Pro Sharp Skate Pal has an edge

Back in the 80’s and 90’s new hockey technology brought us the vending machine-like skate sharpeners to help players get a quick sharpening when the arena’s skate sharpener was off for the night or not in yet in the morning.

Well, technology has now moved way past that and now players and teams can actually carry a portable skate sharpener with them to the rink.

John D’Agostino, a North Bay lawyer and dedicated hockey Dad saw the portable Pro Sharp machines at a tournament in the Toronto area and brought the Skate Pal sharpeners to the area last summer.

“The system is very affordable, compact and easy to use,” said D’Agostino who was showing off his sharpening system at the OFSAA boys hockey tournament here in late March.

“ You put the skate in a clamp and press a button and after 5 sharpenings you will have a complete brand new surface that has full contact with the ice from one end to the other.”

A Fundraising Pal

Aside from being a handy piece of hockey technology, D’Agostino is also implementing the machines as part of a fundraising pilot project.

“We are using the Skate Pal machine in connection with the NHL Alumni and we are going to offer the machines for free but we work on a sharing of profit,” D’Agostino explained.

“We donate up to 50% of the sharpening charges that the teams will charge their kids right back to the team.”
A handful of local teams jumped on the Skate Pal bandwagon this past season including the Peewee ‘AAA’ Trappers and the Silver Stick winning East Nipissing Vipers.

“The kids know what their skates will do every time they go on the ice,” he added about the consistent sharpening job the Skate Pal does.

Minor hockey players aren’t the only ones using the system. NHL players like Tomas Kaberle, Miikka Kiprusoff, Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Naslund all endorse the machines that are built in Sweden.

For more information on the Skate Pal system go to www.prosharp.ca