A new one-stop mega shop for hockey nuts of all ages has come to Vaughan, just in time for the new season.

Pro Hockey Life, set to open on Thursday, Aug. 23 in Vaughan Mills, is being billed as the largest hockey store in Canada. Penned into the star-studded opening lineup were former Toronto Maple Leaf defenceman Al Iafrate and current Buds Alexei Ponikarovsky, Carlo Colaiacovo and Alexander Steen.

“We want to present consumers, whether male, female, professional or amateur, with all of the gear they could ever possibly need, all under one roof,” said company president and CEO Gilbert Rousseau. “Consumers will no longer have to travel from one general sports outlet to another to find appropriate hockey equipment.”

With more than 2,700 square metres of space for all things hockey, a wide selection of women’s gear also graces the shelves, though don’t expect the ladies to get any special treatment.

“Don’t look for women’s gear in a separate section,” Rousseau said. “At Pro Hockey Life, we cater to one clientele: hockey enthusiasts – period.”

The store also boasts interactive features, like synthetic ice that allows shoppers to try their skates before they buy. Another draw is the RapidShot training system that provides instant feedback to players on speed, accuracy and reaction time.

Vaughan Today 
Friday, August 24, 2007 
Page: 6 
Section: Vaughan Business 
Byline: Philip Alves