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EQUIPMENT CORNER
CCM Gets First Virginia Tech
Five-Star Hockey Helmet Rating
 The new CCM FitLite 500 is the first hockey helmet to receive a five-star rating from the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings system. The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab began rating hockey helmets in 2015, and according to its rating system, helmets with more stars provide a reduction in concussion risk compared to helmets with less stars.
The Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings currently have
38 hockey helmets. Bauer's RE-AKT 200 was the first to receive a four-star rating in June.
Virginia Tech also does
ratings
for adult football helmets and plans to expand its ratings to lacrosse, baseball, softball, bicycle and youth football helmets.
Click here to read more about the CCM FitLite 500 rating.
STX, Materials Sciences Corporation
Partner on Product Development
 STX announced a partnership with Materials Sciences Corporation (MSC), which will give STX exclusive rights to MSC's proprietary composite technologies in field hockey. STX, which also manufactures hockey and lacrosse products, will be pursuing ongoing development in other categories with MSC.
MSC technology will first appear in the new STX Stallion HPR field hockey sticks in the spring of 2018. It will feature MSC's Countervail vibration-canceling technology used in high-performance road and mountain racing bicycles and tennis racquets.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
CCM Extends Streak as
SDC Hockey Supplier of the Year
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Sean Williams of CCM Hockey, right, receives the SDC 2017 Hockey Supplier of the Year Award from SDC President Brad Hause.
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CCM Hockey was honored for the fifth consecutive year as the Source For Sports/Sports Distributors of Canada (SDC) Hockey Supplier of the Year. Brad Hause, President of SDC, presented Sean Williams, Vice President of Marketing and North American Sales for CCM Hockey, with the award at a reception during the Source For Sports/SDC Buying Show and Marketing Convention on Nov. 19-22 in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
The Supplier of the Year award is voted on by SDC members and factors in attributes which include product innovation, marketing support and customer service and terms.
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MEMBER NEWS
Looking at the Shipping Rate
Increases for 2018
 With the New Year approaching, the HDA and NSGA shipping partner, PartnerShip, evaluates the UPS and FedEx rate increases for 2018 and how they will affect your costs.
Click here to learn more about the PartnerShip program available to HDA and NSGA members.
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GROWING THE GAME
California Youth Hockey
Grows at Record Levels
California would not come immediately to mind as one of the states regarded as a hockey hotbed. But the game is growing in the Golden State, according to USA Hockey affiliate membership reports for 2016-17.
California saw the largest increase of 8U players in its history, 25.2 percent to 3,553, and a jump among girls of 49 percent. USA Hockey data has shown that player growth from ages 4 to 8 helps retention in the 9-14 age group.
NHL Expansion to Las Vegas
Boosts Area's Youth Teams
 Having an NHL expansion team in Las Vegas has helped increase the exposure for area youth players. A 21-9-2 start by the Golden Knights has also sparked even greater interest in participation at the youth levels. This could lead to significant growth from the 455 youth players registered in Nevada for 2016-17, according to USA Hockey.
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SEASON OF GIVING
Canadian School Donates Equipment
to Remote Community
For the second year, a school in Leamington, Ontario donated more than 100 tote bins of dry goods, warm clothes and hockey equipment to a community about 1,500 kilometers away in northern Ontario. This year's donations included approximately 60 pairs of skates, 40 hockey sticks and 14 full bags of equipment.
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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.
Click here to fill out an application and learn more about the benefits of being a part of the voice for hockey dealers.
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Register Now for 2018 NSGA Management Conference & Team Dealer Summit
Registration is now open for the NSGA 54th Annual Management Conference and 20th Annual Team Dealer Summit on May 20-22, 2018 in Bonita Springs, Florida. The conference is the premier educational and networking event in the sporting goods industry.
Registrants also have the opportunity to see some of the industry's newest and most innovative products in the Innovations Arena. The highly successful Structured Product Networking also returns to give retailers, team dealers, brands and manufacturers the chance to have a series of scheduled meetings.
Click here for more information and to register today!
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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?
Problems with an owner from Toronto led two teams in Montreal and teams from Quebec and Ottawa to start the National Hockey League in November 1917.
The playing rules and equipment were vastly different and players worked regular jobs. And the Stanley Cup pitted the NHL champion against the champion of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association.
Click here to learn more about the NHL's first season.
Click here to read about how goalies originally had to be stand-up guys.
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Subscribe to
NSGA Scoreboard
The NSGA Scoreboard gives you all the sporting goods industry news you need in one place. The Scoreboard is sent twice a month and includes content about research, advocacy, NSGA, team dealer and sales agent issues and industry news.
Subscribe today
!
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NSGA Research Available
NSGA's 2017 editions of its Sports Participation and Sporting Goods Market reports are available. These are must-have resources for anyone in the sporting goods industry. Click here for more information.
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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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| Join HDA now! |
Become a member of the Hockey Dealers Association and help us build a voice for the independent hockey dealer. Visit our website
by
clicking here or calling (847) 296-NSGA (6742), ext. 1260 to join today.
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| Please Contact Us |
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c/o NSGA
1601 Feehanville Drive Suite 300
Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
(847) 296-NSGA (6742), ext. 1260.
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