Hockey pucks just got a lot cooler!  

The official game pucks of the National Hockey League® featuring thermochromic coatings supplied by PPG will now be used for ALL games in the 2019-2020 season!

Did you know that professional hockey teams freeze their game pucks?

The pucks are made of rubber and frozen to help them glide easily along the ice. When a puck starts getting warm (above 30˚ F) because of inside arena temperatures and the friction of the ice, it will start to bounce — just like rubber would!  This makes it hard for players to accurately control, pass and shoot during the game.

To solve this problem, PPG worked in collaboration with LCR Hallcrest testing a solution to this problem — an ink that will give referees a way to tell when the puck is too warm and should be replaced. The ink is is applied to the puck and turns purple when frozen, then  turns to white when it reaches above 30˚ F. Once pucks are removed from play, they are never used again — but they make great souvenirs for fans!  This is another way that PPG continues to integrate into the fabric of the game.

The coated pucks will be tested at NHL tentpole events during the 2018-19 season and will be further evaluated for broader use in the future.