Sportsnet.ca columnist Jim Lang received a question from a reader this week about headshots in hockey. In his reply, published at http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2010/03/29/lang_mailbag_headshots/, Lang mentions The Messier Project and the new M11 helmet when discussing how equipment changes can help address the issue of concussion in hockey.

Lang writes: “Don Cherry is right when he says it is time to do away with the hard cap elbow pads and football type shoulder pads. You are not going to make smaller and slower athletes. But you can make equipment that will do less damage when the inevitable collisions take place. The league should also take a closer look at Mark Messier’s proposal for a new helmet design that he feels will help reduce concussions. Something has to be done for the good of the NHL. We all love the game too much to see all these great players missing so much time with concussions.”