Every time we hear about Chris Clark’s good health and fitness for beginning the season, we’re also sadly reminded that his injury was caused by bad ice at the home rink.  And what’s worse, these deplorable ice conditions at Centre Verizón gave a competitive advantage to the Flyers, in the view of the opponents themselves, in last season’s first round playoff matchup.

It’s been radio silence all summer long as to whether any changes or improvements have been made since April.  (Though, to these unrtained eyes, the sheet looked pretty good to me at Kettler.)  At least publicly, no one within the organization seems willing to discuss the matter. 

Over the weekend, I stumbled upon this detailed article from the “SI Vault,” written in 2004.  Though dated, its worth your time if you’re at all interested in the subject.  The piece discusses the ice conditions throughout the NHL, methods to improve the quality of the playing sheet, and the importance of it all. 

Here’s a rather salient passage:

In 1997 the NHL hired [Dan Craig, the  NHL's facilities operations manager], the [then] rink guru in Edmonton, to address leaguewide ice issues, and the NHL has since made a concerted effort to improve playing conditions. Among the corrective measures: [shortening the pre-game warm-up, shoveling ice during TV timeouts, limiting on-ice promotions, etc.] encouraging rink operators to take ice-making courses given by the Ontario Recreation Facilities Association and its USA Hockey affiliate, STAR. Currently eight certified ice technicians work in NHL arenas; another 24 are nearing certification.

The biggest success story may be the ice at GM Place.  In 2000 [Bob] Hartley asked the ice technicians at NHL arenas with so-called good ice to have their flood water chemically analyzed. Hartley was looking for something that might toughen the almost pure water. With the information he collected and the help of a microbiologist, Hartley developed a powder that essentially adds impurities to the arena’s water. Since Hartley put his product on the market in February 2003, Rite-Ice, which is now used in four NHL arenas, has caused a sensation—and not only because a suspicious customs agent held up a shipment to [Anaheim] for a few days . . . At the start of 2001-02, GM Place ice ranked 23rd in the NHL ratings. Through 300 games this season, it was tied for third.

Old news, but I wonder, have any of the Verizon rink operators ever taken these STAR courses?  Has this chemical analysis, and resulting powder additive process, been considered, implemented? 

After all, “it’s the most basic element in hockey,” and its importance cannot be understated.