1.)  First, congratulations on being named the General Manager of Hockey Canada’s 2010 IIHF World Hockey Championship team!

Thank you!  It is an incredible opportunity and challenge to do something special for Hockey Canada.  Canadians are passionate about hockey, so as a player, representing my country always held a special significance.  I am now looking forward to the challenge on the management side to position our team to compete for gold and represent Canada with pride.

Over the coming weeks and months, I will be looking to name a management staff, a coaching staff and then identify players that will give Canada the best chance at winning gold in May 2010.

2.)  Speaking of General Managers, recently you and your sister Mary-Kay had an opportunity to present to the NHL General Managers on behalf of The Messier Project and the M11.  Can you tell us a bit about those meetings and the feedback you received?

It was a tremendous honor and opportunity to present The Messier Project and the M11 to the NHL General Managers.  They have a lot at stake – first and foremost, protecting their players.  However they also have a business to run and millions of dollars are lost over the course of an NHL season as a result of games missed due to injury.

Everybody is paying attention and it is very positive to see all the game’s greatest influencers working to find a solution.  I think all the teams were very open-minded and interested in learning about the M11 and Seven Technology.

I am very proud of the M11 and the mission of The Messier Project is very personal to me.  But I also recognize that this is just one part of a finding a real solution.  We need all the stakeholders to come together to really address the issue of concussion in hockey.

Change is not easy and it takes time, but when you consider the consequences and if you truly believe in the mission, then you have to be persistent and stay the course.  Overall, we are off to a great start as the response to The Messier Project and the M11 has been overwhelming!

We have a few NHL players wearing the M11 and I know they love it.  They have been exceptionally supportive and have really embraced the greater initiative to not only make the choice to protect themselves better, but in doing so, also set a great example for our youth – which at the end of the day is at the very heart of our mission and why I got involved in this issue.

Harvard University came on board right from day one and that has been a tremendous experience – they too have taken a leadership role and I am proud to have them on my team.

Hockey Canada, the NHL and the NHLPA have all been supportive, as well as many of the State divisions of USA Hockey.

We now have dealers across North America who have partnered with us to make the M11 available.  We can’t keep up with all the new teams joining The Messier Project!  Take a look at “The Evolved” section of our website for a list of the players and teams that are wearing the M11.

And we receive emails every day from parents, players and coaches and associations that are completely on board.  When I see these letters and meet parents that thank me for what I am doing, it reminds me just how important The Messier Project is to the sport of hockey.

3.)  With your work on behalf of The Messier Project and in sharing your mission with players, leagues, coaches, parents, teams, equipment managers, trainers and associations across North America, you have quickly become a pioneer in making head (brain) protection a priority in the game of hockey.  What inspired you to act and to become a leader in this mission to change priorities in the sport?

The concussion issue was what first brought me to the table.  The fact that we are still basically using the same technology in our helmets that we have used over the last three decades or more is horrifying.  Every single piece of our equipment has evolved except the helmet.

Right now there is a lot of focus on how the helmet looks- that seems to be the determining factor players base their decision on, not only at the pro level, but also with the kids.  That is frightening when you consider what’s at stake.  But I also think it is understandable – up until now – because players really haven’t had a choice.  Basically all helmets have been equal in that they all do a great job preventing against catastrophic injury.  If the protection is all equal, players could then make their decision based on design, comfort and look.

That is why, I feel, the mission of The Messier Project is so important.  We need to change the priorities within our sport to make head protection a top priority- and it needs to be a concerted effort on the part of all the stake holders: players, NHL, NHLPA, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, and perhaps most importantly, the manufacturers.

Concussions have crept into our game and we need to find a way to address this issue, which has become an epidemic.  Cascade Sports has spent years innovating and developing products solely for the purpose of filling this void and providing better head protection.  That is why I am so proud to partner with them in this initiative.

The revolutionary Seven Technology, featured in the M11, is a liner system that Cascade Sports designed to manage multiple impacts more effectively.  This is key and the first step in moving our sport in the right direction.  However, as we continue to educate, and head protection becomes the priority, I believe in the next five years, we will be wearing helmets that won’t even resemble what we have worn for the last three decades or more.

The time has come to change.  The players are ready, and I believe they will demand better protection.

Thanks for reading and check in next week- I’ll share my concerns over the current state of youth hockey and discuss other factors that must be addressed to better protect our players.

A. It is hard to believe it has been 5 years since my retirement.  Coming back to the Rangers is very exciting for me.  I am really looking forward to joining the management team and competing again, although competing in a different way.  From an organization stand point, I really enjoy the team development.  As a young player, I remember the veteran players that helped me make the transition from the Junior League to the NHL.  I look forward to contributing any way I can to help the team and organization have a successful season.

