What city would you rather play in?

[lawrence]

Vancouver, but other then that I would choose Las Vegas. Would hate to play in Canada actually despite it being my country and I love my country. But I would really hate to play in Canada.

 

[J bo Jeans]

If you're on a good team? Montreal hands down would be the funnest city to play in. The crowd, atmosphere, history and the best looking unis in the NHL. Plus the best selection of natural girls in North America. You want to be a celebrity and date fake bimbos go to LA or NY.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

1) Tampa Bay
2) Carolina
3) Toronto
4) Vancouver
5) Nashville

would be my top 5 in that order

 

[Foppberg]

Vancouver

Denver
Chicago

Everyone else

 

[Favin]

1. Dallas
2. Miami
3. Tampa Bay
4. Nashville

(lower taxes)

 

[NyQuil]

It's funny, I posted a recent podcast of Marc Methot and Brent Wallace interviewing Erik Karlsson, and both talked about how much they loved Ottawa IN THE SUMMER and how hard it was coming back from Dallas and San Jose in the winters.

 

[LOFIN]

As a Finn, I'm going to say either NYC or Florida.

NY is one of the largest and most iconic cities in the world, and that would be awesome. Rangers are legendary, and while they are obviously big the city itself is so big and filled with other sports that you could find some solitude there as well. This is not the case in Canada. The city is so big and has so many opportunities. I also want to be near the sea, something special about that.

The other option would be Florida/Tampa. Weather would be nicer, I know OP asked not to think about the taxes but how can you exclude them. At least in Tampa you have plenty of fans, but you can also live in peace.

I guess LA area would be a good compromise between the two, but while I have never been to the States, I just don't care for the west coast. I just don't find it appealing to myself. And to those who are asking why would you like New York because it's so big and there's no nature, not every player spends their entire year where they play. Europeans go back to Europe, Canadians go back to Canada, Americans go back to the States for the summer holidays. I would be in Finland.

 

[Fatass]

Of course any NHL City would be great, as just playing in the league is many Canadian boys’ dream. But to play for Montreal, the Mecca of hockey, has to be the top of the list.
For me, after Montreal, it would be all the Canadian cities.

 

[Kairi Zaide]

Any of the canadian city because they have the best weather

 

[doorbag]

Edmonton resident saying Vancouver. One of the nicest cities I have ever been to and living there as a millionaire hockey player would be awesome.

 

[Rangerboy030]

I'm going with the Bay area

 

[Crabapple]

I'd go with Vancouver. Beautiful city

 

[DJN21]

I'm not a big city person at all so none appeal to me but Denver and Van have to be at the top as middle grounds to answer the question.

 

[Puckclektr]

Weather is a big reason. Tampa. Reason? weather and amenities. LA/Anaheim. No f***ing chance. I'm a liberal and as beautiful as that state is I couldn't deal with that many far leftists.

 

[Canovin]

Vancouver. I enjoy being close to the ocean and mountains

 

[Pyrophorus]

Detroit has the best fan culture and its next to big lake

St.Clair is big?

 

[Adele Dazeem]

A lot of people who love the rain it seems.

 

[SotasicA]

Let's think about this. Since the actual team you go to is not a consideration. Just the city.

Criteria:

1. Babes. How good, and how many you can get. Also, factor in how many other bigger celebs are around to compete with. LA and Miami are good. NYC too. But hockey hotbeds like Toronto and Montreal work well also because of your elevated status.

2. Other activities. Not just drugs. Nightlife. Accessibility of fun. NYC and LA, maybe Chicago top the list. Dallas?

3. Lifestyle. You want an idyllic surrounding for your babes and budding drug habit. A beachfront house maybe? Large mansion. can your money buy that mansion? Hot days, wild and crazy nights. Miami wins here. I imagine LA is more expensive. They say Vancouver is beautiful too, but they have winters.

4. Crime. Who wants to get mugged or murdered? No to DC and Detroit. Chicago maybe too. Glad Atlanta doesn't have a team anymore. NYC is not the safest place anymore either. Maybe Canada wins here? Or Minnesota/Buffalo?

4. Buddies. You're gonna have to bring your entourage with you. They ain't celebs, but they want legal recreational weed and affordable bars. So that's Canada again for the first, and maybe Denver. Home of Coors.

