January 2016
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INDUSTRY NEWS
 
Performance Sports Group
Acquires Easton Hockey 

Performance Sports Group Ltd., the parent company of Bauer Hockey, has acquired the Easton Hockey business from Easton Hockey Holdings, Inc. 

The acquisition adds Easton Hockey's heritage of innovation to PSG's existing Bauer Hockey business, including intellectual property assets that will add to the Company's product lines under the Easton and Bauer brands. The acquisition will also provide PSG with exclusive control of the Easton brand in all sports other than cycling and archery.

PSG has owned the Easton brand since its April 2014 acquisition of the Easton Baseball/Softball business and has been licensing the use of the Easton brand in the hockey, cycling and archery categories. PSG will continue to license the brand for use in cycling and archery.

"This is an exciting transaction for our company because it brings another business with a history of innovation to Performance Sports Group," said Amir Rosenthal, President of PSG Brands. "Easton Hockey was the pioneer of the aluminum and composite stick in hockey and Easton has long been considered a strong brand in the sport.

"We believe by focusing on their track record of success in the stick category and by utilizing the resources of a broader and more financially stable organization, we can support and further grow the Easton brand in this important category and other key equipment categories."


NHL NEWS
 
NHL Gets Involved In
Climate Change Efforts 

The National Hockey League would seem to be a surprising participant at the climate change conference held in Paris in November. But it is a topic of major importance to the league and NHL vice president for corporate social responsibility, Omar Mitchell, who made a presentation at the conference.

Mitchell explained in a story in the Washington Post that hockey is tied to the environment with the need for cold weather and fresh water to play. An NHL Green program has also been developed to promote environmental awareness throughout the league.

Click here to read the full story.

Click here to read more about the NHL's 2014 Sustainability Report.

GoPro Renews Partnership with NHL

The renewed partnership between the NHL, the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) and GoPro Inc., has been expanded to feature NHL After Dark, an 11-part series filmed and produced by GoPro to give hockey fans a closer look at after-hours training sessions.

Each episode of NHL After Dark will feature NHL players on the ice in training sessions. The debut episode, which will launch Feb. 3, will feature the dazzling stick-handling skills of Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar as he's put through the paces.

The series will be
distributed on the GoPro Channel and the GoPro App, channels owned and powered by the NHL and the NHLPA, including the NHL Network.

Click here to learn more about GoPro's NHL After Dark series and to see the trailer.


GETTING IN THE GAME
 
Minnesota League Gives
Opportunities to Everyone 

Players such as Bekah Lorsung are the reason Minnesota Special Hockey was created nearly 10 years ago. Lorsung, who has a mental impairment that makes learning and taking instruction difficult, is one of 174 players who may not have been able to continue playing competitively without the league.

"We wanted every single person in Minnesota, who wanted to play hockey, to play hockey," said Susie Miller, the founder of Minnesota Special Hockey.

Miller said the league has players who are blind, have Down's Syndrome, autism, epilepsy and require extra attention or direction. The program has grown from 20 players on two teams in Minneapolis-St. Paul to 10 teams throughout Minnesota.

Click here  to learn more about Minnesota Special Hockey.

New Jersey High School Team
Receives Devilish Gift 

Adam Henrique and some of his New Jersey Devils' teammates brought a Christmas present to the only high school team in Newark. They brought 35 new sticks to donate to the Newark East Side team.

"You show a lot of commitment with this team and with school, so we wanted to give you a bit of an early present," Henrique told the players in a story on nj.com.

Newark East Side coach Keith Veltre said some players have only one stick and if it breaks need to borrow one from a  teammate. Many of the players on the team are products of the "Hockey in Newark" program, where hockey equipment can be tough to get.

Click here to read the full story.



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. 



EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION

St. Louis Airport Worker Sues
Maple Leafs Equipment Manager

A suburban St. Louis man is suing the Toronto Maple Leafs for negligence which allegedly led to his injuries while working at the St. Louis Downtown Airport on Jan. 17, 2015. The plaintiff was loading hockey equipment owned by the Maple Leafs into an aircraft, when the team's equipment manager allegedly did not follow verbal instructions that led to what the plaintiff claims is a permanent right shoulder injury.

Click here to read the full story.
 


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 

 

 

Sincerely,

 


Marty's signature.jpg
Marty Maciaszek
mmaciaszek@nsga.org 

 


                      
 
        

 

                                                     
In This Issue
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! 

 

Did you know?

The first NHL All-Star Game was played before the start of the 1947 season. It featured the defending Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs against all-stars from the other five NHL teams.
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