Q. How much will you be working with guys like Dubinsky who are already on the team?

A. I am not in direct contact with the players on a day to day basis.  That is the coach’s responsibility- one voice, one message.  Having said that, I am certainly available to assist the coaching staff if they feel it is necessary or I can contribute in some way.

Q. I understand The Messier Project has been on an NHL tour with teams and players about the M11.  What is your message to the players?  How have the players responded?  Who is supporting The Messier Project, wearing the M11?  What are the challenges?

A. The M11 has been very well received by the NHL players in camp.  Change is always hard, especially in a sport as traditional as hockey.  For that reason, we didn’t expect to have a huge impact in terms of the number of players changing over to the M11 in the beginning.  What we did find is that a lot of players were open and interested in the conversation.  We are talking about revolutionizing head protection- essentially introducing a new era.  Anything of that magnitude takes time and great patience.  But we feel strongly that this is something that needs to be done and therefore we are committed for the long haul.  We also believe over time the players will see the value of what and who we are, and what our mission is.

At the NHL level we are looking for players who understand the importance of protecting themselves and in doing so are also protecting their careers.  When you are playing, it is difficult to look beyond that time line.  However, when you take into account the potential devastating effects of concussion, we also believe in the importance of protecting your head (brain) with an eye on “quality of life” after hockey.  This is a critical message we need to get through to players at all levels, but especially our youth.  NHL players are the game’s greatest influencers.  We want the players who are interested in joining the fight against concussions by changing the priorities within our sport to make head protection a top priority.  By supporting this mission and wearing the M11, these players will in turn be protecting kids playing hockey and ultimately help to preserve our great game.

With any new product, even if a player is 100% bought in, it does take time to get used to a change.  So, we have many NHL players still evaluating the M11, but to this point in the season we have enjoyed tremendous support from:

Garnet Exelby
Aaron Ward
Chris Phillips
Christoff Schubert
Jesse Winchester
Stephan Veilleux
Kevin Westgarth
Matt Bradley
Kip Brennan
Brett Palin

I am honored these players have joined our team in our mission to address concussions in hockey.

Q. Mark, What is your opinion regarding the importance of Skate Sharpening?

A. Good question.  When we visited the PHATS-SPHEM (Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers & Equipment Managers) convention this summer, I was introduced to a brand new technology in skate sharpening.  Instead of cutting the blade in a c-cup formation, it cuts the blade in a squared U angle.  The company says it gives the players less drag without sacrificing the sharp edge the players look for, which sounds very interesting.  Skate sharpening is a very personal decision and something most players are very specific about- which often requires a different setting on the machine for each guy- meaning, the amount of edge put on the blade.  I was a guy that did not like sharp skates.  I liked the feeling of a smooth glide.  Technology keeps improving which offers many options.  At the end of the day, it is still something that is very personal and each player needs to decide what is right for him or her.

Q. Who was your favorite NHL player when you were a kid?

A. My two favorite players as a kid growing up were Bobby Orr and Guy Lafleur.  Saturday night, watching Hockey Night In Canada was always the best part of the week.  It was a big tradition in Canada, both from a hockey and family perspective.

Q. What are your thoughts about young players being named captain?  In some cases there are players 15 years older than their captain, how does this make things more difficult?

A. I have reservations about this topic as well.  Of course, every situation and player is different.  A player coming into the NHL has many challenges to cope with, not only on the ice, but off the ice as well.  Giving a player ample time to be one of the guys and make mistakes is all part of the maturation process and I believe required to become an effective and passionate leader.  Accelerating this process has hurt a few players in the past.  However, once in awhile you have a few special players and people like Crosby and potentially Toews that can handle the situation.

Fighting in hockey has been debated for many years by team officials, players, experts, and fans.  The one constant in all the discussions is that there are no easy answers or solutions.  As a former player, fighting was an accepted aspect of the game.  Of course when I first started, very few games were televised around the country, and every move the league or teams made was not scrutinized by millions of viewers.

Over the last few decades, fighting in hockey has changed tremendously.  In the 70’s fighting really hit its peak, being lead by the Broad Street Bullies in Philadelphia.  The Flyers were the Stanley Cup Champions and played a very aggressive in-your-face game, which often lead to fisticuffs on the ice.  Bench clearing brawls were the norm, and of course, all this trickled down to the minor leagues and even into the grass roots level.

