TORONTO – The National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association today announced the six finalist groups for the Ontario‑based Hockey Innovation Competition presented by SAP.
The third edition of the competition invited Ontario-based post-secondary students to develop bold, practical ideas that address real‑world challenges facing the game, with a focus on the future of hockey infrastructure. Final Pitch Day will take place on March 25 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, where teams will present to industry experts from the NHL, NHLPA and SAP.
Hockey infrastructure plays a critical role in access, participation, and long-term growth of the sport across Canada. Students were encouraged to begin by identifying a specific infrastructure‑related challenge -- ranging from aging community rinks and limited ice access to outdated facilities and a lack of multi‑use spaces -- and develop a practical, innovative solution with clear implementation potential for the NHL, its Clubs, or community partners.
Through this competition, the NHL aims to harness student creativity and emerging technology to reimagine hockey spaces and strengthen the community experience.
THE PITCHES
All-Play
Team: Jacob Goldbach, Cole Hooton, Gizelle Venty, Deanna Westlaken
George Brown College
- All-Play is an autonomous, zero-cost hockey equipment library located in community arenas that use SAP-powered inventory tracking and UV-C sanitization to reduce barriers and increase youth participation in the sport.
Convertible Smart Courts
Team: Jaidan Graham, Abigail Sanni
Humber Polytechnic
- Convertible Smart Courts are solar-assisted, multi-use community spaces that function as basketball courts year-round and transform into low-cost synthetic ice rinks in winter to expand hockey access in underserved communities.
Every Step Counts
Team: Alexandra Cohen, Emily Miasik, Mackenzie Nyusa, Lila Pringle University of Guelph
- Every Step Counts installs kinetic floor tiles in NHL arena entrances and Kids Zones to convert fan movement into renewable energy, creating an interactive, sustainable game-day experience powered by real-time data.
First-Line
Team: Jordan Bates
Queen's University
- First-Line is a smart arena app that uses real-time AI and SAP analytics to dynamically optimize seating, concessions, navigation, and in-game engagement to enhance fan experience and unlock new revenue.
Reignite the Rink
Team: Sausha Goodhand, Elle Hebert, Airika Natyshak, Aryanna Pierson
St. Clair College
- Reignite the Rink is a scalable retrofit system that captures and reuses excess rink heat, integrates modular multi-use spaces, and connects communities through a digital app to transform aging arenas into sustainable, year-round hubs.
RinkNext
Team: Roy Luo, Max Tan, Carl Wang, Joey Zhang
University of Waterloo
- RinkNext is a scalable “Rink-as-a-Platform” model that retrofits community arenas with heat recovery, multi-use conversion kits, and digital management tools to cut energy costs and expand year-round access.
HISTORY
Now entering its third edition, the Hockey Innovation Competition reflects the NHL’s ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability, and expanding access to the game for fans and participants of all backgrounds. Collectively, the first three editions of the competition attracted 135 unique submissions from 36 educational institutions, representing the participation of more than 615 students.
More information about the competition, including eligibility, submission details, and prizing is available here.
- The Innovator Award: AI Hockey Hubs (Aldofo Acevedo & Demetrius Walker, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University)
- The Changemaker Award: Hockey Unidos (Anthony Costanzo, Kylie Hafner, Claire Maloney, Emma Mussante, University of South Florida)
- First Place: NHL Champions Quest (Alexandra Lindsay, Julia Lowther, Caroline MacLeod, Sophie Potter and Gray Yates, University of Guelph)
- Runner Up: NHL x Broadcast Properties (Joshua Mastandrea, Ryan Mee, Hunter Sutherland Humber Polytechnic
The NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund was established in 2013 by the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association and since inception has dedicated more than $200 million to many programs. Supported by the NHL’s 32 Clubs and created to support and accelerate the development of NHL and Club business initiatives and projects that promote long-term fan development and increase participation at all levels of hockey with an emphasis on youth participation.
NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the NHLPA and are used under license. © NHLPA. All Rights Reserved.
NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. © 2026 NHL. All Rights Reserved.
