Michael Pezzetta made it to the NHL based on his physical play, but the Canadiens forward has come to be defined by his bushy, curly hair that protrudes from beneath his helmet.
It has become as much a part of Pezzetta’s character as the punishing hits he delivers on opposing forwards.
Already popular with Montreal hockey fans, Pezzetta’s stock undoubtedly grew recently when he decided to drastically change his appearance, chopping off 32 centimetres of hair last month that was donated to the CanDonate Hair Foundation, a Montreal-based organization that makes free wigs for children under age 18 in Quebec who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments.
“When people look at me, I’m associated with having the long, curly hair,” Pezzetta told The Gazette by telephone from his Toronto home. “How can I use this to raise awareness for something that’s a part of me?
“Lots of kids, when they’re doing their chemo treatments, lose their hair. If that child felt confident because of his hair … it would be weird and hard. This is perfect. I can raise money here, raise awareness for something that’s bigger than myself. Cancer affects so many people. When you go to the hospital and see those kids affected … to see those kids going through that. They don’t know anything about the world. They’re just fighting and being so strong. To see them like that, it strikes a chord.”
Other than the odd trim, Pezzetta hasn’t had an actual haircut for at least four years, he said. But he regularly has used his status to raise awareness for various causes, becoming involved in the Movember movement while annually participating in the Canadiens’ Christmas hospital visits.
“He did this on his own,” CanDonate spokesperson Laurie Brown said. “We were called after, when he decided to donate. It was very touching and we were very happy, especially that he chose us. We’re a small foundation, more local. He didn’t care about that. It was about helping. It was really nice, to be honest. It was very sweet.”
While Pezzetta was pleased with the end result and realizes his hair has become more manageable — not to mention how much better his head will feel when the weather turns hot — the transition was drastic. His girlfriend, Mireille Boutin, had never seen him with this coiffed appearance.
“It was definitely weird,” he admitted. “I’m so used to tying my hair up or untying it. I jumped on the couch for the first time and I’d normally untie my hair so it would be more comfortable. I went to do that and there was nothing there. It’s going to take a while to get used to it. I also had to adjust a few of my hats. Otherwise, I’m getting used to it and it’s definitely easier to maintain. It’s faster and easier to take care of. It took a lot of work having long, curly hair.”
Pezzetta, 26, scored three goals and 12 points in 61 games last season. Despite averaging a modest 8:21 of ice time, he led the Canadiens in hits, with 242, tied for 10th overall in the NHL. He has one year remaining on a contract that will pay him US$825,000 next season before becoming an unrestricted free agent.
“I felt like I did my job and played hard,” said the 6-foot-1, 217-pound Pezzetta, a sixth-round (160th overall) draft choice in 2016. “I’m trying to continue to establish myself in my role. For me going forward, it’s about proving to the team that I belong. Hopefully show them I’m going to be a part of the future, playing that role or whatever they need.
“I get a sense that we’re building something special as a group. Everyone has bought into what the coaches and management’s saying. I hope, if we stay healthy, we’ll be pushing for the playoffs next year and starting to turn the corner.”
