards, no give and about 6 inches higher than normal boards. Plus not a 220 by 65 foot rink.

[defense]

Maybe it was just me, but when I played in Willmar there was something hanging from the ceiling that had a constant drone. Not sure if it was the refrigeration pump or heating or what but it was one of those things that was always in the background and it just threw me off.
Other than that, Detroit Lakes had horrible homer refs whenever we played there. I was never very impressed with the Coliseum in Fargo, small, no corners. When I played in the Moorhead Sports Center ( only a few times) it always seemed warmer than a hockey rink should be.... could've been because the scoreboard was overheating( them not us). Wanna talk high boards??? Go to DL and jump over the boards off the bench. Overall, I don't think I have a worst, just some better than others. Anywhere that hockey is played is a great place to me.

[hockeyfan893]

The lighting in the older rink of Parade Ice Rink always seemed to be really different, almost like adding a purple hue to everything.

[hawkhockey]

the old rink at shattuck. extremely dark, tiny benches, locker rooms are tiny.

[Just_Another_Fan]

Lily Lake. It is colder in the rink than it is outside most of the time. The locker rooms are really tiny too.

[hockeyfan893]

[quote="Just_Another_Fan"]Lily Lake. It is colder in the rink than it is outside most of the time. The locker rooms are really tiny too.[/quote]

So true, but the ice is perfect!

[Just_Another_Fan]

Lily Lake. It is colder in the rink than it is outside most of the time. The locker rooms are really tiny too.

So true, but the ice is perfect!

Love the ice. Hate the frostbite after practice....

[Goal]

[quote="defense"]Maybe it was just me, but when I played in Willmar there was something hanging from the ceiling that had a constant drone. Not sure if it was the refrigeration pump or heating or what but it was one of those things that was always in the background and it just threw me off.
Other than that, Detroit Lakes had horrible homer refs whenever we played there. I was never very impressed with the Coliseum in Fargo, small, no corners. When I played in the Moorhead Sports Center ( only a few times) it always seemed warmer than a hockey rink should be.... could've been because the scoreboard was overheating( them not us). Wanna talk high boards??? Go to DL and jump over the boards off the bench. Overall, I don't think I have a worst, just some better than others. Anywhere that hockey is played is a great place to me.[/quote]
Agree with you on everything you said about Detroit Lakes. I would throw in Kittson Central, bad ice, very small rink, and small locker rooms. Park Rapids is also not a very fun place to play, almost always homer reffing and no showers in the locker rooms.

[packerpuck19]

Without a doubt, the old Golden Valley ice center. All concrete around boards, no give and about 6 inches higher than normal boards. Plus not a 220 by 65 foot rink.

Are you saying that 220 by 65 foot rinks are normal???????? Last time I checked an ice rink was 200 by 85, and Olympic size is 200 by 100.

I would definitely say that northfield arena is the worst for a few reasons.
Closet sized locker rooms, extremely cold, a huge metal beem in the middle of the bench (forwards dont see Defense until the end of the game), and with every step you take on the bench you are risking the ability to turn one way for the rest of the game as there are multiple peices of metal everywhere on the benches. By far the worst. But at least the dimentions arent 220 by 65 feet, that would just by weird.

[PoniesDad45]

Lily Lake. It is colder in the rink than it is outside most of the time. The locker rooms are really tiny too.

So true, but the ice is perfect!

Love the ice. Hate the frostbite after practice....

Chilly Lake

[Just_Another_Fan]

So true, but the ice is perfect!

Love the ice. Hate the frostbite after practice....

Chilly Lake

Love it.

One of my youth coaches would use lily lake as punishment i.e:

"If you don't start moving your feet i am sure who ever has the sunday 6AM at lily lake wouldn't mind a trade"

We usually picked it up after that.

[HappyHockeyFan]

Any Ramsey County rink and the bubble at Tartan, oh and I have to include Dodge County at the fairgrounds...

[brandy38]

Early AM practices at Lily Lake were never fun. Not sure if the Woodbury assoc. still uses it.

I've heard that Proctor's rink is horrible.

[Moose Jaw, SK]

Any Ramsey County rink and the bubble at Tartan, oh and I have to include Dodge County at the fairgrounds...

