Three years ago PHN did a story on a relatively new phenomenon; synthetic ice. A growing solution to limited rink availability – especially in the South – it is totally free of the need for refrigeration, is simple to maintain, and is easy to assemble and take apart.
Today, synthetic ice is becoming even more of a game-changer.
“We have definitely seen a massive spike in sales during this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Steven J. Wong, Chief Operations Officer of Can-Ice. “So it’s been a bitter sweet moment in history; as a whole we are all trying to fight this terrible virus which has caused so many industries to plummet, yet business for Can-Ice has been skyrocketing.”
Endorsed by notables such as Sidney Crosby and World Champion figure skater Elvis Stojko, Can-Ice is the leading manufacturer of synthetic ice in North America
“This is why I decided to ramp up production and offer promo pricing during these difficult times,” said Wong, who is also a pro athlete trainer and the head strength and conditioning coach at the Canadian National Mixed Martial Arts Federation, as well as the CEO of his own film company. “We want to get Can-Ice into the homes of as many people as possible while they’re in quarantine, needing an outlet to save them from falling into a sedentary lifestyle. A lot of people are going stir crazy, and I know from personal experience that having the ability to skate at home makes the isolation so much more tolerable. My family and I are skating at least 3 hours a day in our Can-Ice basement. It’s done wonders for our mindset, plus we’re getting a great workout while developing technical hockey skills.”
Perhaps Introduced to the skating world in the 1960’s using a combination of polymers developed by DuPont, it was first put to use as a full-sized skating floor in 1982. Assembled in panels, the surface became a rink when sprayed with a special gliding fluid. Over the years, improvements such as better polymers and liquid surface enhancers have been made to make the surface less sticky and glide much more realistically.
“Elite NHL players such as Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews (pictured here) and Vincent Lecavalier had already purchased Can-Ice in the past,” said Wong. “But a lot more have been placing custom orders for their homes in the past month including Joe Pavelski, Jonathan Marchessault and many more. With all the rinks closed, players are realizing that they may not be skating for a while longer and they need to maintain their edge. So Can-Ice has been their secret weapon, allowing them to skate and train hard enough to stay ahead of their competition. And it’s not just at the pro level, parents are really concerned about their kids in minor hockey. Not only are they missing out on skill development, but they’re actually regressing and losing skill during this prolonged break.”
“I vowed to myself that somehow I would help develop the speed and skill in the game of hockey,” said Can-Ice founder Danny Gare. Gare played 13 seasons in the NHL and captained 2 teams – the Buffalo Sabres and the Detroit Red Wings – before finishing his career with the Edmonton Oilers. He was a highly skilled player, twice scoring 50 goals in a season, and in 1980 he led the entire NHL with 56 goals scored.
“I played in an era where you were almost required to fight,” Gare continued. ” I fought 127 times in the NHL, and I often look back and wonder how many goals I could have scored if I wasn’t sitting in the box serving penalties or missing games due to injury as a result. I never enjoyed fighting and that part of the game, but as a leader it was expected of me. I was determined to contribute something valuable and lasting, and my solution was to create an ice-like surface that would allow players to train more and skate more. This was the genesis of Can-Ice.”
Current estimates show Can-Ice synthetic ice surfaces having about 95% of the glide compared to natural ice surfaces. Easier to assemble and maintain than frozen water, Can-Ice has been purchased by the Buffalo Sabres, the St. Louis Blues for their training facility at the Enterprise Center, and for a full NHL-sized arena by a New Jersey Devils rink partner.
“Yesterday I received a text from a client in Texas who just purchased Can-Ice,” said Wong. “He thanked me that he was able to sleep in for the first time, because his kids woke up and went straight into the garage and skated all morning. I’ll be honest, Can-Ice doubles as a great babysitter.”
Photos courtesy of Steven J. Wong and Can-Ice
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