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A jumbotron with blue screen and text that says "Breaking the Silence" which was at the WHL prospects game.
Movember showed up loudly at the WHL prospects gameImage by: Ramond Phipps
A jumbotron with blue screen and text that says "Breaking the Silence" which was at the WHL prospects game.
February 25, 2026

How Movember and the Western Hockey League are building the next generation of resilient men

Movember
5 minutes read time

The Puck Drop: A Showcase of Talent and Heart

On February 18th, the air at the Langley Events Centre in B.C. wasn't just cold—it was electric. The WHL Prospects Game is more than just a date on the calendar; it is a premier showcase where the top tier of young hockey talent steps into the global spotlight. With a standing-room-only crowd and a star-studded bench led by celebrity coaches Michael Bublé and Drew Scott, the atmosphere was a testament to the power of Canadian hockey.

But in the high-stakes world of elite development, the toughest battle isn’t always against an opponent on the ice; it’s the one happening in the locker room of the mind. It’s why we brought along a secret weapon; one we call Movember Ahead of the Game. What is Ahead of the Game / Breaking the Ice?

Movember Ahead of the Game (MAOTG) is a global youth mental health program that uses the universal language of sport to build mental fitness; just like a proactive skill set that can be trained, like a power play. In Canada, we’ve tailored this into Breaking the Ice (BTI)—a bespoke adaptation designed specifically for the hockey community. 

The Primary Program Pillars:

  1. Sport-Based Mental Fitness: We treat psychological resilience as mental conditioning, making it an essential part of an athlete's daily routine right in the locker room.
  2. A Whole-Community Approach: We train the entire ecosystem. BTI provides tailored workshops for Players (to recognize struggle), Coaches (to act as mentors), and Parents (to bridge the gap between the rink and home).
  3. A Preventative Literacy Model: BTI functions as a primary prevention strategy, shifting the focus from individual problems to community-wide safeguarding. This model helps youth conduct their own internal self-checks, knowing not just where help is, but exactly when they need to reach for it.

The Strategy: Convene, Collaborate, and Get Shit Done!

The relationship between Movember and the Western Hockey League (WHL) is a natural fit. The league's leadership are true mavericks—forward-thinking and committed to holistic player development. To build a strategy that was truly made in Canada, Movember hosted two significant National Convening Sessions (Oct 2024 in Calgary and Feb 2025 in Toronto).

With our convening partners Relate Social Capital, we brought together a collective of powerhouse partners from multiple disciplines:

  • Government & Healthcare: Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), Mental Health Commission of Canada, Connected Care, Canadian Mental Health Association.
  • Professional & National Sport: CHL/WHL, Canada Soccer, Curling Canada, Toronto Tempo, Canadian Sport Institute, Kid Sport, NBA Canada, GTHL, and the Aboriginal Sports Circle.
  • Academia & Research: CAMH, Brock University, University of Toronto, University of Calgary, and Future of Sport Lab.
  • Youth & Community: KidSport, Ever Active Schools, Jumpstart Charity, Edmonton Oilers Foundation, ParticipACTION, Girls Forward, and MLSE LaunchPad.

The Pressure Points

Through these sessions, we identified four critical points that currently hinder youth well-being in Canadian sport:

  • Performance-Driven Coaching: A win-at-all-costs culture that often overshadows psychological safety.
  • Early Specialization & Burnout: Systemic pressure leading to disengagement and injury (commonly influenced by parents of athletes).
  • Financial Barriers: Rising costs that positions sports as a privilege rather than a right for all talented youth.
  • Technological Risks: The double-edged sword of digital tracking and social media pressure.

The Roadmap for Change In Youth Sports

Addressing these findings resulted in a multi-phased roadmap to instil mental health literacy across all levels of Canadian sport. This isn't just a plan; it's a structural redesign which includes:

  • Building Research Capacity: We are creating a pipeline for Early Career Researchers in Canadian sport mental health (stay tuned for a big announcement soon!)
  • System Capacity Building: Investing in sport systems to implement turn-key programs like BTI/AOTG.
  • Youth Co-Design: Involving the National Youth Advisory Council so programs are designed with youth, not just with them in mind.
  • Digital Innovation: Supporting healthy digital learning and gaming environments to reach young men where they are.

Impact: The 2025-26 WHL Season

The numbers from our pilot season show massive impact throughout the WHL 23 teams and communities:

  • 2,400+ Participants Served: Engaging every player and coach across all WHL teams in Canada and the USA.
  • 94% Satisfaction: 94% of facilitators reported that the workshops exceeded their expectations. A testament to the quality of the international BTI/AOTG training program facilitated in collaboration with our UK/Ireland partners Rugby Leage cares, and the Galic Athletic Association/Gaelic Players Association

Thank you WHL for your leadership in championing this impact across Hockey. The widely well received Breaking the Ice program is a testament to not just the global science informing the program, but the WHL people who bring this program to life in their local communities.

The Highlights Reel: The Movember Community in Action

Back at the Langley Events Centre, the energy at our kiosk was infectious. Between the "Moustache Cam" catching fans off-guard and a literal "Break the Silence" crowd roar that shook the stadium, the atmosphere was one of total unity.

We met hundreds of fans who were thrilled to see that Movember’s impact lasts far beyond November.

  • A WHL Parent: “Thank you so much for offering this program; my son is down there on the ice right now!”
  • A Young Supporter:“Mental health is so important—this will help me help my dad.”

What’s Next?

The WHL has joined a global coalition of Movember sport and national health partners, including the Australian Football League (AFL) and New Zealand Rugby. Together, we are sharing best practices to ensure our program and its collective impact remains the most evidence-backed youth mental health initiative in the world.

Together we are proving that a psychologically safe environment doesn’t just make a healthier athlete—it makes a better player.

Get Involved:

  • Breaking the Ice: Visit breakingtheice.ca to see if the program is being delivered near you.
  • Ahead of the Game: Visit aheadofthegame.com to learn how your local sports team can join the movement.
  • Get involved with Movember 
  • Learn About the Real Face of Men’s Health In Canada Here