Shock Doctor® Continues to Expand Its Team With Two Hockey Stars: Los Angeles Kings Jack Johnson and Chicago Blackhawks Nick Leddy

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Minneapolis-based Shock Doctor® – the authentic market leader and creators of innovative, unique performance-driven sports protection and the undisputed leader in mouthguard technology – announced today it is continuing to expand its Team Shock Doctor by signing endorsement contracts with two more elite professional athletes: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jack Johnson and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy.  Johnson and Leddy will have access to wear the full line of Shock Doctor's performance-driven sports protection, including the unique ShockSkin Hockey base protective apparel and full line of superior mouthguards – during practices and while competing on the ice.  In addition, they will use the new Shock Doctor Performance Sports Therapy products when they are off the ice to help recover from any injuries they may incur and to get back on the ice more quickly.  They will also serve as advisors, working with Shock Doctor's research and development team, to provide feedback from their experiences as professional athletes using Shock Doctor products.

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Johnson and Leddy join a growing roster of pro athletes who have discovered that Shock Doctor's revolutionary products are proving to be vital for better training and improved performance.  From NHL hockey players to NFL football players, from MLB players to NCAA football, hockey and lacrosse teams, athletes worldwide who want superior sports protection combined with performance enhancement are using Shock Doctor products ranging from mouthguards to base layer protection apparel. "Jack and Nick are star hockey players and we are extremely proud and excited to have them on Team Shock Doctor," said Tony Armand, CEO of Shock Doctor.  "We understand the significance of having such high-profile athletes on our team, and we look forward to working with them."

Minnesota native and 2010 Olympic Winter USA Hockey Team Silver Medalist Jack Johnson, who played high school hockey for Shattuck-St. Mary in Faribault, Minn., will be wearing Shock Doctor mouthguards and the ShockSkin Hockey base protective apparel as well as using the new Performance Sports Therapy products when he's off the ice to help recover from any injuries he may incur.  "My sports protection gear is the last thing I want to worry about when I'm in the heat of the battle on the ice and need to focus on what I'm doing," said Johnson.  "I know the Shock Doctor gear will not only provide me with the best protection available, it will also help me enhance my performance."  In 2005, Johnson skated for the U.S. National Under-18 team, where he helped Team USA take first place at the IIHF Men's World Under-18 Championship.  He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and he played for the University of Michigan during his freshman and sophomore years of college before moving to the NHL in 2007.  Johnson was traded to the Los Angeles Kings before his sophomore season and began his NHL career with the Kings, where he has played since 2007.  In 2007/2008 he was named to the NHL Young Stars Team and in 2006/2007 received the CCHA Offensive Defenseman of the Year award.  Johnson helped lead the Kings to appear in the NHL playoffs for the last two years.

In addition to wearing Shock Doctor mouthguards when practicing and competing, former University of Minnesota and Eden Prairie High School star hockey player Nick Leddy will also be using the new ShockSkin Hockey base protective apparel designed to cover the gaps in hockey players' gear to provide maximum protection and enable them to focus on the game.  "I am excited to be working with Shock Doctor and to have the opportunity to wear their exceptional mouthguards and ShockSkin Hockey apparel so that I can focus on my job of playing hockey instead of worrying about my sports protection," said Leddy, "and if I get injured, I will have access to the best sports medicine products in the industry with the new Performance Sports Therapy products."  Leddy was drafted in the first round, 16th overall by the Minnesota Wild in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in February 2010.  As a member of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey team, Leddy was named Rookie of the Year for the 2009/10 season.

"As an expert in performance-driven sports protection, we put a tremendous amount of research and development into each and every one of our products," said Jay Turkbas, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Marketing for Shock Doctor, "which results in best-in-class sports protection.  Our goal is to help athletes understand how our innovative products with advance technology enable them to optimize their performance while protecting them at the same time.  Pro athletes such as Jack and Nick understand this, and they will be helping us convey this message to other athletes."

Shock Doctor is revolutionizing the sports protection category once again, this time with the technological innovation of ShockSkin Hockey – the first and only product of its kind.  ShockSkin Hockey base protective apparel moves like a second skin and the technology is sport specific to hockey.  The built-in protective apparel is uniquely designed to cover the gaps in football and hockey players' and gear, enabling them to focus on the game and enhance their performance.  ShockSkin Hockey consists of integrated fabric and vented foam pads, secured by high frequency seams, that move and contour with the body for ultimate comfort and protection.  With minimal weight and bulk, it integrates with football and hockey players' gear for full-on, full-time protection.  The breakthrough technology reduces wear and tear on players.

As an expert in mouthguard science, performance and safety, Shock Doctor represents 90 percent dollar share of the mouthguard category at sports retailers (Source: SportsScanINFO - Sports Retailers 52 Weeks Ending 5.22.2011.)  The company designs and produces the most comfortable, ultra protective mouthguards available, keeping the focus on playing a sport, not wearing a mouthguard.  Some models of Shock Doctor mouthguards use Shock Doctor's exclusive MORA (Mandibular Orthopedic Repositioning Appliance) performance enhancement technology to position the lower jaw down and forward to allow optimal muscular function of head and neck muscles. This has been shown in independent studies to translate to an increase in overall muscular strength and improved athletic performance.  Johnson and Leddy will be able to choose from an array of Shock Doctor's top-quality mouthguards, including the new Nano 3D Mouthguard with the ultimate self-fit and the Custom Mouthguard with its custom quality fit designed and individually made for each athlete in the exclusive Shock Doctor Dental Lab.  All Shock Doctor mouthguards are designed to stay firmly and comfortably in place, making it easier to breathe, speak and focus on the game.

With the recent introduction of its Performance Sports Therapy products, Shock Doctor is helping athletes of all abilities get back in the game by transforming sports medicine with substantial innovative improvements.  Shock Doctor is changing sports medicine with unique technology, design and fit by creating an unparalleled line of Performance Sports Therapy products.  The new Performance Sports Therapy products use premium materials and enhanced design in products and packaging, better product classification to make it easier to select and identify products for specific injuries, and greatly improved sizing and fit.

About Shock Doctor

Shock Doctor is known as the undisputed leader in mouthguard technology and considered the leading innovator in sports protection around the globe. Their belief in combining design and technology to achieve better protection and performance is now trusted by fearless athletes in a growing number of products and sports, from youth to amateur to pro. Learn more at www.shockdoctor.com.  Follow Shock Doctor on Facebook and Twitter.

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