Our Story

RINK RAT WRAPZ is the longtime vision of my family. We are the founders, owners, and operators of the business; and for those who may be interested, here is Our Story…

The Beginning

Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, it was hockey, hockey, and hockey that largely defined my youth in the 70’s and 80’s. The countless hours of shinny at the outdoor rinks, the keen anticipation of tryouts in September, the weekend routine with Hockey Night In Canada, the bite of pre-dawn winter mornings, the road hockey face-offs, the years of supportive coaching from my Dad while driving to and from every practice and game, the excitement of summer camps, the holiday tournaments, the faithful encouragement from my Hockey Mom, and even the oh so special smell of my equipment bag — I loved it all! The next two decades were a continuation of much the same, only this time I was the Dad and coach, living in hockey-mad New England, and relishing all the same joys of the game, especially those as seen through the face masks of the next generation of enthusiastic pucksters.

The Greatest

Looking back, there was another all-important aspect of our game that stimulated pure joy in those early years as well — the gear. Let’s face it, pulling on that new team sweater with your name and favourite number emblazoned on the back, opening the box to lace up a pair of the latest jets with precision, and methodically taping that special twig which was sure to light the lamp, each felt like absolutely nothing else could. This was certainly true for me, as it was for all of my teammates. The day I finally got that coveted Titan will be etched in my mind forever. Unlike the other wood grain sticks, this was something entirely different. It was painted bright white and red, and even boasted the autograph of my childhood idol himself, Wayne Gretzky. Of course, The Great One also skated with the envy of every young player’s eye, mine included. Those signature royal blue blades were, likewise, simply the greatest. But, they were reserved for #99, for him alone, and for no one else since.

Fast-forward to today, and the gear is more a part of the game than ever before. Our budding Connor McDavid’s and Hilary Knight’s are as on top of the look as we had always hoped to be. In fact, these are the very players who head home from the rink, quickly confiscate something from the kitchen, and then proceed immediately to the screens, eager to invest the subsequent hours upon hours designing customized sneakers, clothing, and hats. This, in turn, becomes the off-ice gear they so proudly sport on their way back to the rink, and the cycle continues.

The Question

So, given the forever love of the gear that we players all share, and the reality of our customization-crazed world, there is one glaringly-obvious question that has perplexed me for the better part of 15 years: Why is it that every dressing room has a lineup of sticks that virtually all look the same, and our skate options are still limited to either white or black blades, as they have for the past 40 years?!?! Well, at the heart of this question, is where our family vision lies, and the answer begins.

The Answer

To all the Rink Rats around the globe, who collectively live and breathe the coolest game on earth, we are now so pleased to introduce you to the first and only RINK RAT WRAPZ — CUSTOM WRAPZ FOR SKATES & STICKS. As we continue to bring more and more colours, finishes, patterns, and themes to the hockey world, we sincerely hope you and your teammates will find great joy in making YOUR GAME, YOUR GROOVE!