Innovative Hockey
Pioneer of composite sticks and Detroit Red Wings favorite.
Innovative Hockey, Inc. was a California-based company that made ice hockey sticks from 1996 to 2005, with a factory in Tijuana, Mexico. It was founded by Ronald H. Kunisaki and is credited with pioneering composite stick shafts and one-piece sticks. The brand became well known for its close ties to the Detroit Red Wings; at one point, roughly half of the team’s players used Innovative sticks. In 2005, the lacrosse company Warrior Sports, owned by New Balance, bought Innovative, and the acquisition became the foundation for Warrior’s hockey division.
The company grew out of Innovative Sports Technologies, Inc., founded in 1990 by Kunisaki, Richard Carr, and Kirk S. Oshinomi, which originally made graphite golf club shafts. After meeting Kunisaki at a charity golf tournament, Los Angeles Kings player Dave Taylor suggested the company try making hockey stick shafts and offered to test them. Kunisaki launched Innovative Hockey in 1996, selling shafts. The first NHL player to use an Innovative stick was Alexei Kovalev, quickly followed by Sergei Fedorov. Within a couple of years, about 30 NHL players were using the sticks.
In the late 1990s, Innovative struck a licensing deal with Bauer to produce composite sticks for that brand. For the rest of its existence, most of Innovative’s factory output—peaking at roughly 10,000 sticks per month—went to Bauer, while Innovative’s own sticks remained a boutique product. The company’s association with the Detroit Red Wings was especially strong: eight players from the club’s 2002 Stanley Cup championship roster—Kirk Maltby, Brett Hull, Kris Draper, Luc Robitaille, Tomas Holmström, Darren McCarty, Igor Larionov, and Sergei Fedorov—all used Innovative sticks. Despite its popularity among professionals, the brand lacked the marketing reach of major sporting goods companies, so its products were never sold to the general public.
In January 2005, Homayoun Ghassemi of Easton Sports arranged a meeting between Kunisaki and Warrior president David Morrow to discuss a sale. Later that year, Kunisaki sold Innovative to Warrior. After the sale, Kunisaki stayed on as president of Warrior Hockey for three years. In 2009, he founded Base Hockey, a custom stick company, alongside former NHL player Cliff Ronning.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 1996
- Defunct
- 2005
- Fate
- Acquired by Warrior Sports
- Successor
- Warrior Hockey
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Innovative Hockey originated in Innovative Sports Technologies, Inc., founded in March 1990 by Ronald H. Kunisaki, Richard Carr, and Kirk S. Oshinomi. The original company designed and manufactured graphite golf club shafts. At a charity golf tournament, Los Angeles Kings player Dave Taylor met Kunisaki and suggested Innovative try making hockey stick shafts, offering to test them. In 1996, Kunisaki started Innovative Hockey, Inc. and sold shafts. The first NHL player to use an Innovative stick was Alexei Kovalev, and shortly thereafter, Sergei Fedorov adopted the stick as well. Around 30 NHL players were using Innovative within a couple of years of operations.
In the late 1990s, Innovative struck a deal with Bauer to produce the company's composite hockey sticks under license. For the rest of the company's existence, the majority of its production was for Bauer, while Innovative sticks were a boutique product. At its peak, Innovative was producing approximately 10,000 sticks per month at its factory in Tijuana. Innovative was especially notable for its association with the Detroit Red Wings, many of whom used Innovative in the late 1990s and early 2000s. From the club's 2002 Stanley Cup champion roster, Kirk Maltby, Brett Hull, Kris Draper, Luc Robitaille, Tomas Holmström, Darren McCarty, Igor Larionov, and Sergei Fedorov all used Innovative sticks. While Innovative was popular with professionals, the company lacked the marketing power of other brands that major sporting goods companies owned. Consequently, Innovative's products were never sold to the wider public.
Reader's Guide
Innovative Hockey's significance lies in its pioneering role in composite hockey stick technology and its unique relationship with the Detroit Red Wings. The company developed composite shafts and one-piece sticks, innovations that later became standard in the NHL. Its close association with the Red Wings, particularly during their 2002 Stanley Cup championship, demonstrated the performance credibility of its products, as roughly half the team's roster used Innovative sticks. However, the company remained a boutique brand, never selling to the general public due to limited marketing resources compared to major sporting goods companies. Its legacy continued after its 2005 sale to Warrior Sports, where it formed the basis of Warrior Hockey. Founder Ronald H. Kunisaki later started Base Hockey in 2009, a custom stick company, with former NHL player Cliff Ronning. The company's impact is thus twofold: it advanced composite stick technology and provided a foundation for Warrior's entry into the hockey market.
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