January 15th, 2013
Slick skating Minnesota forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard is set to return to action — in a new M11 PRO helmet — when the Wild opens its 2013 NHL schedule on Saturday, Jan. 19 versus Colorado in St. Paul.
Pierre-Marc had been unable to play since being slammed face-first at a dangerous angle into the boards by Winnipeg's Zach Bogosian in a game on Dec. 13, 2011.
The Messier Project wishes Pierre-Marc the best of luck in 2013!
Pierre-Marc Bouchard talks with new Wild teammate Zach Parise in practice this week.
Read about Pierre-Marc in the following Associated Press story:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/nhl/wilds-bouchard-excited-to-be-back-on-the-ice-after-another-concussion-recovery-187032171.html
January 14th, 2013
The University of Guelph women's team, which switched to the advanced M11 PRO helmet this season, extended its winning streak to eight games with a 2-0 victory over University of Windsor Lancers on Sunday, Jan. 13.
The Gryphons, who have incorporated sharp team identity graphics on their M11 PROs, improved to 15-3-2 with the win.
Gryphons coach Rachel Flanagan says her players like the performance, fit and look of their new helmets.
"With a growing number of concussions being reported in the game we consciously looked for a helmet this year that fit ALL of our players," Flanagan said. "The comfort of the M11 PRO and the ability to fit it to all shapes of heads was what sold us on it. The girls like that the PRO version is more streamlined than the original."
Read more about the Gryphons' great season at:
http://gryphons.ca/news/2013/1/13/WHOCKEY_0113133424.aspx?path=whockey
January 14th, 2013
The Western (Ontario) University Mustangs men have won 15 straight, following a 5-2 victory over UOIT in Oshawa, Ontario on Jan. 13.
Check out the Mustangs' black M11 PRO helmets with purple vents. You'll see the Mustang logo where The Messier Project "M" usually is found.
Western forward Matt Clarke in action against the University of Waterloo on Jan. 12.
Read more at:
http://www.westernmustangs.ca/news/2013/1/12/MHOCKEY_0112132401.aspx?path=mhockey
January 7th, 2013
It's probably just a coincidence, but the Acadia University Axemen (Wolfville, Nova Scotia) and Western University Mustangs (London, Ontario) have been enjoying great seasons after switching to the advanced protection of the new M11 PRO helmet for 2012-13.
Acadia had climbed to the No. 2 spot in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) rankings before dropping a pair of games to the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton last weekend.
But there was no stopping Western, which won its 13th straight game on Jan. 5 with a 7-1 trouncing of the UOIT Ridgebacks at home in London. The Mustangs climbed to No. 5 in the CIS rankings. Read more at:
http://www.westernmustangs.ca/news/2013/1/5/MHOCKEY_0105130732.aspx?path=mhockey
Western's Ryan Kirk scored in the Mustangs' 13th straight win.
January 7th, 2013
Los Angeles Kings forward Kevin Westgarth is best-known on NHL rinks as a big — as in 6-foot-4, 234-pound — enforcer.
But Westgarth is pretty good at using his head. The hulking Amherstburg, Ontario native played four seasons with Princeton University before signing with the Kings as a free agent in 2007. He was one of the first NHLers to switch to the advanced protection and performance of the M11 PRO helmet last season as the Kings won their first-ever Stanley Cup.
Westgarth also was very active as a member of the NHL Players Association in its recently concluded collective bargaining agreement negotiations with the NHL. Read more about what he has to say about the deal and the end of the 113-day lockout in the following Associated Press story.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/nhl-looking-toward-48-game-season
Kevin Westgarth in action last season.
December 3rd, 2012
The occurence of concussons among elite male and female hockey players appears to be much higher than reported, according to a study in which sports medicine doctors were behind the bench observing a season's worth of games of two Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) teams.
The study, which followed players on the CIS teams during the 2011-2012 season, found the incidence of concussions was three times higher in males and more than five times greater in females than most previous research had found.
A surprise? The rate of concussion among women playing university-level hockey was roughly twice that of their male counterparts.
Several CIS teams have switched to The Messier Project's sleek new M11 PRO helmet — and its Seven Technology lining system — this season. Among them are the Western (Ontario) University and Acadia University men's teams, and the Carleton University, University of Guelph and University of Lethbridge women's squads.
Harvard University was The Messier Project's pilot collegiate team, switching to the groundbreaking M11 in 2009. The Crimson was the first college team to wear to the M11 PRO, starting in the 2012 ECAC Playoffs.
Read a full story on the concussion study from the Canadian Press at:
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Concussions+male+female+varsity+hockey+players+more+common+than/7630888/story.html
November 27th, 2012
The Messier Project’s partnership with the North American Hockey League (NAHL) truly extends to the grassroots levels.
