NHL Ice Expert Oversees Barons' Installation

Dan Craig, the NHL’s Facilities Operations Manager, was at the Cox Convention Center to help with the new ice and rink.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 11:56 am

By: News On 6

NHL Ice Expert Oversees Barons' Installation

Originally Published: Sep 14, 2010 6:49 PM CDT

Grant Belcher
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Installing a professional hockey ice rink is a complex process.

That’s why the new Oklahoma City Barons AHL team brought in the best to help do it.

Dan Craig, the NHL’s Facilities Operations Manager, made the trip to Oklahoma City on Tuesday to help with the installation of a new ice rink inside the Cox Convention Center.

Craig is considered the best in the business when it comes to ice for hockey rinks and he oversees game day operations for all 30 NHL teams. He also managed the ice-making process for the hockey rinks in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.

The process involved a new type of chiller system in order to make a complete, even sheet of ice and took a couple of days.

Craig said the cooling of the floor took place Monday and the sealing, painting and drilling took about 12 hours on Tuesday.