The ECHL’s Toledo Walleye have upgraded their boards and glass at the Huntington Center, and the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe reports that the Walleye believe that the new boards and glass will help them in more ways than one:
“It’s unbelievable what they did with all the new glass, boards, benches, and everything,” [forward Conlan] Keenan said. “I really like the new wide glass. It’s going to be great for the fans as well.”
The ledge along the top of the boards and below the tempered glass, which are traditionally red, are now colored blue. The dashers at the bottom of the boards remain yellow. The scheme pairs perfectly with the team’s navy blue and gold colors. Both the home and visiting benches also have been replaced along with the penalty boxes and public address announcer box.
Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, the boards and glass also offer increased safety. Greg Setola, the director of operations at the Huntington Center, said the new system is the same that all NHL teams use with enhanced safety features.
“The glass and boards are designed to assist in limiting injuries as they naturally flex to absorb some of the impact [of hits],” Setola said. “The glass on both sides of the player benches is now rounded and spring loaded, which will assist in cutting down on upper body injuries.”
