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INDUSTRY NEWS
CCM Partners with First Girls Team to Participate in Quebec Pee-Wee Tourney
 CCM Hockey announced a partnership with the first all-girls team to participate in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament in mid-February. CCM supplied the team with top-of-the-line sticks, helmets, gloves and pants and custom jerseys and apparel. The players will be featured in an upcoming campaign for CCM.
The team was made up of the top female pee-wee aged players from Quebec and was coached by Gold Medal-winning Olympians Caroline Ouellette, Marie-Philip Poulin and Kim St. Pierre.
"I am thankful to be partnering with CCM, a company that believes in striving to grow female hockey," Ouellette said.
"Female hockey programs are an integral part of the growth of the game," said Sean Williams, Vice President of Global Marketing and North American Sales for CCM Hockey.
Adidas Appoints New Head
of Hockey North America
 Adidas appointed Dan Near as the new head of Adidas Hockey for Adidas Group North America. Near joins Adidas from the NHL, where he built new distribution for licensed products and led strategic grow-the-game initiatives in North America during his 10 years in the league.
"His existing relationships within the NHL and across the hockey industry will be key in bringing the Adidas/NHL partnership to
life
," said Michael Rossi, the General Manager for Adidas Group Canada. "Dan also brings diverse experience from other industries ... and is a proud Canadian with an innate passion for sports, especially hockey. He also brings a natural curiosity and genuine passion
to create a new path forward between Adidas and the NHL under our new agreement that excites us all
."
Adidas also promoted Keith Leach to senior director - NHL, leading all NHL-related licensed product initiatives for the SLD division across North America.
"As we look ahead to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto and next season's launch of Adidas on-ice with the NHL, we are thrilled to step onto a proverbial 'fresh sheet of ice' with these two capable leaders guiding our efforts."
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SAFETY CONCERNS
Where's the Teeth?
 A time-honored NHL tradition is the photo of star players, such as Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita, smiling without all of their teeth. Although player safety has become more and more important, teeth will continue to be lost since players are not required to attach full-cage masks to their helmets.
Mouth guards also do not prevent teeth from getting knocked out by pucks, sticks, falling on the ice or getting checked into the boards, according to an NHL equipment manager. The Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings are among teams with dental chairs in their arenas.
"I've pulled teeth out of mouth guards," Detroit Red Wings equipment manager Paul Boyer told The Economic Times. "They're not designed to keep the teeth in the mouth."
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EQUIPMENT CORNER
Non-Hockey Uses
for Hockey Equipment
 Did you ever think of using hockey pucks as door stops? Using sticks to brush snow off your car or make a table? Or turn goals into a closet organizer? A writer who covers the American Hockey League's Lake Erie Monsters takes a look at how to use hockey equipment in ways it was not intended.
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SHOWTIME
27th Annual Let's Play Hockey Expo
Set for March 4-5 in St. Paul
 The 27th Annual Let's Play Hockey Expo is set for March 4-5 at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. The world's largest consumer hockey trade show has attracted more than 40,000 hockey fans to the free event.
The Let's Play Hockey Expo is held in conjunction with the Minnesota boys state high school hockey tournament at the Xcel Energy Center, which is attached to the RiverCentre and gives fans easy access to the show. Major manufacturers and entrepreneurs get the opportunity to display their unique hockey products to attendees.
Mike Vaughn will also receive the 2016 Bob Perani Lifetime Achievement Award in a presentation on March 4. Vaughn started his goalie equipment company in his garage in 1981 and now 82 percent of all NHL goalies wear a major piece of Vaughn gear that is sold world-wide.
Click here for more about the Let's Play Hockey Expo.
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FUN AND GAMES
The Beat Goes On
Check out a fight between a pair of minor league hockey players in Canada. It takes an interesting turn as a teammate uses his stick as an air guitar from the penalty box.
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JOIN OR RENEW NOW! Now is the time to become a new member or renew your membership with the Hockey Dealers Association. You can do it easily by clicking here to fill out an application and learn more about the benefits of being a part of the voice for hockey dealers. Back to top |
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Apply Now for HDA/SDC
Hockey Collaboration
The collaboration for the purchase of hockey equipment by U.S. hockey dealers between the HDA and National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA) and SDC (Sports Distributors of Canada) continues to grow as it enters its third year.
Click here to learn more about how the collaboration works and to fill out an inquiry form to start the process. Members of the collaboration take advantage of access to various products and discounts to help their bottom line.
There is no obligation to complete the form. Criteria used by SDC to determine participation may include a minimum sales volume of $200,000 in annual wholesale hockey products, credit rating, proximity to existing members and meeting certain store standards.
Don't delay and inquire today!
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Did you know?
The 1969-70 season was the only time no Canadian teams made the NHL playoffs. At that time there were only two - Montreal and Toronto - in the 12-team league. There is a chance that none of the seven Canadian teams will make this year's NHL playoffs.
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What's your beef?
Have an issue or problem related to the hockey industry? A concern about equipment or rules that you'd like to share with everyone?
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We want
your news!
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We want to stay on top of the latest industry news and information, so if you have something to share please
send an email to Marty Maciaszek.
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| Please Contact Us |
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c/o NSGA
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Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
(800) 815-5422 ext. 1260.
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