Ten years after retiring from the NHL, hockey legend Mark Messier (a.k.a. the Moose) is still making big plays on the ice.
Besides working as an Edmonton Oilers advisor and a Rogers' NHL Ambassador, the father of three is lending his star power to promote The First Shift, a program that aims to make Canada’s national pastime accessible to kids from all walks of life.
“Nine out of 10 kids in Canada aren’t playing hockey – the parents think it’s too expensive, not a lot of fun or too much of a commitment. So we wanted to break down those barriers and just help get kids on the ice,” he said.
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“Once they get a passion for it, the hope is that they’ll be able to benefit from all the great things hockey has to offer. It’s really about making the game fun – and it is fun!”
Perhaps more than anyone, Mark knows the benefits of playing hockey firsthand. With the NHL season now in full swing, Hello! sat down with the 53-year-old in Toronto to learn more about the legend himself.
Now, you can live stream over 1,000 national and in and out-of-market games on your smartphone, laptop or tablet with RogersNHL GameCentre LIVE. Check it out here.