President Trump’s new 50% U.S. tariffs hit Canadian hockey: How Bauer, CCM, and Sherwood will be affected

Hockey equipment wasn’t the only item affected. Products facing the new 50% duty are wide-ranging, spanning dairy products, alcohol and alcohol-related products, and some food products. The tariffs also cover construction materials, clothing, furniture, technology and car parts.

President Trump’s latest proclamations were for tariffs under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, an authority a senior White House official said has not been used this way before. Unlike some earlier U.S. tariffs on Canada, these apply to all covered goods regardless of whether they would otherwise qualify for duty-free treatment under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

Three of Canada’s best-known hockey brands sit in the middle of this, though each carries different exposure depending on where — and to whom — they sell.

Here is what is actually in the order, how Bauer, CCM and Sherwood could be affected, and what Canadian hockey families and investors should watch over the next 30 days.

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What is in the new tariff order

Each proclamation targets a different set of Canadian goods, together covering products ranging from wine and dairy to cement, construction materials, clothing, furniture, technology and car parts -- plus hockey sticks, named specifically as an example. The duties will not apply to energy, potash, goods already covered under separate Section 232 tariffs, or certain other products such as fish or critical minerals.

The White House says the action responds to Canadian measures it considers discriminatory toward American autos, alcohol and dairy, including provincial restrictions on U.S. liquor sales and Canada’s supply-managed dairy system. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the move a unilateral step Canada has already matched with its own countermeasures, and said Ottawa remains ready to negotiate.

Why Bauer, CCM and Sherwood are not equally exposed

Bauer’s global head office sits in Exeter, New Hampshire, but its core skate and protective-equipment manufacturing is concentrated at plants in Blainville and Saint-Jerome, Quebec, with custom sticks and some apparel produced in Asia. That means goods moving from Bauer’s Quebec facilities into the U.S. market could face the new duty, even though its corporate parent is American.

CCM is headquartered in Montreal and owned by Altor Equity Partners through Sport Maska Inc. Its sticks, skates and protective gear are stocked widely by major U.S. retailers, including Dick’s Sporting Goods and Pure Hockey, both of which list extensive CCM product lines on their sites. A 50% duty on top of existing wholesale pricing would land directly on that cross-border retail relationship.