Let’s hear it for hockey! In 2024, Utah got its first pro National Hockey League team, the Utah Mammoth.
Hockey’s history goes back to the 19th century, and for much of that history, hockey relied directly on trees.
Hockey sticks were crafted almost entirely from wood — most often ash, birch or maple. Their combination of strength and shock absorption helped players pass and shoot with precision.
Those early sticks were shaped by skilled carpenters from single pieces of wood, creating implements that were both strong and responsive. Later, manufacturers laminated several thin layers of wood together, improving consistency and reducing breakage.
Today’s hockey sticks are made from composites such as carbon fiber and Kevlar. But wooden sticks still have fans who like their familiar feel and their connection to the game’s early days.
Hockey pucks have a different history — but one also related to trees. Early pucks were improvised from wood or even frozen cow dung. The modern puck emerged with the invention of vulcanized rubber, which is made from natural latex of the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis.
Latex is a milky sap collected by tapping the trees, much like harvesting sap from maples. A single rubber tree produces 300 pounds of rubber in its life — about 800 pucks worth!
So when you go to a Mammoth game, cheer both for our players and for the trees that provide their sticks and pucks!
