One of nine outdoor community rinks in Prince Albert. (Image Credit: File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Teena Monteleone

Wrapped up in a sheet of ice

The allure of outdoor rinks in Saskatchewan

Jan 28, 2026 | 5:29 PM

Skating on an outdoor rink (ODR) in Saskatchewan when conditions say you shouldn’t is a mindset that runs deep in the province. It’s the Prairies’ pastime.

Instead of hiding from the cold, people own it. Skating at -20 C becomes a quiet badge of pride. The cold sharpens everything – the air, the sound of blades, the clap of the puck against the sticks.

In an interview with paNOW, longtime host of Hockey Night in Canada, Ron MacLean, said it feels real in a way indoor rinks never do.

“When you get on that ice, lots of things happen. You feel the fresh air in your lungs – this is one of the first sensations. You definitely start peeling off layers – that’s the craziest part. It can be -20 C and the down-filled is the first to go, and sometimes you end up playing in just a jersey. It’s bizarre how you can work up a sweat on an outdoor rink.”

Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Ron McLean has been to rinks around the world, but said there’s nothing more endearing than an outdoor rink. (Image Credit: File photo/paNOW)

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MacLean reflects fondly on his childhood in Red Deer, Alta. and his own ODR at Joseph Welsh Elementary School. He was an only child, and any time he was bored, he was on that ice.

“On Christmas Eve, when mom and dad were having a nap to get ready for midnight mass, I would just go over there – not to skate, because it was after nine, and the lights go off at nine. But I would just climb up onto the basket at the top of the net, which is almost like a hammock, and lie there looking at the stars and thank my lucky stars for that rink.”

Even when the snow began to melt, MacLean would still find himself at the ODR.

“The sun and the warm wind would blow in, and the first things exposed are those black pucks,” he said. “I would collect all the pucks, and I was quite proud of myself that I had a goldmine of black rubber.”

A night of shinny on a neighbourhood pond on the outskirts of Prince Albert. (Image Credit: Teena Monteleone/paNOW)

MacLean’s work has taken him to hockey rinks around the world, including the Olympics in Beijing and Whitehorse for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, but the most endearing stories are the ones that take place on a much more local level.

“I remember Frank Mahovlich, a legendary player, and we were up in his hometown of Schumacher, Ontario (now part of Timmins). We were at his outdoor rink and he was explaining how when he was a boy, he would take a kettle of hot water and blue and red ribbons, and he would melt those ribbons into the ice to create the Maple Leaf Gardens in Schumacher. And Carl Lindros, Eric Lindros’ dad…they call him the ‘White Thumb’ and he was an expert at making an outdoor rink. He would steal the snow from the indoor rinks. The Zambonis always offload a bunch of snow at the back of the rink, and he would go and get that and start to build the foundation long before the snow flew,” said MacLean.

Ultimately, he said being on an outdoor rink is about enjoying the sport in its purest form: no refs, no schedules, no fees… just fun with friends.

Dane Byers spent his junior years playing hockey in Prince Albert with the U18 AAA Mintos and then the WHL Raiders before moving on to a higher level that included 10 years in the AHL, time in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets, and four years as a professional player in Europe. He said he’s always loved skating on outdoor rinks.

“Playing sports in general requires focus, but on an outdoor rink with friends and family, it’s an escape. You’re fully in the moment.”

Former professional hockey player Dane Byers and his sons spend plenty of time playing shinny near their home on Christopher Lake. (Image Credit: Submitted photo/Dane Byers)

Byers said outdoor rinks are part of the culture in Canada, and they’re among the best in the world thanks to the cold weather and snow that create the perfect conditions for ice. He remembers playing with his buddies, having fun and imagining himself in situations like playing for Team Canada or the NHL.

“Now, seeing my kids skate on the lake four or five months a year is really special. They also have a covered outdoor rink at Christopher Lake, and it lets you enjoy the game without pressure and gives you the freedom to be creative in a way structured practices don’t always allow.”

Prince Albert Raiders forward Connor Howe grew up with a rink in his own backyard, but said his favourite ODR was ‘definitely East Hill.’

“That’s the one I went to most,” Howe said. “That’s just where all my buddies went to play shinny.”

Prince Albert Raiders forward Connor Howe always had a backyard rink growing up. (Image Credit: Submitted/Jason Howe)

He said everyone respects the unwritten rules of the ODR, like sticks in the middle to make teams, so nobody feels like they are chosen last.

“Another rule is if you shoot it over, you definitely have to go get it, and that’ll just be a penalty shot for the other team,” he explained.

Recently, the entire WHL team spent an afternoon on an ODR in Prince Albert. (Watch the video below.)

Logan Edwards’ perspective on the outdoor rink experience is a little different than those of his hockey buddies. He has worked as an outdoor rink attendant at Crescent Acres in Prince Albert the last four winters because, simply put, he’s always wanted to drive a Zamboni.

“After hockey games, I’d sit back and watch the Zambonis go because I found such an interest,” he said. “The ice always looked so crisp after, and it’s just always intrigued me.”

Logan Edwards always wanted to drive a Zamboni. Now, its part of his job as a rink attendant in Prince Albert. (Image Credit: (Submitted photo/Logan Edwards))

Edwards said there’s always a lot of regulars at his ODR, and they’re of all ages.

“You’ll have from eight-year olds to 40-year-olds there at all times.”

And when the weather warms up just enough, it gets busy – really busy.

“I’ve had days where I’ve had to, within two hours I was on the ice probably three times,” he said. “Usually, you’re just doing one flood.”

Whether it’s the community ODR, a backyard rink or a local pond, chances are you’ll find someone skating outdoors in Saskatchewan. And while it might be cold, there’s often warmth found in the memories of being wrapped up in that big sheet of ice.

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teena.monteleone@pattisonmedia.com