Hockey players, like most pro athletes, are creatures of habit, reluctant to change and tend to be superstitious.
To make a change in equipment, they have to be fully convinced "new" also means "better." And that's the case with Canes defenseman Aaron Ward and his new helmet.
Ward now is wearing an M11 helmet. The Messier Project helmet uses a liner system that manufacturer Cascade Sports — in conjunction with Mark Messier — believes significantly lessens the chance of concussions. Much like shock absorbers, the cushions inside the helmet provide lateral displacement to better absorb the impact of the hit.
"It's probably the most comfortable helmet I've ever worn, by far," Ward said today. "Doctors can fix anything in your body but your brain. It's one of the wisest moves I've made in terms of protecting myself.
"What sold me, even after looking at what it has inside the helmet, is it's probably the most comfortable thing I've ever put on my head. Sometimes, you have comfort and you discount the protection, but this has a lot of protection."
The technology of the helmet is similar to that of the Xenith X1 football helmet introduced a couple of years ago to reduce the chance of concussions and other head injuries.
Chad LaRose was another wearing the M11 helmet Wednesday and others have indicated they will give it a try this week.
A Raleigh native, Chip has worked at the N&O since 1979 and is the Canes beat writer. He can be reached at
Comments
Head injuries
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 16:39 — esteban1949in the NHL & NFL have been a problem for ages. If this new "hat' works as well as it is touted...the the NHLPA ought to make it mandatory...and as tough as the human body it...the brain is still the softest and most vulnerable. remember that the next time you see someone who was in a a car wreck or motorcycle accident...and suffered a terrible spinal cord or brain injury...the number one charity my family donates to is is for Brain injury Rehab Unit here in the Triad. After all anyone of us are just a fall,slip in the shower or a freak accident away from become a paralyzed vegetable. thanks chip...
Go canes !!
Aaron,
Wed, 09/09/2009 - 22:00 — gf101112The wisest move you've made in terms of protecting yourself was rejoining the Hurricanes!!! Scotty Walker is now your teammate. Feel safe now buddy!!! Go Canes!!!
Nice Name
Wed, 09/09/2009 - 16:01 — FurbishLousewartAs an astronomy fan, I appreciate the name of the helmet (named after Charles Messier and his famous catalog of heavenly bodies; for example, M31, the Andromeda Galaxy).
Looks comfy
Wed, 09/09/2009 - 15:38 — GoShelfIt looks like a comfy helmet (www.themessierproject.com/the-helmet) that probably has as much if not more protection than any of the other helmets on the market. Unless really compelling third party research is released, this appears to be a marketing ploy by Mark Messier and company, which is fine. I'm not sure how you prove in a real environment that one helmet protects better than the other unless we're comparing Gretzky's 1984 Jofa to whatever Eric Staal is wearing right now. Also, it seems like a rather marginal benefit, most concussions occur at the point impact, so unless you wearing a space helmet you are going to get a concussion regardless of what brand of helmet is on your head. Nevertheless, there's nothing wrong with this endeavor if it reduces the amount and degree of concussions, I'm just not convinced.
M11
Wed, 09/09/2009 - 15:43 — chipalexander (author)I got a good look at the helmet today and the cushioning to me looked a lot better than the standard helmet. I thought I'd let Aaron Ward speak to the subject.
Under the bus
Wed, 09/09/2009 - 22:48 — GoShelfNot trying to throw anyone under the bus, it's just concussions are part of the game and have been for a long time, granted they're a pretty big focus right now and should be. However, the type of helmet you wear will probably not a going to make a huge difference, if you get hit hard with you head down you're going to pay the price. Mark Messier is a great embassador for the game, this seems like a small step in the right direction and if this becomes Aaron's lucky helmet and that luck speads like wildfire then they should all wear the same helmet. Nothing's better than a good lid, it's one of the first things you notice about a hockey player.
Concussions and the NHL
Wed, 09/09/2009 - 15:04 — abramsdougThe reduction of concussions and head injury for NHL players is an important and achievable goal. I appreciate your publicizing this issue. Improved helmets could dramatically reduce the risk of head injuries to players and could not only extend their productive player years, but could reduce the incidents of long-term problems for retired players. Excellent article.