Refresh, Replenish, Recharge

Meira Waldstreicher

During Game 1 of the Rangers-Capitals first round series, when one of the many commercial breaks came to a close, the camera panned to a sweaty Charlie Lindgren. He reached for the bottle behind his net, taking a refreshing swig of his drink—BODYARMOR. This came as a surprise to me, especially considering Biosteel had been gracing NHL ice just a few days earlier. Curiosity piqued, I decided to take a deep dive into the rich history of the NHL’s official sports drinks.

Flashing back to the 1990s, All Sport was the NHL’s drink sponser, emphasizing  hydration, electrolytes, and vitamins. In 2006, the NHL forged a partnership with Gatorade, ensuring  players could replenish after during breaks with ease. Gatorade squeeze bottles became a fixture on NHL benches until the 2022-23 season, when Biosteel stepped into the limelight. Marketed as a healthier alternative and with former NHLer Michael Cammalleri and NHLPA intern John Celenza at the helm, this was purely a hockey-inspired drink. However, the fairytale took a sour turn when Biosteel filed for bankruptcy last September, leaving a substantial debt to the NHL of over $6 million.

Yesterday, BODYARMOR officially made its debut as the NHL’s new official sports drink, casting aside the troubles lingering from Biosteel and hyping up this new sponsorship. BODYARMOR blends its formula with POWERADE to create an optimal on-ice beverage for elite athletes.

Leading up to to this announcement, discussions swirled about potential partnerships, with PRIME By Logan Paul x KSI gaining traction, bouyed by Auston Matthew’s endorsement and drink’s surging popularity. While there was unanimous agreement on a coconut-water based beverage, the choice of which one remained undecided until the NHL ultimately settled on BODYARMOR.

Be prepared for BODYARMOR to play a depth role this NHL Playoffs and in the future.