A hockey superfan from Hamilton, Ontario, has officially joined an elite club, becoming just the fourth person to visit all 60 arenas in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).
Steve McLean capped off his incredible journey on Wednesday, February 5th, at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre, where he watched the Victoria Royals take on the Kelowna Rockets.
McLean’s love for junior hockey started at the age of 12 when he attended his first CHL game on October 28th, 2001, at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, watching the Mississauga IceDogs take on the Plymouth Whalers.
Growing up in Brampton, he quickly became a devoted Brampton Battalion fan and began visiting Ontario Hockey League (OHL) arenas. By October 25th, 2009, exactly two years after reaching his third OHL arena, he had completed all 20 in the league with a game in Ottawa.
The journey didn’t stop there. McLean expanded his hockey travels to include the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and the Western Hockey League (WHL).
His first non-Memorial Cup WHL games came in September 2017 when he visited a friend in Seattle and attended games there and in Portland.
He began tackling the QMJHL a year later with a three-game trip to Chicoutimi, Baie-Comeau, and Rimouski. It was after that trip that he truly realized visiting all 60 CHL arenas was possible.
“After the pandemic, I really started ramping up my travels,” McLean told Victoria Buzz. “I finished the Q in October 2023 with a game in Moncton and, as you know, finished the WHL in Victoria this week.”
A big congratulations to @SteveMcLean888 on becoming the fourth person to visit all 60 CHL arenas!
Steve completed the feat Wednesday night with the @victoriaroyals and was presented a signed stick as a memento! 👏🏻 pic.twitter.com/lkX2QlcoFn
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) February 6, 2025
Favourite arenas and Victoria experience
With 60 arenas now under his belt, McLean has formed some strong opinions on his favourites. He tends to gravitate toward the older barns that have been modernized while maintaining their charm and atmosphere.
“Kitchener, Rimouski, Prince Albert, Sherbrooke, and Lethbridge were among my favourites,” he shared. “Some newer buildings like Everett, Gatineau, Windsor, and Oshawa are really great too.”
As for his final stop in Victoria, McLean said he had a great experience, though he noted that the atmosphere was slightly subdued due to the smaller crowd following a heavy snowfall in the region.
“My time in Victoria was great, and I wish I could’ve spent more time there. It was my first-ever visit to Vancouver Island, and I hope to come back one day to see more of what the island has to offer,” he said.
“The arena in Victoria is nice, but I’ll probably rank it somewhere near the middle overall. One thing that helps rankings for me is the atmosphere, and unfortunately, with the small crowd, Victoria lacked a tad in this department. But with the way the team rolled out the red carpet for me, it will always hold a special place in my heart. I really hope Victoria hosts a Memorial Cup one day.”
Victoria beats Kelowna 5-2 tonight. Couldn’t tweet much because so many people wanted to talk to me. Thank you @victoriaroyals for the gift and making this night so special. I will remember it forever.
Can’t believe all 60 is finally done.Stay tuned for all 60 rankings soon. pic.twitter.com/xCtx7FSeMb
— Steve McLean (@SteveMcLean888) February 6, 2025
To celebrate his milestone, the Victoria Royals presented McLean with a signed stick, commemorating his achievement as the 60th and final stop on his journey.
A collection of memories
McLean marks every arena he visits by purchasing a team puck, which he proudly displays at home on a dedicated shelf.
“I buy a team puck from every new arena I visit. It’s a cheap souvenir and, in the end, a tangible thing I can look at with them all together and see where I’ve been,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey, McLean is humbled by the attention his accomplishment has received.
“I felt pretty amazing finishing this. It’s hard to believe so few people have done this, and to think I’ve literally been everywhere the CHL operates. I’m humbled by the outpouring of attention my story has gotten.”
While he’s back home in Ontario for now, his hockey travels aren’t over yet. McLean plans to attend the Memorial Cup in Quebec this June.
