Hockey Puck Endurance (2024)

Pucks, like everything else do not last forever. We feel you should have all the information. So, here we go...

1. Logo Wear
2. Durability
3. Liability

Logo Wear

OGP has two different printing methods and will suggest the best method for our customers based primarily on price. In both cases, we clean pucks prior to printing and use special additives in the inks to enhance ink adhesion to the puck. We do everything we possibly can to ensure good logo adhesion. However, ice is a very abrasive surface and logo wear is inevitable for game used pucks. How long a logo lasts will vary significantly depending on ice conditions and a host of other factors.

Pucks used by the NHL and other high level leagues don't get used for longer than a few minutes typically. So logo wear is less of an issue in these cases (In the NHL, pucks are replaced at every TV timeout - 4 minute intervals - and refs are instructed to replace once in between if an opportunity occurs. This is done primarily to ensure a frozen puck is always in use but also ensure logo wear is always minimal.). The longer the puck is used, the more likely there will be logo damage.

Typical wear is very difficult to quantify. While we test each puck model to ensure it is suitable for printing before we offer it to our customers, slight variances in the puck itself can impact adhesion.

One factor that impacts logo wear is time. The greater the time between when a puck is printed and when it is used, the longer the logo will typically last. A chemical reaction is taking place between the ink and the rubber. The longer the time, the stonger the chemical bond.

We do not warranty pucks for logo wear once it hits the ice. No printers do. However, if there is some sort of catastrophic failure of the logo we welcome feedback and if we see evidence that something did go wrong at our end, we will make every effort to address the issue. But understand that typical wear resulting from normal use isn't something we can address.

Durability

With the added stress on a puck today, it is not a big surprise that they do not last as long as they used to. All pucks today are far more likely to chip or even break when used as compared to 20 years ago. So why don't manufacturers just make their pucks harder and more durable? There are two main reasons.

A harder puck is more difficult to shoot and pass. A puck is designed to have some give. It's a simple matter of physics involving the transfer of energy between the puck and the stick. A puck compresses when struck just like a golf ball. If it didn't, the game would be very different. The hardness of a puck is measured with a Durometer. It's a basic impact test that measures the resistance of a plunger when it impacts a puck. There's an acceptable range for a puck and manufacturers have to stay within a set range.

The other factor is the rink glass. Glass breakage can be a major expense if it occurs too frequently. It can also disrupt a game while the glass is being replaced. While it is debatable how often the breakage of rink glass is the result of the puck (Typically the real cause is a small flaw in the glass that is struck just at the perfect spot or is the result of how the glass is installed.), the puck is something that gets pointed at as the cause. With players shooting much harder on average as compared to just a decade or two ago, the number of high speed impacts is much more frequent. Over the past 20 years, there seems to be a trend to manufacture pucks that are slightly softer than they were in the past. The result of all this is all pucks seem to wear more quickly.

It is also worth noting that pucks will get slightly harder over time. Oils are used in the manufacturing of a puck. Gradually, these oils will migrate to the surface and in most cases evaporate. If they migrate too quickly, an oily layer can form on a puck over time as these oils work their way to the surface. It's a natural process and nothing to be concerned about. Buf if you have an old puck kicking around the hockey bag it may seem harder and more durable as a result. It may be. But it may not have been when initially made. So comparing old and new pucks isn't an apples to apples comparison.

A few other things to note is that pucks are designed to be used frozen. Go to any professional or junior game and you'll find that pucks are either taken out of a freezer or kept in an ice bucket prior to use. This is done to make the pucks a bit harder and less bouncy. In fact, NHL pucks are used for no more than 2-3 minutes on average before they are replaced. The warmer the puck, the softer it will be and the more likely it is to chip.

As a result of all this, we cannot warranty a puck for chipping or any other sort of damage once it hits the ice. How it's used and under what conditions are beyond our control. Our approach is to offer you the widest choice possible of puck models and let you decide which is best for your application. Anyone telling you that they have the best puck available is misleading you and typically only has one puck available. Each puck has its pros and cons. Selecting the appropriate model depends on how it's being used.

Liability

While the vast majority of our pucks are used in games, practices or are sold as souvenirs, some of our pucks find other uses. We've had them used as wheels on gliders, dampeners under the legs of safes and door knobs. You'd be surprised what uses people find for pucks.

OGP does not warranty any puck for any miscellaneous application found for it. Included in this is autograph signing. Markers and pens used to autogaph a puck many not stick. Or if they stick initially, they may come off over time as the puck ages. If you want to have a puck autographed, the signature has a better chance of staying on if you clean the puck first removing any surface oil and dirt. However, we cannot gaurantee that ink from a pen or marker will permanently bond to the puck.

Finally OGP is not responsible for any damage caused to equipment or glass breakage. Pucks are virtually never the actual undelying cause of glass breakage. And OGP is not responsible for any injury caused by a flying puck.

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