The Future of Hockey Lab, a Non-Profit

As a national non-profit committed to innovation, we offer a risk-free, independent, creative space to explore, test, and build radical new ways for everyone to reach the top of their game.

It was a classic good news/bad news situation. The Task Force put together by Hockey Nova Scotia to improve Diversity and inclusion had been a big success. They'd had massive participation from across the Hockey community, who identified critical issues that needed to be addressed in our Hockey systems and culture and shared dozens of ideas about fixing things.

However, Executive Director Amy Walsh and the team leading the initiative knew it'd be nearly impossible to execute those ideas from within the system–people had been trying for decades with little success. If they wanted to remove deeply entrenched barriers to the game and create open access for everyone–from players and coaches to Zamboni drivers and analysts—they'd need a radically new approach to making change.

They'd need to find a way to look beyond one-time quick fixes and tackle the root cause of issues. They'd need to engage diverse people from across the Hockey world, not just those representing the system. They'd need to think outside the box to quickly generate and test many new ideas. They'd need to shift from talking about problems to building solutions.

They'd need to do something nobody had ever done–start an independent innovation lab dedicated to the future of Hockey.

It would be a considerable challenge. There was no playbook for creating system change in sports. But Hockey was in trouble, and they were out of time. So they gathered some allies, scraped up some funding, and launched the Future of Hockey Lab (FHL) in 2021.

Making it happen

Today, the FHL is the only innovation lab in the world dedicated to growing the game by creating open access to Hockey for all.

How? By bringing changemakers from across the Hockey community together with innovation experts and leading Hockey brands to discover, test, and build new ways to change Hockey's culture and systems, make the game more accessible and inclusive. Solutions like:

• Our Open Ice project aims to make the use of Canada’s rinks more efficient and equitable.

• Our Behind the Bench coaching network was developed by and for female coaches to help them get and stay in the game.

• Our Innovation Sprint program helps Hockey brands grow.

And we’re just getting started.

Through our research with community, sports, and corporate leaders, we’ve identified dozens more game-changing opportunities to grow Hockey participation by driving innovation in areas like finance, fans, development pathways, and artificial ice.

Our team has decades of expertise in sport, innovation, and equity, backed by partnerships with significant Hockey associations, brands, and community organizations. And our one-of-a-kind approach fuses proven innovation methods with inclusive Canadian values.

We all know that the fastest way to grow Hockey for good is to figure out how to open it up to new audiences. That's what we do.

We help partners and allies get beyond research and talk to build real-world solutions to complex Hockey challenges so everyone can reach the top of their game.

Want to know more? See How We Work. Or read our Changemaker Stories below.