There were two interesting pieces of news in the ice hockey arena in the past few weeks.

• First, USA Hockey inked a multi-year extension of its partnership with Winmark – the Resale Company and its portfolio of franchised retail resale brands, which include Play It Again Sports, Plato’s Closet, Once Upon A Child, Style Encore and Music Go Round. As part of the deal Winmark will continue to have the exclusive designation as the official resale partner of USA Hockey in addition to being an official sponsor of the organization.

Also as part of the partnership, Winmark will be part of USA Hockey’s annual Welcome Back Week, where hockey families are welcomed back to the sport in September. In addition, Winmark will have exposure across USA Hockey’s national teams in various ways, including on equipment and through social media content.

• Then Pure Hockey acquired Behind the Mask, a hockey retailer with three locations in Arizona, marking its first entry into the state and growing its reach in the broader U.S. hockey market.  With the acquisition of Behind the Mask, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, Pure Hockey operates 77 retail stores across 25 states nationwide. Behind the Mask has a freestanding store in Scottsdale, AZ, and locations within AZ Ice Peoria and AZ Ice Gilbert. The company supports local youth hockey programs, leagues and teams, fostering growth and development at the grassroots level.

“We are thrilled to welcome Behind the Mask into the Pure Hockey family,” says David Nectow, CEO of Pure Hockey. “This expansion is not only a testament to the growing popularity of hockey but also a reflection of our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality products and exceptional service to the hockey community. We’re excited to establish our presence in Arizona and look forward to serving the needs of the local hockey community.”

“We are very excited to find an acquisition partner in Pure Hockey. As the industry leader, Pure Hockey provides an exceptional retail experience that our customers have come to expect from Behind the Mask. This is outstanding news for our customers, and we can’t wait to begin this new journey with the Pure Hockey family,” adds Randy Exelby, owner of Behind the Mask.