The 80’s followed with an invasion of highly skilled European players that started to make their way over to play in the NHL.  And soon after came the games Greatest player ever in Wayne Gretzky, who possessed a game of skill and awareness that had never been seen before.  Led by Wayne, the Edmonton Oilers became the benchmark for success, adopting a highly skilled, fast skating game, which forced the rest of the league to change their philosophy from a grinding up and down your wing, to a skating, interweaving game that resembled a more European style.

The league took tremendous steps to reduce fighting and eliminate bench clearing brawls.  Requiring players to return to their benches as soon as a fight broke out and the institution of many other new rules greatly reduced the number of fights that took place in any particular game.

While the focus now is on a more skilled, high tempo game, fighting is still a topic of conversation, particularly when a player is hurt as a result of the fight.  Players are bigger and stronger than ever, and have taken the skill of fighting to a new level.  Hockey is a great game of passion, skill, discipline, courage and heart.  However, in addition to these great attributes, intimidation has always played and will continue to play a part in the game.

One of the latest problems associated with fighting is players taking their helmets off before engaging in a fight.  One of the reasons for this was the mandatory visor rule that was implemented much like the hockey helmet was back in 1979.  Because of the shields and full cages, taking the helmets off became a way of showing respect and bravado.

Hockey, like life, is ever changing and evolving.  We as a league must always have the best interests in our minds and hearts for the players, teams and fans.  The changes that have taken place over the last 30 years have made our game better than ever.  We will continue to make the necessary changes to ensure we not only protect our players, but provide the fans with the best product and entertainment possible.

Fighting has always been a part of hockey, and I personally believe that it will continue to be one aspect of our game.  Part of what makes hockey so entertaining is that it requires physical and mental toughness.  But as the game continues to evolve, I believe that player safety and better protection need to be our top priority.  If that means instituting a rule – like Hockey Canada – that makes it mandatory to keep your helmet on in a fight, I would support it.

The Messier Project, my new collaboration with Cascade Sports, is committed to elevating head protection in hockey and we are working to change priorities in the sport.  A helmet and its protective technology are just as important – if not more important – than the skates you wear or the stick you use.

In developing the M11, I worked very closely with the innovators at Cascade Sports to bring a player’s perspective to the design.  One of the features I am most proud of is the ProFit system, which I think ties into this conversation.  During game play and especially if a player engages in a fight, it is extremely important that the helmet stays on to prevent potential head injury due to a blow to the head or the more serious threat of a player’s head hitting the ice.

"The Pro Fit system creates a 360 degree fit- tapering the entire helmet in around the head for a snug, 'toque' feel."

The Pro Fit system creates a 360 degree fit- tapering the entire helmet in around the head for a snug, “toque” feel.  When your helmet fits right, it is safer on impact and when adjusted properly, a good fit increases the level of protection the helmet offers.  From a performance perspective, the M11 ProFit allows a player to fine-tune the fit and adjust it on the fly based on the situation and environment.

Thank you for your question.  It is conversations and questions like these that are so important to the evolution and continued success of our game.

With respect,

Mark Messier

Q:  Do you think Sergei Zubov deserves consideration for the Hall of Fame?
He seems under-appreciated.
A:  I am a little biased when it comes to players I have played with, especially players that I have won with. Like all of us, he will go through the process of evaluation to determine if he will get in.

Q:  If you could re-live one goal from your career, which one would it be
and why?
A:  It would be very tough to single out one goal. But one goal has special meaning to me. I scored my first goal in the nhl on my mom’s birthday at home when she was at the game. Always a great memory for me.

Q: With training camps starting up for the NHL, what is a daily schedule
like for NHLer at this time?
A:  It is much different now then it was when I first started. We used to be on the ice twice a day and off ice training in between. Now the players are on the ice for 2 hours. Off ice training follows. They have media training, and many other seminars to prepare them for the upcoming season.  It is a grueling schedule from the start of training camp until the end of the season.

A: Every boy want’s to be like his father. My Dad played professional hockey, and wore number 11. I was very excited when I was drafted by Edmonton, and I was able to wear number 11.

Q: What was the best team you played for?

A: That is a hard question. The easy answer is all six teams that we won the cup with. The 87′ team might have been the most talented. Also, if you count the Canada Cup teams, what an amazing group of players to play with.

Working with the experts at Cascade on a new helmet.

The physical element of hockey is an integral part of the sport and I believe it always should be – it is part of the beauty of the game.  But we all must take an active role in ensuring that safety comes first.  It starts with education and a greater responsibility to educate players of all ages on how to play smart.  We need to teach youth players proper body position and how to give (and take) a clean hit.  And we need to make sure that all players, from youth to the pros, are armed with the best protective equipment possible – starting with the helmet.

-Mess