Hockey gear costs soaring in Minnesota, 50% Canada tariffs threaten to push prices higher
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Tariffs on Canada could make an already expensive sport even pricier for hockey families.
Hockey gear prices soaring in Minnesota
For families with kids in hockey, the price of gear was already painful — and now it could get worse.
What we know:
Hockey sticks and skates are among more than 550 goods named in the tariffs by the White House. B&R Sports Director of E-commerce John Merola told the Associated Press that custom equipment is also manufactured by True Hockey in Canada and imported into the U.S., with skates and goalie gear falling into that category. An average stick is now $200, Merola said, with high-end versions ranging up to $400. He noted that Bauer, CCM and True still make many custom items in Canada.
The Associated Press reported that when one St. Paul family bought custom goalie gear a couple of years ago, the entire setup cost $3,300. Skate pairs that went for between $80 and $900 in 2016 are now $200 to $1,230, according to HockeySkates DB, a database that tracks prices from various companies.
"If a kid on the ice breaks a stick, every other parent is looking at that mom or dad going, 'Ahhh oh, no!'" Kelly Rand, the mother of two teenage twin boys who play hockey, told the Associated Press. "You feel for them. How many $400 sticks can you afford in one season?"
The tariff impact
Why you should care:
President Trump's administration levied a 50% tariff against Canada, and industry leaders say it couldn't come at a worse time. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association's manufacturers sales report shows the amount spent on hockey equipment increased 45.4% from 2020 to 2025, rising to $332.9 million from $228.9 million, alongside growing participation in the sport.
"This is not a minor blip by any means," Sports & Fitness Industry Association CEO Todd Smith told the Associated Press. "Even if manufacturers have moved over the last several years from Canada to other countries, there's still a healthy amount being manufactured in Canada and, yeah, this 50% tariff is a big deal."
According to U.S. International Trade Commission data — which does not separate ice and field hockey equipment — gear from Canada made up roughly 8.5% of imports last year, ranking fourth behind 52.7% from China, 13.2% from Vietnam and 9.5% from Thailand, the Associated Press reported. Of the 2.1 million hockey sticks imported last year, trade data shows more than 1.5 million, or 74.1%, came from China and 268,000, or 12.8%, from Mexico, compared to 18,909, or 0.9%, from Canada.
What's next:
It remains unclear how long the tariffs will stay in place or whether trade negotiations between the U.S. and Canada will resume. It is also unclear exactly how quickly — or by how much — manufacturers and retailers will pass the added costs on to consumers.
Merola told the Associated Press he thinks long-term tariffs will push companies to move more production to the U.S., Asia or elsewhere. Roustan Hockey, described as the last major hockey stick factory in Canada, reaffirmed last week it will keep making sticks there despite the challenges.
"We remain committed to our employees, our customers and our manufacturing operations here in Canada," said founder W. Graeme Roustan in a statement after hosting federal minister Evan Solomon for a tour of the facility in Brantford, Ontario.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said trade talks could resume if Washington became serious about negotiations.
The Source: This story uses information from an Associated Press report.