JMS Hockey

From a study quoted in the excellent MinnPost: The hockey industry is watching these looming climate risks with concern. A 2012 study found that the length of the Canadian skating season at outdoor rinks had decreased by 20-30% over the past five decades due to changing climatic conditions, presenting a serious challenge to an industry dependent on early player training on frozen ponds, lakes, and groomed outdoor rinks. In 2014, the NHL voiced its concern over the impacts of climate change and water scarcity on the future of hockey in North America and detailed its actions to help slow these effects in a first-of-its-kind report. “The ability to skate and play hockey outdoors is a critical component of the league’s history and culture. Many of the NHL’s players, both past and present, learned to skate outside on frozen lakes, ponds and backyard rinks. The game of hockey is adversely affected if this opportunity becomes unavailable to future generations.” http://www.minnpost.com/earth-journal/2015/01/business-minded-forecast-sees-climate-threat-minnesota-jobs-and-culture