Moose star backs new Rink

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This article was published 28/08/2009 (6063 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Moose captain Mike Keane has joined a trio of local businesspeople to bring a unique hockey training facility to Winnipeg.

And while he can’t guarantee the on- and off-ice instruction at The Rink will allow young pucksters to duplicate his success in the National Hockey League — Keane won a trio of Stanley Cups with three different teams — he gives his solemn pledge of one constant for all players: fun.

Keane, 42, recently agreed to return for a fifth season with the Moose. He says he won’t be handling any on-ice duties at the 20,000-square-foot, multimillion-dollar complex just off Kenaston Boulevard in south Winnipeg, but he will serve as a consultant.

"I’m going to do whatever I can to make sure this is a fun place for the kids. I have a bit of a background in hockey, and my brother Billy has been coaching for 25 years. He’s the brains of the on-ice activities (as The Rink’s head of hockey development)," he said.

Keane is joined by fellow investors, Brad and Tyler Rice, both of whom cut their teeth at Rice Financial, and Tina Jones, owner of Banville & Jones Wine Co., the largest private wine seller in the province.

The Rink, which had a soft opening a couple of weeks ago, has a primary skating area measuring 50 feet by 110 feet, (regulation rinks are 200 feet by 85 feet), a secondary shooting area for goaltenders (30 feet by 30 feet), 4,500 square feet of weight training and other fitness facilities, six dressing rooms, a pro shop and a soon-to-be licensed viewing area.

It offers programs for boys and girls throughout the year, including three-on-three, and to entire teams during the hockey season, all designed to complement the work of their coaches.

Keane said he had been asked by other parties in the past to get involved with their hockey endeavours but he’d turned them all down.

"Brad and Tyler had the right idea, the passion and the right mindset. It just felt right," he said. "It’s something we think will be a great fit for Winnipeg. It’s totally catching on in the states and out east."

Brad Rice said the idea for a different kind of hockey training centre came to him while hanging out in various hockey arenas around town, coffee cup in hand, shooting the breeze with other parents. He said The Rink’s goal is to have its instructors oversee the progression of their players throughout their development, similar to the relationship between tennis and squash coaches, for example, and their charges.

That means year-round training, not just one- or two-week blitzes at the end of summer.

"(Tyler and I) said, ‘We’ve got to try this or we’ll look back in a few years and kick ourselves after somebody else does it,’" he said, noting he hasn’t left his day job as president of Acquire Capital, a local financial planning firm.

Tyler Rice, who serves as The Rink’s general manager, said the decision to build a smaller-than-regulation rink was partly based on price but considering the end goal is to teach skating, shooting and passing, it’s ideally suited to their needs, especially with younger players.

"Every other sport has kids playing on smaller surfaces, whether it’s baseball or soccer. Can you imagine eight-year-olds playing on a full-sized soccer field? The smaller surface means the stronger kids are forced to play in some traffic and the weaker kids are much more involved in the play," he said.

Keane said his goal is to see The Rink help as many kids as possible live out their hockey dreams, including playing in the NHL.

"I’d love to hear from kids that (The Rink’s programs) were great for their development and helped them over the years," he said.

Keane is also eating his own cooking as his kids, Jack, 12, and Olivia, 9, are currently participating in The Rink’s camps.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca