The Tariff Boogeyman: Why Hockey Gear Prices Were Already Broken

The narrative is already set. As the Trump administration levies 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports, the media is sounding the alarm that hockey gear is about to become an unattainable luxury. But as CityNews Toronto first reported, the equipment costs were already astronomical long before this latest political skirmish. To blame tariffs for the current price crisis is to ignore a decade of predatory pricing by the industry's heavy hitters.

Look at the numbers provided by HockeySkates DB. In 2016, skate pairs ranged from $80 to $900. Today, that floor has been jacked up to $200, with high-end pairs hitting $1,230. This isn't a sudden shock caused by a trade war; it's a steady, aggressive climb. As reported by CityNews Toronto, parents like Kelly Rand are seeing goaltender helmets that cost $400 in 2022 suddenly jump to $1,000. Chest protectors that cost $465 last year are now $900.

When you see a helmet more than double in price in four years, that isn't a 'tariff' problem. That is a corporate greed problem.

Industry giants like Bauer, CCM, and True—who John Merola, Director of E-commerce at B&R Sports, notes still manufacture many custom items in Canada—have spent years conditioning parents to accept these costs. Todd Smith, CEO of the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, reports that spending on hockey equipment surged 45.4 per cent from 2020 to 2025, rising from $228.9 million to $332.9 million. While the industry points to increased participation as a driver, it's more likely they are simply capitalizing on brand loyalty to inflate margins.

Furthermore, the argument that these tariffs will devastate the market is mathematically flimsy. According to U.S. International Trade Commission data, Canadian gear accounted for approximately 8.5 per cent of total imports during the previous year. China (52.7 per cent), Vietnam (13.2 per cent), and Thailand (9.5 per cent) all hold larger shares. Even more telling is the data on hockey sticks: of the 2.1 million sticks imported last year, a staggering 74.1 per cent (1.5 million) came from China. Only 0.9 per cent (18,909 sticks) came from Canada.

Chris Douglas, a professor of economics at the University of Michigan-Flint, rightly notes that it is unlikely stick prices will jump 50 per cent across the board given Canada's modest market share. Yet, the industry is already using this as a convenient shield to justify further hikes.

We've seen this play before. Merola recalls that when tariffs hit China, the 'big, heavy hitters'—Bauer and CCM—initially claimed they would absorb the costs. Once the public stopped paying attention, they pivoted and raised prices anyway.

Whether it's the 50 per cent tariff or a shift in production, the result is the same: the consumer pays. While Roustan Hockey founder W. Graeme Roustan remains committed to his Brantford, Ontario, factory, the rest of the industry is more than happy to move production to Asia or the U.S. if it means protecting their bottom line.

Stop blaming the trade war for the fact that a hockey stick now costs $400. The industry broke the pricing model years ago; the tariffs are just a convenient excuse to keep the prices high.