NAHL Commissioner Mark Frankenfeld’s 8-year-old daughter, Charlee K., plays on the Dallas Stars Youth Hockey League’s mites team, the Flyers, in Texas. (She’s the only girl on the squad.) For the 2012-13 season, the Flyers have switched to new orange-and black M11 PRO helmets.
“They are the only team in the StarCenters not only with matching helmets, but color coordinated M11 PROs,” Frankenfeld said. “Everyone is noticing and commenting where ever we go!”
The Dallas Stars Youth Hockey League (DSYHL) was established by the Stars after they relocated to Dallas from Minnesota in 1993 to grow minor hockey and interest in the sport. The program operates from five StarCenter rinks in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
With their M11 PROs, the Mite Flyers not only have advanced protection, but the sharpest look on the circuit. Photos of the Flyers are below.
“The team loves the lids,” Frankenfeld said.
The Messier Project is the NAHL’s Official Helmet Supplier and outfits the league’s 24 teams in the M11 PRO or M11 helmets, both of which use Seven Technology, an impact attenuation liner system that’s designed to more effectively manage energy transfer from direct impact.
With its three-year partnership, announced at the start of the 2010-11 season, the NAHL is among the more than 700 leagues, teams and associations across North America encouraging better head protection across all levels of the sport as part of The Messier Project.
The NAHL, the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II Junior A league, prides itself on the social maturity and skill development of student-athletes ages 16-20 with aspirations of advancing to collegiate and/or professional hockey. For more information on the NAHL, visit www.NAHL.com.
November 20th, 2012
Ontario amateur hockey players can win a sleek new custom M11 PRO helmet from The Messier Project for playing the game the way it should be played.
The Messier Project is proud to support the Hockey Development Centre for Ontario’s (HDCO) 2013 Penalty Free Sweepstakes and its mission to encourage skills, safety and sportsmanship in amateur hockey across the province. Ballots are now available at http://www.hdco.on.ca/web_pages/documents/PFS2013MessierProjectLeadershipAwardBallot_000.pdf
The Messier Project shares the HDCO’s commitment to protect the more than 400,000 amateur hockey players in Ontario and its mission to promote fair play, values, skill development, safety – and leadership.
Through the 2013 Penalty Free Messier Project Leadership Award, to be presented at the close of the 2013 Penalty Free Sweepstakes in February, The Messier Project and the HDCO will honor 11 players who embody the values of the Penalty Free Sweepstakes and exemplify strong leadership both on and off the ice. Each player will receive a certificate for a custom M11 PRO helmet and a special message from Mark himself.
Here's an overview of the 2013 Penalty Free Messier Project Leadership Award program:
- Following the 10-year tradition of the Penalty Free Sweepstakes MVP Award, the new Penalty Free Messier Project Leadership Award will honor 11 players from across Ontario who are leading the charge in an important effort to protect themselves and the great game of hockey.
- Coaches are invited to nominate one player from their team that embodies the values of the Penalty Free Sweepstakes – skills, safety and sportsmanship and, in the tradition of hockey icon Mark Messier and The Messier Project, exemplifies strong leadership both on and off the ice.
- Coaches can nominate one player from their team by filling out a Messier Project Leadership Award Nomination Ballot and submitting it to the Hockey Development Centre for Ontario (HDCO).
- The Penalty Free Sweepstakes contest will take place over an eight-week period, commencing Dec.1, 2012 and running until Jan. 31, 2013.
- Nomination ballots must be received by 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 4, 2013. Only one nominee is allowed per team.
- The 2013 Penalty Free Messier Project Leadership Award winners will be announced on Feb. 15, 2013.
For more information on the award and the HDCO, visit www.hdco.on.ca.
November 9th, 2012
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell, the first player to win the Stanley Cup in a helmet (the M11) from The Messier Project, dropped in on youth hockey practice in his hometown of Port McNeill, B.C. on Thursday, Nov. 8.
The surprise visit to the Chilton Regional Arena visit was Willie's idea, and he presented 33 M11 helmets — his jersey number is 33 — to the Port McNeill Minor Hockey Club Atoms team. Willie hung out with players from the entire association, skated in their practices and had a great time. (Thanks to Andrew Mitchell for the photos.)
For details, see some of the coverage:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2012/11/08/kings_mitchell_donates_helmets_to_kids/
http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Port+McNeill+kids+gift+safety+from+hometown+hero+Mitchell/7521980/story.html
November 9th, 2012
Los Angeles Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell, his mission and the M11 helmet landed front-and-center on the NHLPA's website following Willie's visit to his hometown rink and minor hockey association in Port McNeill, B.C.
Check out the story at: http://www.nhlpa.com/news/whats-important-to-willie-mitchell
