MONTREAL, QC. — In case you didn’t know, but I’m hoping you did, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month as well as the first month of the NHL season. It’s perfectly appropriate timing, then, that the NHL rolls out its Hockey Fights Cancer merchandise at the beginning of this month. (Right after Childhood Cancer Awareness Month ends, no less!)
A portion of proceeds from Hockey Fights Cancer merchandise will be divided among four charities: two for prostate cancer, one for pancreatic cancer, and one for blood cancer. Unfortunately, I haven’t found any information as to exactly what percentage of proceeds will be donated, but at the very least, it’s a high-profile initiative to raise awareness about cancer research and how the disease can affect patients and their families. I see the HFC merchandise as a way to show your passion for hockey and your support for people affected by this disease. As we already know, no one is immune – not even NHL stars.
There are a few interesting pieces for sale this year. Due to gender bias, I’ll start with their women’s T-shirt:
As long as that’s not glitter I see on the logo, this looks like a T-shirt I can approve of (it helps that I like purple). Take note, T-shirt makers: not all women want to wear men’s shirts, and very few women want to look like ice girls. A shirt like this, that looks fitted but isn’t obscenely tight or short, is the Holy Grail of women’s hockey merchandise. (Provided it actually fits, that is.)
Gentlemen (and other males), you’ve also got a very nice T-shirt option:
Every team’s shirt is designed in their colours, as you can see, and while these shirts may break the rule of using purple, seemingly the official colour of the HFC movement, I like how they’ve been customized for each market. Merely slapping a team’s logo on something doesn’t make it viable merchandise, so I’m happy to see a customized design. It promotes Hockey Fights Cancer but doesn’t leave the “hockey” aspect behind. I like the emphasis on the word “fights”, it makes this shirt even more relevant.
The item you’ll see the most of during Hockey Fights Cancer time is the purple tie, especially on coaches and sportscasters.
The darker colour and the pattern make this tie look a little bit more dressed-up, subtler, and more masculine than last year’s. I liked the light purple tie, but it looked a bit ridiculous on people who weren’t Kirk Muller. A tie like this dark one might be easier to match to a suit for people who dress like Jacques Martin. It will also be a welcome change from the cotton candy ties that Joel Bouchard has been wearing on RDS. Yes, it will also look good in real life, not just on TV.
Two NHL Reflections photobooks also help raise money for Hockey Fights Cancer: Best of the Decade, pictured here, and 2009: A Year In Photographs. I’d buy one for myself and a few extras as Christmas gifts and whatnot. (My apologies to anyone disappointed by the fact that I like giving books as gifts.) Who doesn’t love a good hockey action shot? I’m usually impressed by the photos on NHL.com, so I’m sure these two make great coffee table books.
There are a few other interesting options if you’re thinking about supporting Hockey Fights Cancer, especially if you have an interest in other teams. There’s a wider selection of merchandise for a few other teams, such as the Detroit Red Wings and the Washington Capitals. It’s worth a look. And you get to help people!
All pictures here were found where you can buy these items, in the NHL Online Shop.