What Snipers does

Trio Hockey operates Quebec's largest specialty hockey and baseball retail network under three banners — Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, and L'Entrepôt du Hockey — alongside a dedicated e-commerce platform at triohockey.ca. The operation is run by FGL Sports Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canadian Tire Corporation, and serves hockey players at all skill levels (beginner through elite), goaltenders, baseball players, dek hockey and floorball participants, and fans purchasing licensed NHL, PWHL, Team Canada, and MLB merchandise. Core products span sticks, skates, protective gear, apparel, team uniforms, and licensed fan merchandise; the underlying technology stack consists of Salesforce Commerce Cloud for digital commerce and Zendesk for customer service, with no disclosed proprietary AI/ML systems.

The retail footprint comprises twelve physical Quebec stores offering specialized services including Bauer FitLab digital foot scanning, custom skate fitting, stick testing zones, skate sharpening, and team uniform customization. Partnerships with Bauer, CCM, Sherwood, Warrior, and True anchor the equipment assortment, while league partnerships with the NHL, PWHL, and MLB anchor the licensed merchandise business. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time retail product transactions across multiple price points and categories, with no subscription or recurring pricing model; loyalty is driven instead by the Canadian Tire Triangle Rewards program and Triangle Mastercard integration.

The company was founded in 1972 (with roots tracing to the 1967 Sports Experts brand) and is headquartered in Quebec. The business is deeply embedded in the local hockey community through brand ambassadors, Canadian Tire Jumpstart charity alignment, and team-level uniform partnerships. Operational data indicates a mature, multi-banner specialty retailer with institutional parent backing; firmographic data showing a "Snipers" entity at 1-10 employees founded in 2019 contradicts the detailed operational footprint, and this discrepancy is noted as a data quality flag.

Name

Snipers

Legal name

FGL Sports Ltd.

Website

https://hockeysupremacy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trio Hockey, operated by FGL Sports Ltd. (a Canadian Tire Corporation subsidiary), is Quebec's largest specialty hockey and baseball retailer. Through 12 stores under Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, and L'Entrepôt du Hockey banners plus triohockey.ca e-commerce, it serves players and fans across all skill levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sporting Goods Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Hockey & Field Hockey Equipment Retail (CRAMAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Adventure Multi-Category Retail (CRAMABAB), Sporting Goods, Outdoor & Fitness Marketplaces (CRAFABAI), Team Sports Protective Gear & Sports Medicine Retail (CRAMAEAJ)

Keywords

• Hockey equipment retail
• Baseball gear sales
• Custom skate fitting
• Goaltending equipment
• Sports retail stores

