Most people hear “fall in Wisconsin” and think football. I hear October and think hockey season. And as of this week, it is officially here.
Maybe it’s a lifelong love for the San Jose Sharks, whose posters, signed by Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton, hang in my family room, but once October hits, I’m ready for hockey. And while Wisconsin might be football country, Madison turns out to be a pretty great place to be a hockey fan.
We have Wisconsin hockey, the Madison Capitols, local rinks, and soon, a brand-new hockey arena and entertainment district just north of Madison. And when you’d rather watch the NHL with a beer in hand, there are a few local spots where hockey gets more than the forgotten TV in the corner.
So whether you’re looking for somewhere to watch a game, somewhere to catch one in person, or an excuse to actually lace up your own skates, here’s my guide to hockey season in the greater Madison area.
Hockey Events to Put on Your October Calendar
October is a particularly good month to be a hockey fan in Madison.
October 9–11: Hocktoberfest in Middleton
Bob Suter’s LEGACY20 Arena hosts Hocktoberfest and Hocktober Mites October 9–11, bringing youth hockey teams to Middleton for a full weekend of games.
Even if you don’t have a player involved, it’s a good reminder that some of Madison’s hockey culture happens far away from the Kohl Center. Youth hockey is a pretty big part of the sport’s footprint here.
October 16–17: Wisconsin Women vs. Minnesota State
Wisconsin women’s hockey returns to LaBahn Arena for a two-game series against Minnesota State.
If you’ve never seen a game at LaBahn, put it on your Madison list. It’s intimate, loud, and one of my favorite ways to watch hockey locally — especially given the caliber of women’s hockey we get to see right here in Madison.
October 17: Madison Capitols Home Opener
The Madison Capitols open their home schedule against the Chicago Steel on October 17. There is one important change this year: the home opener won’t be at their new DeForest arena quite yet. Construction on the new LEGACY20 Arena at DeForest Yards is taking longer than originally anticipated, so the Capitols announced in September that their first four home games will instead be played at Bob Suter’s LEGACY20 Arena in Middleton.
That gives us several more October hockey nights:
October 23: Waterloo Black Hawks + $1 Beer Night
October 24: Waterloo Black Hawks + Halloween Fest
October 30: Cedar Rapids RoughRiders + Wiener Dog Races
And yes, the last one is exactly what it sounds like. More than 30 wiener dogs were already registered to race on the ice when the Capitols announced the event.
October 30: Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame
Halloween weekend also brings Big Ten hockey to the Kohl Center, with Wisconsin men’s hockey hosting Notre Dame.
Between a Capitols game — with dogs racing on ice, no less — and Badger hockey downtown, October 30 might be the most hockey-heavy Friday of the month.
Where to Watch Hockey in Madison
Of course, sometimes I don’t need to go to a hockey game. I just need somewhere that will actually put my hockey game on.
There are plenty of sports bars around Madison. Finding somewhere that appreciates hockey can be a slightly different assignment.
Slice’s Bar & Grill | East Side
If I were looking for the most authentically hockey answer, I’d start with Slice’s.
It’s just down the road from Hartmeyer Ice Arena and has become something of a home base for Madison’s local hockey crowd. Earlier this year, Slice’s even opened at 7 a.m. for the USA–Canada Olympic hockey game, which tells you pretty much everything you need to know.
It’s an old-school neighborhood Wisconsin bar rather than a giant polished sports bar — which honestly feels appropriate for hockey.
2417 Pennsylvania Avenue
Echo Tap & Grill | Downtown
If you want hockey downtown, Echo Tap is one of my first picks.
Echo has more than 20 TVs and is within walking distance of the Kohl Center, which makes it an easy stop before or after Badger hockey. It’s also one of those places that tends to attract people who are actually there to watch sports rather than simply happening to be at a bar where sports are playing.
554 W. Main Street
Wilson’s Bar & Grill | Atwood
For another east-side option, Wilson’s is a classic neighborhood sports bar with plenty of TVs and a strong local following.
If you’re less interested in the campus sports-bar atmosphere and more interested in a neighborhood spot where you can grab a burger, find a seat at the bar, and ask for the game, this is a good bet.
2144 Atwood Avenue
State Street Brats | Downtown
If your primary concern is simply, Will they actually have my game? State Street Brats is hard to beat.
