Reggie Krakowski's job title with the Minnesota Wild is Facility Operations Lead. But the unspecified, really cool part of his job? He's one of Xcel Energy Center's Zamboni drivers.
What's a Zamboni, you ask? Only arguably the greatest invention in the history of refrigerated ice surfaces. Crews use Zambonis (named for inventor Frank Zamboni) to smooth and clean the ice surface between periods of hockey games and during skating shows.
For the past four years, he's been one of several people who help make the ice at the Wild's home arena as smooth as glass.
The graduate of Minneapolis Roosevelt High School and Minnesota State University,Mankato first climbed aboard a Zamboni at Parade Ice Garden in Minneapolis 37 years ago — immediately earning the envy of countless hockey fans in this, the State of Hockey. Besides Wild games, Krakowski has worked the boys and girls state hockey tournaments and the NCHC Frozen Faceoff.
Eye On St. Paul recently talked to Krakowski about some of the slickest parts of the job of perfecting the ice at Xcel.
This interview was edited for length.
Q: OK, I'm a little psyched about this. Is it the best job ever?
A: Yeah, it's pretty good.