Before the Zamboni, There Was the Bruins’ Ice Crew

By: Camryn Meece | Follow me on Twitter / X @MeeceCamryn

For many hockey fans, the Zamboni is almost as much a part of the game as the players themselves. When it comes onto the ice during an intermission, it often draws the attention of fans in the stands, especially younger ones who watch it circle the rink. Over the years, the machine has developed a cult following and become one of the most recognizable parts of a hockey game. But before the Zamboni became a familiar sight in the National Hockey League (NHL), keeping the ice ready for a game was far more labor-intensive.

During intermissions, workers had to shovel snow and ice shavings off the rink, then scrape the surface to remove rough patches and grooves left by the players’ skates. Once the surface met standards, the crew flooded the ice with hot water, which filled the grooves and froze into a smooth layer. The process could require 10 or more people, all of whom had to move equipment, haul hot-water barrels, and work on a timer to get everything ready for the next period.

The time and labor involved in resurfacing the ice led Frank Zamboni to look for a more efficient way to complete the job. As co-owner of Iceland Skating Rink in Paramount, California, which he opened with his brother Lawrence and a cousin in 1940, Zamboni was familiar with the work of maintaining an ice surface. In 1942, he began experimenting with a machine that could automate the process, building his first attempt on a sled that was towed behind a tractor. The design did not work, and Zamboni continued experimenting with different machines over the next several years. By the summer of 1949, he had developed the Model A, a self-propelled machine that could shave the ice, collect the shavings, wash the surface, and apply a fresh layer of water.

The machine soon began attracting attention from ice rinks and skating organizations. Frank and his team traveled to different arenas to demonstrate it, with Bob Skrak of the Ice Capades among those helping introduce the machine. Skrak operated Zamboni No. 4, which traveled with the Ice Capades. In January 1954, Skrak brought the Zamboni to Boston Garden while the Ice Capades were performing at the arena. The Bruins were scheduled to play the New York Rangers on New Year’s Day, and Skrak used the Zamboni to resurface the ice before the game. It was the first time a Zamboni had been used for an NHL game. The results caught the attention of Boston Garden management, and the Bruins soon decided to purchase a machine of their own.

The new machine solved one problem while creating another. Boston Garden had not been designed to accommodate a Zamboni, and the arena operators did not want to remove seats to make room for the machine. They eventually decided the improvement to the ice was worth the change and made room for it to travel from its storage area to the rink. The Bruins placed their order, and Model E21 arrived at Boston Garden on October 22, 1954. It was the first Zamboni an NHL team purchased for its arena.

The Zamboni quickly became a familiar part of the Boston Garden experience, as did the person driving it. Lelo Grasso, an ice maker at the Garden, drove the Bruins’ Model E21 for years. Grasso was small enough to operate the machine standing up, and he became a familiar sight to fans. He would tip his fedora when he came onto the ice and again when he left, with fans waving to him as he made his way around the rink.

The tradition of the Zamboni driver being a familiar face at the rink did not end with Grasso. Fans have continued to watch for the machine during intermissions, with children in particular often fascinated. In 1990, the band Gear Daddies released “I Want to Drive the Zamboni,” which became a cult hit and is still played in hockey arenas during intermissions. Fans have also gotten the chance to get closer to the machine, with NHL teams offering Zamboni rides and even virtual experiences that let fans take a turn driving one. In 1999, the Zamboni Company recorded more than one million visits to its website during a contest to name its Zamboni Driver of the Year, with the winning driver receiving more than 177,000 votes.

What started as a way to speed up ice preparation has become a familiar part of hockey. The Zamboni has made its way into songs, fan experiences, and even arena food, with the Nashville Predators offering a Zamboni-shaped popcorn tub. Decades after Frank Zamboni first built his machine, people still notice when it comes onto the ice.