With all of the positive news coming from this week's meetings between the players and owners, new hope has been established amongst fans - for now. This whole lockout thing has really given us nothing new to talk about when it comes to hockey, as the arenas have been shut down for the past three months. So, let’s talk about some of these arenas and some of their good and bad attributes.

As is the case with many other things in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Like new, modern stadiums? Head to New Jersey, Pittsburgh, or Columbus. Like classic old-school hockey barns? Head to Detroit or Long Island. Like noise? Head to Montreal, San Jose, or Philadelphia.

To be fair, I’m not going to criticize or praise the arenas that I haven’t been to. Here are some quick summaries of the arenas that I have visited.

Joe Louis Arena in Detroit is one of the league’s older stadiums, and it was just announced on Wednesday that within the next few years, the Red Wings will be playing at a different location. The Joe is a little run down due to age and the acoustics aren’t very good, but there is not one seat in the stadium that has a bad view.

United Center in Chicago is one of the bigger NHL stadiums, and it is very loud nowadays, but was deathly quiet (other than the blaring goal horn) when I was there. Then again, I was there in the Hawks’ dark days in the 2003 for a 1-1 tie against an equally bad Pittsburgh team.

Bridgestone Arena is slightly smaller than most NHL arenas and is a bit bland, but it is extremely loud. It was very tough for me since I was watching my team go down 6-3 in the midst of a hostile crowd, but a great hockey atmosphere.

First Niagara Center in Buffalo is in one of the best hockey cities in the world. The arena was nice on the inside, but not anything exceptional. Nevertheless, it was definitely one of the best atmospheres I’ve been a part of and the fans were great.

Scottrade Center in St. Louis is like Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in the sense that there isn’t one bad seat. It is very loud nowadays with the Blues back near the top.

Nationwide Arena in Columbus is one of the nicest buildings in sports. The concourse is great and the seats inside are very comfortable even though they can go very high up. The best feature of this stadium is the Civil War-based cannon that fires every time the Jackets score. You may want to consider plugging your ears.

The Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. is a nice stadium right in the middle of the nation’s capital. Nothing too spectacular about the stadium, but the “unleash the fury” pump-up video that they show is pretty funny if you’ve ever seen the movie Road Trip.

When I went to Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, it was a much better atmosphere than what I had expected. The area around the stadium is beautiful and the inside is very nice as well. The only problem is that it is about a good half hour drive from downtown Phoenix.

Air Canada Centre in Toronto is an amazing place to be. You have to pay through your nose to get tickets, but the experience is worth it if you’re a die-hard hockey fan. Despite the Maple Leafs not making the playoffs since 2004, the ACC is filled to the brim every single game.

Prudential Center in New Jersey is the nicest stadium I’ve ever visited in any sport. Be careful and don’t walk alone at night in the area around the stadium, but the concourse on the inside seems like a five-star hotel lobby with walls covered in murals of Devils’ legends and jerseys of New Jersey high school hockey teams. The stadium isn’t very loud due to a lot of open space that links the concourse with the seating area, but the experience is great nonetheless and the food is some of the best stadium food I’ve tasted. Get a giant Mrs. Fields cookie or a hot dog smothered in buffalo sauce if you’re there.

Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia is an ordinary NHL arena similar to Washington’s and Buffalo’s. Just be careful if you’re wearing the other team’s clothes; fans in Philadelphia are very passionate about their own team. The stadium can get extremely loud, though, and the goal horn, which was taken from a ship, will literally shake the ground when the Flyers light the lamp.

All in all, I refuse to believe that there is a “bad” NHL stadium. Each has its own unique features that are special and amusing in one way or another. I’ve liked every one that I’ve been to (including the now-demolished Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh) and I’m sure I’d like all of the other ones too. Even if you don’t like the stadium your team plays in, I’m sure we can all agree that it’d be a lot better right now if there was some action going on in it.