5. Media coverage. You want to be a star. But you don't want to be harrassed by lunat.... i mean fanatics. So scratch Raleigh, Columbus, Nashville, Sunrise where you don't get any coverage and you're a nobody. But also places you might feel weird and claustrophobic like Montreal and Toronto. Winnipeg? Edmonton. Heck, all of Canada.

What's the conclusion then? I don't know. All have their goods and bads. Maybe... St.Louis? The ultimate compromise. Nothing is too much like this or like that. Home of Budweiser.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Arizona for weather. Montreal because it's the Valhalla of hockey.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

I’ve been to all of the cities listed. My top five:
1. Vancouver
2. Denver
3. Tampa
4. Seattle
5. Nashville
I also think Montreal is a great city in terms of culture and love of hockey and of course women. It would be my second choice in Canada.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

Chose Vancouver for 3 reasons.

3. Canadian city / good fan base
2. Beautiful location - can't beat the West coast
1. NOT AMERICA

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I love the idea that DC, Nashville, and Raleigh are interchangeable.

 

[Samsquanch]

Living 20 mins south of the Sens arena on the country-side somewhere. Like on a nice acreage with no neighbors and surrounded by nature = the perfect life for me as a pro hockey players.

But I understand that Im a bit weird like that, and its not going to be a popular choice... But for me, growing up in Northern Ontario has made me develop a natural gag reflex to expensive, inner-city housing where you can reach an arm out of your window and touch your neighbors house with it...

It boggles my mind that extremely rich people chose to live in these jam packed gated neighborhoods. Like celebrity noise complaints actually happen amongst each other (see Tarantino VS Ball) .

I would rather live in a nice log home on a lake/river that has some privacy than in Tom Brady's 15 bathroom mansion in Florida that has 5ft of separation from his neighbors equally gaudy mansion.

Again, to each their own I suppose....

 

[Sweetpotato]

Instead of my bias answer of Edmonton I'll choose Tampa. As an Edmontonian living in a warm place sounds awfully nice XD

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Let's think about this. Since the actual team you go to is not a consideration. Just the city.

Criteria:

1. Babes. How good, and how many you can get. Also, factor in how many other bigger celebs are around to compete with. LA and Miami are good. NYC too. But hockey hotbeds like Toronto and Montreal work well also because of your elevated status.

2. Other activities. Not just drugs. Nightlife. Accessibility of fun. NYC and LA, maybe Chicago top the list. Dallas?

3. Lifestyle. You want an idyllic surrounding for your babes and budding drug habit. A beachfront house maybe? Large mansion. can your money buy that mansion? Hot days, wild and crazy nights. Miami wins here. I imagine LA is more expensive. They say Vancouver is beautiful too, but they have winters.

4. Crime. Who wants to get mugged or murdered? No to DC and Detroit. Chicago maybe too. Glad Atlanta doesn't have a team anymore. NYC is not the safest place anymore either. Maybe Canada wins here? Or Minnesota/Buffalo?

4. Buddies. You're gonna have to bring your entourage with you. They ain't celebs, but they want legal recreational weed and affordable bars. So that's Canada again for the first, and maybe Denver. Home of Coors.

5. Media coverage. You want to be a star. But you don't want to be harrassed by lunat.... i mean fanatics. So scratch Raleigh, Columbus, Nashville, Sunrise where you don't get any coverage and you're a nobody. But also places you might feel weird and claustrophobic like Montreal and Toronto. Winnipeg? Edmonton. Heck, all of Canada.

What's the conclusion then? I don't know. All have their goods and bads. Maybe... St.Louis? The ultimate compromise. Nothing is too much like this or like that. Home of Budweiser.

Can't believe you ended up with St. Louis after that honest and exceptional breakdown.
1. Babes- Florida/Arizona are top tier; Cali is good if you have the money
2. Activities- Big city life
3. Lifestyle- See above + nature (depends if you like snow activities or beach life, mountain life)
4.Crime- Stay away from bad neighborhoods; easy when you live in good part of town.
5. Media coverage- You wanna be a rockstar (Toronto, Montreal, Boston) or lowkey? (Florida, Dallas?)

My money is on Florida or Cali (no beaches would be a deal breaker for AZ)