3ICE
 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 13, 2020 |
| Founder | E.J. Johnston |
| First season | 2022 |
| CEO | E.J. Johnston |
| Commissioner | Craig Patrick |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Most recent champion(s) | Team Murphy[1] (2023) |
| TV partner(s) | CBS Sports (United States) TSN/RDS (Canada) |
| Official website | www |
3ICE is an professional three-on-three
History
The National Hockey League (NHL) introduced three-on-three overtime in 2015.[2] Reality TV producer E.J. Johnston, the son of former NHL goaltender and coach Eddie Johnston, observed the new overtime format's popularity among fans, including at a Pittsburgh Penguins training camp and as an option in NHL video games, and began conceiving a three-on-three league as early as 2016.[3][4] Johnston felt the three-on-three format highlighted players' "creativity" and thought the extra spacing allowed shorter "waterbug guys" to thrive.[2][3][4]
3ICE was announced on January 13, 2020, along with television broadcast deals with CBS Sports in the United States and TSN and Quebec's RDS in Canada.[3][5] The Hockey Hall of Fame coach Craig Patrick was named as the first commissioner.[3] Johnston pitched the concept to hockey agents, players, TV executives, and other investors, raising almost US$10 million by the end of 2021.[4][6][7]
Originally scheduled for the summer of 2021, 3ICE's inaugural season was delayed by a year due to the
Format and rules
3ICE takes place from June to August during the NHL offseason.
Games consist of quick eight-minute halves, with the clock stopping only for
Teams
| Team | Home Arena | City | Founded | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3ICE Minnesota | 3M Arena at Mariucci | Minneapolis, Minnesota | 2022 | Larry Murphy |
| 3ICE NY/NJ | Prudential Center | Newark, New Jersey | 2024 | Ken Daneyko |
| 3ICE Boston | Tsongas Center | Lowell, Massachusetts | 2023 | Ray Bourque |
| 3ICE Buffalo | The LECOM Harborcenter | Buffalo, New York | 2024 | Pierre Turgeon |
| 3ICE Pittsburgh | PPG Paints Arena | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 2022 | Joe Mullen |
| 3ICE Chicago | Fox Valley Ice Arena | Geneva, Illinois | 2022 | Grant Fuhr |
| 3ICE Tennessee | F&M Bank Arena | Clarksville, Tennessee | 2022 | John LeClair |
| 3ICE Dallas | Credit Union of TX Event Center | Allen, Texas | 2022 | Guy Carbonneau |
See also
- Big3, 3x3 basketball league founded in 2017
References
- ^ Kennedy, Ian (August 14, 2023). "3ICE Wraps Up Second Season With Down-to-the-Wire Final". The Hockey News. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ a b Bumbaca, Chris (May 20, 2020). "New 3-on-3 hockey league, '3ICE,' set to debut in 2021 with star-studded group of coaches". USA Today. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Birnbaum, Justin (January 16, 2020). "3ICE's New Media Approach Geared To Attracting Younger Fans To 3-On-3 Hockey". Forbes. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ a b c DeFabo, Mike (May 20, 2020). "Craig Patrick, E.J. Johnston among driving forces behind new 3-on-3 hockey league". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (January 13, 2020). "CBS Sports Nabs U.S. TV Rights to New 3-on-3 Pro Hockey League". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ a b Shapiro, Sean (July 5, 2022). "Three-on-three summer hockey league, 3ICE, up and running with robust prize pool, TV deals". The Athletic. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Zucker, Joseph (December 8, 2021). "3-on-3 Pro Hockey League 3ICE to Debut Next June; Raised Nearly $10M To Date". Bleacher Report. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Bumbaca, Chris (February 21, 2021). "3ICE, 3-on-3 hockey league set to debut this summer, delays start plans until 2022". USA Today. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Madden, Mark (June 22, 2022). "Debut of 3ICE hockey a raging success, should spark changes to NHL overtime". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ "3ICE Teams". 3ICE. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ "Las Vegas Weekend Recap of the Patrick Cup Championship". 3ICE. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Wyshynski, Greg (January 13, 2020). "Visionary 3-on-3 league preparing to showcase skill and speed on ice during the summer heat of 2021". ESPN. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g Wyshynski, Greg (August 18, 2022). "Inside 3ICE 3-on-3 hockey's revolutionary first season". ESPN. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ a b c d McIndoe, Sean; Gentille, Sean; Mendes, Ian (August 31, 2022). "3ICE is a new league with weird new rules. Would they work in the NHL?". The Athletic. Retrieved November 12, 2023.