Headquarters

HQ city

Quebec, Quebec

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Physical and e-commerce sales of hockey equipment, skates, sticks, protective gear, goaltending equipment, baseball equipment, apparel, and accessories. Revenue generated through one-time product transactions across multiple categories.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Trio Hockey, operating under the banners Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, and L'Entrepôt du Hockey, retails hockey and baseball equipment across 12 Quebec locations and an e-commerce platform. It offers professional in-store services including skate sharpening, custom skate fitting via Bauer FitLab digital foot scanning, goaltender specialization, jersey lettering, and team uniform customization. The retailer is integrated with the Canadian Tire Triangle rewards ecosystem and sells licensed merchandise from the NHL, PWHL, MLB, and Team Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hockey Sticks and Accessories Physical and online retail of ice hockey sticks, goaltender sticks, stick accessories, and mini sticks for all age and skill levels, sold to individual hockey players across Quebec.
• Hockey Skates and Recreational Skates Retail of ice hockey skates, goaltender skates, recreational skates, and roller hockey skates with custom fitting services via Bauer FitLab digital foot scanning technology, targeted at hockey players from beginners to elite athletes.
• Goaltending Equipment Specialized retail of goaltending equipment (pads, gloves, blockers, masks, chest protectors, goalie skates) from Bauer and CCM, with goaltender specialist services for goalies of all ages and skill levels.
• Hockey Protective Equipment Retail of hockey protective gear including helmets, gloves, shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin guards, pants, and bags from Bauer, CCM, Warrior, and Sherwood, for players from beginners to elite levels.
• Baseball Equipment Retail of baseball equipment including bats, gloves, cleats, batting helmets, protective gear, and MLB-licensed apparel for baseball players of all ages and skill levels.
• Hockey and Sports Apparel Retail of hockey and sports apparel including jerseys, training wear, base layers, socks, and accessories with team uniform customization (jersey lettering) services, for individual players and teams.
• Licensed Fan Merchandise (NHL/PWHL/MLB/Team Canada) Retail of officially licensed NHL, PWHL, MLB, and Team Canada jerseys, apparel, hockey cards, and collectibles for hockey and baseball fans in Quebec.
• Dek Hockey and Floorball Equipment Retail of dek hockey (ball hockey) and floorball sticks, balls, gloves, shin guards, helmets, and protective equipment for off-ice play, targeted at dek hockey and floorball players.
• Hockey Accessories and Training Equipment Retail of training aids, pucks, balls, bags, and miscellaneous hockey accessories for player practice and skill development, for individual players and coaches.
• Custom Skate Fitting and Profiling (Bauer FitLab) In-store professional service using Bauer FitLab digital foot scanning technology to analyze foot features and build customized skate recommendations, combined with skate contouring, blade replacement, and skate profiling services for hockey players.
• Team Sales and Custom Team Uniforms Quote-based service for organized hockey teams providing custom team uniforms, jersey lettering, and bulk equipment orders, with in-store assistance from team sales specialists.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 40% off during season launch promotions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Montreal CanadienscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner of the Montreal Canadiens NHL team. Trio Hockey banners (Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, L'Entrepôt du Hockey) serve as retail partners for Canadiens merchandise and fan gear.
• NHLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial NHL partner, enabling the sale of licensed NHL merchandise, jerseys, apparel, and NHL fan zone products across all Trio Hockey banners.
• Hockey QuebeccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of Hockey Quebec, supporting grassroots hockey development across Quebec and promoting participation in organized hockey.
• LHEQ (Ligue de Hockey Espérance)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with LHEQ (Ligue de Hockey Espérance), supporting hockey development and community leagues.
• Baseball QuebecminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner of Baseball Quebec, supporting the baseball community in Quebec with equipment and promotional partnerships.
• RSEQ (Réseau du Sport Étudiant)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with RSEQ (Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec), supporting student athletics and school sports programs.
• PWHL (Professional Women's Hockey League)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner of the PWHL (Professional Women's Hockey League), offering PWHL Zone merchandise and supporting women's professional hockey.
• Team CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner of Team Canada, selling officially licensed national team merchandise and supporting Canadian hockey excellence.
• Jumpstart (Canadian Tire)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Canadian Tire Jumpstart program, supporting access to sports and hockey for children and youth from lower-income families.
• Centre d'Excellence Sports et Réadaptation (CESR)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with CESR (Centre d'Excellence Sports et Réadaptation), supporting sports science and athlete rehabilitation programs.
• École Stéphane WaiteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with École Stéphane Waite goaltender school, offering specialized goaltender training equipment and resources.
• Power Skating Jr.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Power Skating Jr., supporting skating development programs for young hockey players.
• 1329 Hockey (Paul Ouellette)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with 1329 Hockey (Paul Ouellette), supporting hockey development and training programs.
• Hockey Le MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with Hockey Le Magazine, supporting hockey journalism and content in Quebec.
• Baseball L'AcadémieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Baseball L'Académie, supporting baseball training and development programs.
• Coupe ChevroletminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of Coupe Chevrolet youth hockey tournament, supporting grassroots hockey events in Quebec.
• Tournoi Pee-Wee de QuébecminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of the Tournoi Pee-Wee de Québec, one of the most prestigious minor hockey tournaments in the world.
• MLB (Major League Baseball)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial MLB Zone partner, enabling the sale of officially licensed MLB merchandise including jerseys, apparel, and baseball collectibles across all Trio Hockey banners.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Source For Sports: Canadian cooperative network of independent hockey and sporting goods retailers with multi-banner presence. Directly comparable to Trio Hockey in Canadian specialty hockey retail, multi-sport extension (baseball, lacrosse), and franchised/affiliated retail model.
• Pro Hockey Life: Canadian specialty hockey equipment retailer with multiple stores across Ontario and Western Canada. Directly comparable to Trio Hockey as a hockey-focused specialty retailer offering equipment, apparel, and customization services in the Canadian market.
• HockeyMonkey: Online-first hockey equipment retailer carrying major brands (Bauer, CCM, Warrior) at competitive price points. Directly comparable to Trio Hockey's e-commerce motion and serves the same equipment category, primarily competing on price and convenience rather than service differentiation.
• Pure Hockey: Largest US-based specialty hockey retailer operating over 80 stores plus a full e-commerce platform. Closest direct comparable to Trio Hockey in terms of category focus (hockey-exclusive), service offering (custom fitting, skate sharpening), and target customer (players from beginner to elite).

Broad incumbents

• Decathlon: French sporting goods giant rapidly expanding physical retail across Canada with deep-discount broad assortment. Comparable as a multi-category sporting goods retailer entering the Canadian market, threatening specialty retail pricing power across hockey, baseball, and outdoor categories.
• Sport Chek: Canada's largest sporting goods retailer and a fellow Canadian Tire Corporation banner. Comparable as a broad-line sporting goods retailer under the same parent, offering hockey equipment alongside broader categories, with overlapping customer base and Triangle rewards integration.
• Sports Experts: Sibling banner within FGL Sports under Canadian Tire Corporation, offering multi-sport retail at a broader category level. Comparable as a sister banner under the same parent operating in Quebec with overlapping hockey assortment but a broader sporting goods positioning.
• Mountain Equipment Company (MEC): Canadian member-owned outdoor and sporting goods retailer with national footprint. Comparable as a Canadian specialty retailer serving outdoor and active lifestyle customers with curated assortments and service-oriented positioning, though focused on outdoor versus hockey.

Others

• Bauer Hockey: Leading hockey equipment manufacturer with growing direct-to-consumer retail and custom skate programs. Related to Trio Hockey as a key supplier that also competes at the equipment retail layer through direct sales, custom fitting programs, and exclusive product launches.
• CCM Hockey: Major hockey equipment manufacturer and brand-owner that supplies Trio Hockey but also operates limited direct sales channels. Related as a key equipment supplier whose brand decisions and direct-to-consumer moves directly affect Trio Hockey's product access and margin structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/snipers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Snipers