The Stanley Cup Final is the ultimate test of physical endurance in sports. By June, hockey players have endured well over 75 games of intense, high-impact collisions. Surviving a deep playoff run requires more than just grit, it requires cutting-edge sports medicine technology to protect athletes through the inevitable bumps, bruises, and injuries of a long season.
We were absolutely thrilled when Grace Hayba, health reporter for WRAL News, reached out to visit our 3D printing lab on West Main Street in downtown Durham to cover how PROTECT3D is helping the Carolina Hurricanes compete on hockey’s biggest stage.
The Power of True Customization in the NHL
If you caught the WRAL feature, you got a firsthand look at how our process works. A quick 3D scan is taken on a mobile device to capture the injured anatomy of the athlete. Within hours, our team designs and 3D-prints a piece of protective gear contoured perfectly to that individual athlete.
As our founder and CEO, Kevin Gehsmann, shared with WRAL:
“Because no two bodies are the same, protective gear shouldn’t be either. It can be an arm cast that’s waterproof and you can still swim in the pool, or an ankle brace that’s thinner and more comfortable than a walking boot.”
In the high-stakes environment of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, standard, off-the-shelf padding just won’t cut it. Throughout this postseason, our lab has been printing everything from custom thumb splints and wrist guards to highly specialized rib padding and protective inserts built to slide directly inside a player’s hockey skate.
What the Athletic Trainers and Players are Saying
The best validation of our technology comes from the medical professionals tasked with keeping these elite athletes safe. Carolina Hurricanes Head Athletic Trainer, Doug Bennett, spoke with WRAL about why the team relies on PROTECT3D’s anatomical precision:
“We’re putting them in a pad or a splint for a reason, and we get a lot better compliance because again, guys barely notice it. When it’s custom-made, it’s contoured to your body. If you ask our players, they say they’re just more comfortable.”
The best brace is one that athletes actually want to wear. When a player is comfortable, they can play without distraction. That comfort and trust are what allow athletes to perform at 100% capacity, even under the intense pressure of a championship series.
Behind the Scenes: The 15-Hour Hometown Advantage
While PROTECT3D proudly manufactures custom protective equipment for teams across the NCAA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLS, and more, there is something incredibly special about supporting our hometown team.
Because our 3D printing headquarters is located right here in downtown Durham, less than 15 minutes away from the Hurricanes, we’re able to offer an ultra-fast turnaround time that gives our local teams a massive edge. If a player gets dinged up during practice or a game, an athletic trainer can drop by our lab or we can hand-deliver a completed, custom-molded piece of gear in as little as 15 hours.
Our team has cheered on clients in the Super Bowl and college football national championships over the last couple of years, but watching the Canes fight for the Cup using gear made right here in Durham is an unforgettable experience for our entire crew.
We want to give a huge thank you to Grace Hayba and the entire team at WRAL for highlighting our work and showcasing how the intersection of technology and sports medicine is evolving.
Oh, and in case you were wondering where our loyalties lie for the rest of the series? As Kevin told WRAL with a laugh, “The Vegas Golden Knights are not customers of ours. Go Canes!”
See the Full Feature
Want to see our 3D printing lab in action and watch the full video segment? Check out the full story, “Stanley Cup Final showcases Durham company’s custom gear,” over on WRAL.com.