Badgers Behind the Scenes: Iceman Cale Klein
September 13, 2026 | Men's Hockey, Women's Hockey
"You’re trying to find that perfect ice even though it's almost impossible to find.”
MADISON, Wis. - As Coach Mark Johnson has put it, LaBahn Arena has the best ice in the country. That is all thanks to Cale Klein, who is entering his 10th season as the head ice technician for the Kohl Center and LaBahn Arena.
Klein is not the first in his family to work on the ice, his father was the ice man over at the Coliseum during the days of the Madison Monsters, the Madison Kodiaks and the Badgers.
"My dad was a Zamboni driver there and the Badgers would always practice right before us when I played hockey for Monona Grove High School," Klein said. "I'd hop on the Zamboni at night and skate in the after hours when my dad was around, so I kind of learned in high school that it was something I enjoyed doing and being around the Badgers is always a plus."
Just like his father, Klein takes pride in the ice. On a daily basis, Klein is found checking ice thickness and temperatures while maintaining equipment and following the NHL standards.
"I can kind of just tell you how thick the ice is by just looking at it," said Klein.
The goal is to get the ice at the Kohl Center and LaBahn Arena to be exactly the same. Whether it's raining, it's 95 degrees and humid out or 20 degrees, game day or practice, we want the ice to sit between 22 and 24 degrees. Ideally the teams can travel between the two rinks and enjoying the same standard.
"It's just going over it and seeing how it looks after a hard practice or a bunch of goalie drills in the creases getting beat up," Klein added. "There's always something to do and you're trying to find that perfect ice even though it's almost impossible to find."
Game days are among his favorite parts of the job, he enjoys seeing the fans and sold out seats as he drives the Zamboni around the rink. The most satisfying part for Klein, however, is hearing how much the players and staff love his ice.
"The best part for me is getting compliments on the ice, whether it's our players or some of the pros that hangout in the summer or coaching staff," Klein said.
Before becoming Wisconsin's own ice man, Klein earned a degree in criminal justice and served as a police officer. He eventually came to Wisconsin in 2015 to shadow the arena's then-head ice technician Art Schultz before the longtime iceman retired in 2017.
Klein is not the first in his family to work on the ice, his father was the ice man over at the Coliseum during the days of the Madison Monsters, the Madison Kodiaks and the Badgers.
"My dad was a Zamboni driver there and the Badgers would always practice right before us when I played hockey for Monona Grove High School," Klein said. "I'd hop on the Zamboni at night and skate in the after hours when my dad was around, so I kind of learned in high school that it was something I enjoyed doing and being around the Badgers is always a plus."
Just like his father, Klein takes pride in the ice. On a daily basis, Klein is found checking ice thickness and temperatures while maintaining equipment and following the NHL standards.
"I can kind of just tell you how thick the ice is by just looking at it," said Klein.
The goal is to get the ice at the Kohl Center and LaBahn Arena to be exactly the same. Whether it's raining, it's 95 degrees and humid out or 20 degrees, game day or practice, we want the ice to sit between 22 and 24 degrees. Ideally the teams can travel between the two rinks and enjoying the same standard.
"It's just going over it and seeing how it looks after a hard practice or a bunch of goalie drills in the creases getting beat up," Klein added. "There's always something to do and you're trying to find that perfect ice even though it's almost impossible to find."
Game days are among his favorite parts of the job, he enjoys seeing the fans and sold out seats as he drives the Zamboni around the rink. The most satisfying part for Klein, however, is hearing how much the players and staff love his ice.
"The best part for me is getting compliments on the ice, whether it's our players or some of the pros that hangout in the summer or coaching staff," Klein said.
Before becoming Wisconsin's own ice man, Klein earned a degree in criminal justice and served as a police officer. He eventually came to Wisconsin in 2015 to shadow the arena's then-head ice technician Art Schultz before the longtime iceman retired in 2017.
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