The sport of ice hockey has long thrilled fans and participants for its high-speed action, physical intensity, and dramatic moments. More than a pass-time, though, hockey can have a deep-rooted significance in individual identity, community spirit, and national pride. In some areas of life it has evolved into a business, a career, and a site for historical, critical, and introspective analysis. It is with these images of hockey in mind that a group of passionate hockey folks developed The Hockey Conference in 2001 to provide a broad-spectrum opportunity to get together and analyze the sport from many perspectives.