Bell Centre is the modern home of the Montréal Canadiens and one of Canada's most significant hockey venues. Opened in 1996 as Molson Centre, it replaced the legendary Montreal Forum and carries the burden of housing the most decorated franchise in NHL history. Its capacity has changed over time, which makes it an ideal page for explaining how arena seating numbers can vary by configuration, renovation and source.

The Bell Centre is the largest hockey arena in the NHL by capacity and the loudest building in the league on a good night. Home of the 24-time Stanley Cup champion Montréal Canadiens, it replaced the legendary Montreal Forum in 1996.

Annually one of the top-grossing concert venues on Earth, the building hosts more than 200 events a year and anchors downtown Montréal's entertainment district at Lucien-L'Allier.

20,000+ hockey; capacity has changed over time

• Hockey20,962

Historic and current listed capacities differ; avoid one fixed number without context.

• Opened in 1996 as Molson Centre and later became Bell Centre.
• Home of the Montreal Canadiens after the club moved from the Montreal Forum.
• Capacity has shifted over time and should be presented with event-configuration notes rather than a single permanent universal figure.

1. 1996Opens as Molson Centre on March 16; Canadiens beat Rangers 4–2
2. 2002Renamed Bell Centre on September 1
3. 2009Hosts NHL All-Star Game and NHL Draft (Centennial year)
4. 2015Major lower-bowl renovation completed

Current

• Montréal Canadiens

• 2009 NHL All-Star Game
• Multiple Eastern Conference Finals (Canadiens runs 2010, 2014, 2021)
• 2021 Stanley Cup Final (Games 3 and 4)
• World Junior Championship games

Sections 101–122 form the steep but intimate lower bowl. The Desjardins Club behind the nets and the Loge Bell Étoile centre-ice premium seats are the marquee experiences. The 400-level rouges are the loudest cheap seats in hockey — bring a coat, the upper deck is high. Bilingual ushers throughout.

Connected directly to Lucien-L'Allier and Bonaventure Métro stations and the underground city (RÉSO). Exo commuter trains stop at Lucien-L'Allier. On-site parking costs $30–$50; surrounding lots fill 90 minutes before puck drop.

La Cage Brasserie Sportive, smoked-meat sandwiches from Lester's, and Première Moisson bakery items lead the concourse. The 1909 Taverne Moderne is a destination restaurant inside the building open year-round.

What to check before you go

• bag policy
• prohibited items
• camera/video rules
• mobile tickets
• cashless payments
• re-entry
• accessibility entrances
• transit and parking
• door times
• food and beverage
• family washrooms
• sensory/accessibility accommodations

Official policy sources

• Bell Centre Security

  Official security page includes forbidden-items guidance and notes on searches.

• Bell Centre Guided Tours

  Official guided-tour page; use for tour availability and visitor-tour facts.

• Bell Centre FAQ

  Use for current event-day questions; policies can vary by event.

Tour status · verify current official status before publishing

Videos are included for venue feel and visitor context. Use official venue/team/municipal sources for factual claims; verify video views/likes/channel identity at publish time.

No verified attendance entries in our archive yet for Bell Centre. We only publish crowd figures we can tie to a named source, so this section stays empty rather than showing estimates.

Browse the full archive How we read these numbers

• Understanding the numbersStadium Capacity vs Attendance: Why Figures Can DifferListed capacity, announced attendance and the number of people actually inside a Canadian stadium are three different figures. Here is how to read each one.
• Before you buyHow to Choose Seats at a Canadian Stadium or ArenaA practical framework for picking seats at Canadian venues: sport versus concert sightlines, accessible and companion seating, weather, and where to find the official seating plan.

Last verified May 20, 2026

• nhl.com
• en.wikipedia.org
• nhl.com