With more than 40 TVs and access to NHL Network, TNT, ESPN, ESPN+, Max, and plenty of other sports networks and streaming services, it’s one of the safer bets for catching an out-of-market NHL game.
The atmosphere definitely skews younger and more campus-heavy, but when you need one specific game on one specific screen, sometimes quantity wins.
603 State Street
Main Depot | Downtown
For something considerably more old-school Madison, there’s Main Depot.
It’s a neighborhood tavern just off the Capitol that has long been a pregame stop for Badger hockey and other UW events. Think less giant modern sports bar and more historic Madison tavern where you can grab a drink and watch the game with regulars.
627 W. Main Street
Pooley’s | East Side
And if your priority is TVs (lots of them) Pooley’s is another solid option.
It’s essentially a sports bar crossed with an event center, with wall-to-wall screens, memorabilia, and plenty of room for groups. It’s especially useful on nights when hockey is competing with approximately 14 other sporting events for television space.
5441 High Crossing Boulevard
What’s Happening With the New Madison Capitols Arena?
This might be the most interesting hockey development happening around Madison right now. The Madison Capitols were originally expected to begin the 2026–27 season in their brand-new home: LEGACY20 Arena at DeForest Yards. That debut is going to have to wait a little longer. The Capitols announced in September that construction is taking longer than anticipated, moving their first four home games back to Bob Suter’s LEGACY20 Arena in Middleton.
As of now, the Capitols are scheduled to finally drop the puck in DeForest on November 13 against the Green Bay Gamblers — a date I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on as construction continues. And the new facility is considerably more than just another ice rink.
The indoor arena is expected to seat approximately 3,000 people and include a center-hung video board, expanded concourses, premium seating, full-service bars, a team store, hospitality spaces, upgraded player facilities, and 13 locker rooms.
But my favorite part might be what’s happening outside. Plans also include a second, covered outdoor NHL-size rink designed for winter hockey and skating. The larger DeForest Yards entertainment district is expected to include restaurants, Young Blood Beer Company, and spaces for concerts, markets, and other community events.
For a metro area that already has a surprisingly deep hockey culture, I’m really interested to see what this adds to the north side of Madison.
Want to Get on the Ice Yourself?
Watching hockey is great. Playing it, or at least attempting to stay upright on skates, is another option entirely.
Hartmeyer Ice Arena | East Madison
Hartmeyer has been part of Madison’s east side since 1960 and continues to host public skating, learn-to-skate programming, youth and adult hockey, and figure skating.
The nonprofit East Madison Ice Collective is also working to preserve and improve the historic rink, so there’s a larger community effort happening behind the scenes to keep this piece of Madison hockey history around for another generation.
Bob Suter’s LEGACY20 Arena | Middleton
Middleton’s LEGACY20 has two sheets of ice and hosts youth hockey, tournaments, camps, figure skating, and other programming throughout the year.
It will also temporarily be home to the Madison Capitols again this October while construction wraps up in DeForest.
The Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center | UW–Madison
One of the newer places to skate in Madison is also one of the coolest.
UW–Madison’s Bakke Recreation & Wellbeing Center includes the Sub-Zero Ice Center, an NHL-size sheet that hosts open recreation skating, intramural hockey, lessons, and other programming.
If you’re affiliated with UW, it’s definitely worth knowing it exists.
And Soon… Outdoor Hockey in DeForest
Once the new LEGACY20 facility is fully operational, the planned covered outdoor rink should give the Madison area yet another option — and potentially one of the more unique places to skate locally during a Wisconsin winter.
Madison Is More of a Hockey Town Than You Think
Football will probably always own fall Saturdays around here.
But somewhere between packed Wisconsin women’s hockey games at LaBahn, Friday nights at the Kohl Center, youth teams piling into rinks around Dane County, neighborhood bars opening early for international hockey, the Madison Capitols, and a brand-new hockey arena going up in DeForest, Madison has quietly built a pretty great hockey culture of its own.
And that’s one of my favorite things about living here. You can be in a college sports town, a neighborhood-bar town, a youth-sports town, and an NHL-watch-party town all at once.
So yes, enjoy football season. I’ll be waiting for puck drop.
By: Amaya Boman
