3ICE, 3-on-3 hockey league set to debut this summer, delays start plans until 2022

A 3-on-3 professional hockey league, 3ICE, will delay its inaugural season until 2022 because of fans' potential inability to attend games this year due to the pandemic. 

3ICE had been scheduled to begin play over the summer. 

"Having fans pack our arenas to experience the excitement and atmosphere is critical to 3ICE and without that, it's clear moving 2022 is the best course of action," the league said in a statement posted on its website. "We made this decision collectively with all of our partners, broadcasters, coaches, vendors, sponsors, players and agents and look forward to getting through this unique time." 

The logo of the new 3-on-3 hockey league, which has seen its start delayed until 2022. (Photo: Courtesy: 3ICE)

3ICE, which has branded itself as the "best part of hockey," has six hockey Hall of Famers coaching its eight teams. 

"We're out to promote and sell hockey at its purest," Bryan Trottier, who will be a coach in the league, told USA TODAY Sports in May. "It's gonna have its audience. In today’s wham-bam attention span world, I think the quickness, the idea of multiple games, the idea of short periods, action action, boom boom, it’s gonna grab a lot of eyeballs." 

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.

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