So true, so true. I spent just about every practice year in and year out in youth hockey at one Ramsey County rink or another, and even played our home games for high school in one!

[WB6162]

Early AM practices at Lily Lake were never fun. Not sure if the Woodbury assoc. still uses it.

I've heard that Proctor's rink is horrible.

I remember we were at Lily Lake a couple of times maybe 3 years ago in Pee Wees. I remember thinking "What the hell is this place?"

It reminds me of a rink the Soviet Union would have built. Our boys were waiting to go on, there was this men's team finishing up and this dude watching the men's game was having a total meltdown, the cops actually showed up. Our boys had to witness that

Everytime we go to Stillwater something weird happens

[hockey74]

My guess there is a few bad rinks I have not been in, but the Northfield rink was not very good.

[WB6162]

My guess there is a few bad rinks I have not been in, but the Northfield rink was not very good.

I think they may have improved it now but 10 years ago it was horrible, I agree. When you went up the stairs to the bleachers you had to really be paying attention to the game because at that point the glass was only about 3 ft high.

[WB6162]

Any Ramsey County rink and the bubble at Tartan, oh and I have to include Dodge County at the fairgrounds...

Tartan's bubble isn't that bad, it's usually good ice. Of the Ramsey County rinks there is one nice one--Pleasant Arena--they have it set up for figure skating international competition. It's really nice, clean and well heated.

[northshore guy]

My guess there is a few bad rinks I have not been in, but the Northfield rink was not very good.

I think they may have improved it now but 10 years ago it was horrible, I agree. When you went up the stairs to the bleachers you had to really be paying attention to the game because at that point the glass was only about 3 ft high.

I know the girls coach in northfield and 1.2 million was put into renovations. It is much more comfortable temperature wise in there but locker rooms are tiny. They added a dehumidifier that really helped the temp and the quality of the ice. Sad to think that this one sheet has to house an entire youth association, both high school programs and men's and women's college programs.

[WB6162]

My guess there is a few bad rinks I have not been in, but the Northfield rink was not very good.

I think they may have improved it now but 10 years ago it was horrible, I agree. When you went up the stairs to the bleachers you had to really be paying attention to the game because at that point the glass was only about 3 ft high.

I know the girls coach in northfield and 1.2 million was put into renovations. It is much more comfortable temperature wise in there but locker rooms are tiny. They added a dehumidifier that really helped the temp and the quality of the ice. Sad to think that this one sheet has to house an entire youth association, both high school programs and men's and women's college programs.

If there is a need for a 2nd sheet of ice, Northfield is the place no doubt. St Olaf still hasn't build a rink? I'm surprised they don't do a cooperative effort with Carlton, maybe Carlton doesn't have a team?

[northshore guy]

I think they may have improved it now but 10 years ago it was horrible, I agree. When you went up the stairs to the bleachers you had to really be paying attention to the game because at that point the glass was only about 3 ft high.

I know the girls coach in northfield and 1.2 million was put into renovations. It is much more comfortable temperature wise in there but locker rooms are tiny. They added a dehumidifier that really helped the temp and the quality of the ice. Sad to think that this one sheet has to house an entire youth association, both high school programs and men's and women's college programs.

If there is a need for a 2nd sheet of ice, Northfield is the place no doubt. St Olaf still hasn't build a rink? I'm surprised they don't do a cooperative effort with Carlton, maybe Carlton doesn't have a team?

Carlton play club I believe... there is talk of building on one side of the rink but seems to be some communication problems...hockey wants to build but city says a road might go ther ein the future but community and everyone knows it will never (road) be built... they have a few options that could work..

[ryno44]

Virginia is the worst rink to watch hockey! the benches are so high your feet don't touch the ground!!!

[njmarshall20]

Definitely the Coliseum! Sure, it would be cool if you played for HM or WBL and the place was packed during a great Section final. But, try playing for Mahtomedi circa 1997-1998 and play a home game there on a Tuesday night versus Columbia Heights!! NOBODY in the stands, and they had the softest, s*ittiest ice around...

[starmvp]

Northfield is pretty bad and is Golden Valley