Article By: Doug Pitkin Photo Credit: JetIce.com
Growing up in the seventies north of Toronto, you had to be a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was a blue and white world even though the Leafs were a few years removed from the glories of the sixties when they captured four Stanley Cups. The legacy of the franchise that played in the Vatican of Hockey known as Maple Leaf Gardens and its revered legendary players and performances, were certainly enough to capture the adulation of the next generation.
Also in the seventies, times were a changing. Those that could embrace the changes went on to success, even glory. Those that couldn’t, well, let’s just say 1967 is a long time ago.
Hockey experienced an earth quake. It was the beginning of a major upheaval with the NHL’s inaugural expansion which realigned it’s perennial paths and foundation structure. Employment in professional hockey doubled which generated demand and put a strain on hockey’s ability to supply players; supporting cast members; venues for teams; and of course the buildings’ ability to host more games and in warmer climates. And then, the World Hockey Association laced them up as well. Hockey went rogue and all were left scrambling to answer the call on oh so many fronts!
Pretty extensive when you recap hockey’s timeline in just a couple of paragraphs!
Let’s look at how the game’s changes, affected it’s infrastructure in the ability to host so many events and keep ice at an acceptable quality.
A major player enters the game and rises to prominence with his keen intellect knowing there were problems to resolve and figuring it all out, well, it just needed to happen.
In the ‘50’s, Doug Moore was a goaltender who ignored his playing career and chose to pursue engineering as his career - in so doing he went on to have an ice career that started in the fifties lasted and through the nineties. Very important to note that as he performed, over time, he actually enhanced his game, got better and better again! Elevating his game exponentially for the world to enjoy his achievements due to his dedication!!
Doug Moore also known as “Canada’s Ice Man”.
This article is courtesy of Deborah Wilcock, President, Jet Ice Inc., the company he founded, the company that is currently run by his family and is a global entity today!
Thank you to the Moore family for continuing forward with outstanding service to all things ice and being a top performer!
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