- NHL No. 1 overall draft pick Connor Bedard has signed an official partnership with global hockey equipment brand Sherwood Hockey
- One of the brightest NHL prospects in years, Bedard will use Sherwood Rekker Legend sticks and gloves
- Bedard joins Sherwood’s roster of NHL players such as Matthew Tkachuk, William Nylander, Alex DeBrincat and Quinton Byfield
- Shares of Sherwood Hockey’s parent Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. (TSX:CTC) were trading at C$297.89, up 2.72 per cent, as of 1:40 p.m.
National Hockey League No. 1 overall draft pick Connor Bedard has signed an official partnership with global hockey equipment brand Sherwood Hockey, the division of Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. (TSX:CTC) announced Friday.
Bedard, one of the most hyped NHL prospects of the past 20 years, will play exclusively with Sherwood Rekker Legend sticks and gloves.
A news release describes the Rekker Legend stick’s ergonomic tapered shaft shape and low kick-point as “tailormade for players like Bedard who possess quick, deceptive hands and a lightning-fast release.”
“I’m really excited to be joining the Sherwood team,” Connor Bedard, a generational talent who was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks, said in a statement. “Since I started working with Sherwood to develop hockey equipment that I felt could improve my game, I have been really impressed with their approach, expertise and dedication to building the best gear. They are doing a lot of cool things around the sport I love and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Bedard, 18, joins Sherwood’s roster of NHL players such as Matthew Tkachuk, William Nylander, Alex DeBrincat and Quinton Byfield and Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association players such as Emily Clark and Savannah Harmon.
“We’re thrilled that Connor has found his performance match with Sherwood and moreover this goes much deeper than a product fit. Connor shares Sherwood’s brand values of creativity, self-expression and individuality on and off the ice – creating a more meaningful relationship,” Brendon Arnold, associate vice president, brand management, Sherwood Hockey, said in the news release.
While playing for the Regina Pats last season, Bedard led the Western Hockey League with 71 goals, 72 assists and 143 points. He also led Team Canada to gold at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and was named tournament MVP in January in Halifax, N.S.
Sherwood started taking a new direction with its products in 2020, leading to developing strategic product collaborations with Disney, OVO, Staple Pigeon and Better Gift Shop.
“Our partnership with Connor Bedard is a key step in the continued re-invention of the Sherwood brand. Since we acquired Sherwood in 2018 and re-launched the brand in 2020, we have been focused on building credibility with the next generation of hockey players who, like us, can’t wait to see what Connor does on the ice supported by outstanding Sherwood products,” Bobby Singh-Randhawa, senior vice president, consumer brands, Canadian Tire Corp., said in a statement. “In addition to being a great example of the progress we’ve made with Sherwood as a brand, this partnership also signals our intention to be a greater force in the hockey market going forward.”
As a Canadian Tire Corp., Ltd.-owned brand, Sherwood products can be found in stores and online at Canadian Tire, SportChek, Pro Hockey Life, Sports Experts, Sports Rousseau, l’Entrepôt du Hockey and Hockey Experts in addition to retailers worldwide.
Canadian Tire Corp., Ltd. is a group of companies that includes a retail segment, a financial services division and CT REIT.
Shares of Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. were trading at C$297.89, up 2.72 per cent, as of 1:40 p.m.
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