In just ten days a selection of professional hockey players from a number of different teams within the NHL will be hitting the ice with new battery-powered, heated hockey skates that are designed to cut the ice with better speed, precision, and control. The Thermablade is a new product being manufactured and sold out of Quebec. It is made without a boot and is designed instead to be used to replace the blades of existing hockey skates. The invention of an Alberta native, Tory Weber’s idea that a warm blade would cut across ice better than a cold one has attracted a large number of investors, including Hockey Legend Wayne Gretzky and is expected to be officially accepted by the NHL after just two weeks of in-game testing.

Launched this morning at the Hockey Hall of Fame, inventor Tory Weber explained the various aspects of the Thermablade’s designs and showcased details from his companies product testing and player trials.

The Thermablade takes a traditional steel blade and connects it to a special plastic mold that contains a heating wire, microprocessor, and proximity sensor. When turned on, these will heat the blade to a consistent temperature of 5 C degrees, not hot enough to melt ice, but warm enough to increase the microscopic layer of water that exists between ice and steel. The company describes the effect as having a pair of mini Zambonis in front of your feet.

Video clips shown at the launch showcased trials between two players, one running on cold skates, the other running on warm ones and the results depicted that the warm blades allowed players to perform stronger, faster strokes when starting up on a run and tighter, more precise turns when weaving around pylons or skating in Tornado drills.

Statistics released today include a reduction in starting friction by 65%-75%, sliding friction by 50%-55%, and an overall improvement by 10. They claim that will also translate into a reduction in the player’s heart rate, lower oxygen demand, increased stamina, and so less fatigue throughout a game.

Compared to other gadgets on the market, Thermablade measures up fairly slickly. The electronics and the battery have both been encased inside their own protective housing to make them impact and water resistant (the same housing I’m told used in nightvision goggles). The battery is a lithium-ion polymer that is expected to last for 70 minutes per charge. To help extend battery life, the microprocessor and sensors are designed to detect changes in temperature and know when you are off the ice, so that it can enter stand-by mode when you’re on the bench.

To prevent accidental powering on or off, the blades only kick in when activated through a proximity switch. When you press on both sides of the back heel at the same time, a little red light glows from within the blade indicating it’s been turned on, the same procedure is used to turn it off.

In addition to the technology, the blade has also been given a slightly raised heel that will force a player’s foot to distribute a player’s weight more towards the ball of the foot to compensate for the increased control the warm blade will provide. The plastic housing, which they refer to as an overmould design, and a special bolt mounted to the blade will also reduce mechanical vibrations from the steel (which is needed if the included sensors are to be accurate).

According to the manufacturers, the blades will not have a negative impact on rinks, they will not damage the ice, mainly because the blades merely run warm, not hot. The NHL apparently agrees and one of the reasons they have been so quick to allow their testing in official games.

Replacing the battery

The Thermablade charging station

The blades will be launching in specialty stores soon (listed as “This Fall”) in adult sizes only at first for a price of $399.

Although Wayne Gretzky is an investor with Thermablade, his busy schedule prevented him from making an appearance at the launch. Instead he sent along a video of himself using the blades and conveying his belief that the new blades represent a technology who’s time has come and that his own personal tests with the blades show immediate difference in his skating. “Oh, these feel great….I should still be playing!” he exclaimed. His father, Walter Gretzky made an appearance in his place and was kind enough to pose for photographers.

Tory Weber, the Alberta man behind the invention, related the story of how he came up with the idea in his kitchen back in 1985. He showcased his very first prototype, a skate that had a long blue hose connected to it that allowed hot water to be pumped to the blade. He didn’t wear it, instead used it on sheets of ice he created in his kitchen with baking pans.

That first prototype has now been entered into the Hockey Hall of Fame for display along with the first finished Thermablade product to come off of the assembly line.

The Thermablade created with the serial number of “99” has also been pulled off the assembly line and reserved for Wayne Gretzky to keep as a souvenir.

Tory Weber also gave a quick history lesson on skate blade designed using a number of exhibits from the hall itself.

A CCM skate from the 1920’s

A patented skate from 1932

In 1952 they used a Daoust Deluxe as the NHL-approved skate.

The first plastic/steel combination arrived in 2002 from Bauer.

And today with the 99th pair of Thermablades