A lifelong hockey enthusiast, accomplished player, and skilled craftsman, Rick Benej devoted years to designing a game that captured the strategy, pace, and feel of real hockey more faithfully than any table hockey game of its time. In the early 1980s, he set out to build a game that combined the best features of traditional straight-slot table hockey with exceptional durability, precision, and playability. From the outset, Rick’s goal was to recreate the flow and strategy of hockey as faithfully as possible. He designed the playing surface as a scale model of an NHL rink, preserving its proportions so that passing lanes, angles, and player positioning closely mirrored the game played on the ice. Over years of hands-on development, he meticulously refined every component—from the cabinet and playing surface to the rods and player mechanisms—to create a game built for decades of competitive use. The result was a precision-crafted game that remains highly regarded and sought after by serious competitors and collectors alike.

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As the popularity of the Benej game grew, so did the community of competitors eager to claim the title of North America’s top player. The earliest tournaments were informal gatherings of friends held in players’ homes throughout Montreal, Greenwich, and Boston. As interest expanded, Hubbard Hall in Cambridge, New York, became the heart of the Benej table hockey community, where Rick organized tournaments that attracted top players from across the northeastern United States and Canada. These events evolved into annual reunions where lasting friendships were forged, spirited rivalries flourished, and a shared passion for table hockey helped strengthen the sport.