The hockey world is reacting to a tragic on-ice accident and wondering what steps should be taken to prevent it from happening again.
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Hayley Wickenheiser is calling for mandated neck protection at B次元官网网址渆very level in hockeyB次元官网网址� after former NHL player Adam Johnson died from a cut by a skate blade during a game in England on Saturday.
Wickenheiser completed medical school after her womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey career with Canada and currently works as a doctor and an assistant general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
She says not wearing protection poses far too great a risk, even if itB次元官网网址檚 not in style.
B次元官网网址淚 know it may not pass the B次元官网网址榗oolB次元官网网址� factor but itB次元官网网址檚 time for mandatory neck protection at every level in hockey. The risk is far too great not to,B次元官网网址� said Wickenheiser in a post offering her condolences to JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 family on X platform, formerly known as Twitter.
Although neck guards are not mandatory in the NHL, the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League require players to wear neck guards. ItB次元官网网址檚 also obligatory for Hockey Canada players registered in minor or womenB次元官网网址檚 hockey.
The Western Hockey League said Monday it is reviewing its position on mandatory neck guards following JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 death.
Johnson, a Minnesota native who played 13 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins, was on the ice for the Elite Ice Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Nottingham Panthers in a Challenge Cup game against the Sheffield Steelers when he suffered the skate cut during the second period.
The English Ice Hockey Association, the sportB次元官网网址檚 governing body in England and Wales, announced Monday that neck guards will be mandatory across all levels of English hockey effective Dec. 31.
The association noted they canB次元官网网址檛 apply the rules immediately due to supply chain issues.
B次元官网网址淕ood for them for taking action,B次元官网网址� said Vancouver Canucks forward Sam Lafferty. B次元官网网址淲hen weB次元官网网址檙e kids, we wear neck guards for a reason, itB次元官网网址檚 something worth looking into (for the NHL).B次元官网网址�
Lafferty, a former Penguin, assisted on JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 first and only NHL goal.
B次元官网网址淚 remember it clearly B次元官网网址� I can still see the look on his face,B次元官网网址� Lafferty said. B次元官网网址淧ure elation, pure joy.B次元官网网址�
Several members of the Providence Bruins, BostonB次元官网网址檚 American Hockey League affiliate, wore neck guards in their game against the Springfield Thunderbirds on Sunday.
Lafferty said NHL players may also start thinking about wearing protection in light of his former teammateB次元官网网址檚 death.
B次元官网网址淚 think so. We started looking at that for wrists, and the socks we wear underneath our skates, theyB次元官网网址檙e cut-proof,B次元官网网址� said Lafferty. B次元官网网址淚 can see that being the next step.B次元官网网址�
Canucks defenceman Ian Cole noted the dangers of the sport and said players are B次元官网网址渧ery fortunateB次元官网网址� serious injuries donB次元官网网址檛 happen more often.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 skates flying all over the place,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 tell you how many times IB次元官网网址檝e looked at my visor and had a skate slashed right through it and I had no idea a skate was near my face.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e a slow sport to change, maybe sometimes for the good, maybe sometimes for the bad. ItB次元官网网址檚 not going to happen overnight but I think there will be some conversations about what we can do to prevent stuff like that.B次元官网网址�
Winnipeg Jets interim head coach Scott Arniel was a forward for the Buffalo Sabres when his teammate, goalie Clint Malarchuk, took a skate blade to the neck on March 22, 1989.
B次元官网网址淚 was firsthand and I saw this happen in a game myself, and itB次元官网网址檚 one of the scariest things IB次元官网网址檝e ever seen,B次元官网网址� Arniel told reporters in Winnipeg. B次元官网网址淲here it goes next, I know in minor hockey that itB次元官网网址檚 already a rule and in junior hockey, so weB次元官网网址檒l see.
B次元官网网址淭he league is probably going to look into this and theyB次元官网网址檒l make a decision moving forward.B次元官网网址�
Malarchuk survived the life-threatening injury but developed post-traumatic stress disorder. Former Montreal Canadiens forward Richard Zednik suffered a similar incident in 2008.
Boston Bruins forward Jakub Lauko avoided a serious injury as recently as last Tuesday when he took a skate blade near his left eye after falling to the ice against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Maple Leafs captain John Tavares said heB次元官网网址檚 thought about the use of neck protection before and suggested it might be a next step in making the game safer.
B次元官网网址淎t one point goalies werenB次元官网网址檛 wearing helmets, and the game has evolved and continues to get safer and safer,B次元官网网址� Tavares told reporters in Toronto. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 certainly probably an aspect that needs to continue to be looked at further, as one incident like that is too many.B次元官网网址�
Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis, who coached his sons in Connecticut before taking the Montreal job, was close to a similar situation when 16-year-old high school player Teddy Balkind died in Greenwich, Conn., after his neck was cut by another playerB次元官网网址檚 skate.
St. Louis said heB次元官网网址檚 strongly in favour of requiring under-18 and under-20 players to wear neck protection, but isnB次元官网网址檛 sure weB次元官网网址檒l see it in the NHL.
B次元官网网址淢aybe yes, but I donB次元官网网址檛 think it will in the NHL, but thatB次元官网网址檚 my opinion,B次元官网网址� said St. Louis. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 be really in favour of under-18 and under-20-year-olds having more protection because accidents happen, especially having been close to it two years ago.B次元官网网址�
Jets centre Mark Scheifele expects there to be many conversations about increased neck protection in the coming days, much like after Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane sustained a severe wrist injury due to a skate blade cut last year.
B次元官网网址淲hen Evander Kane got his wrist cut, we obviously evaluated more wrist protections and stuff like that,B次元官网网址� Scheifele said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 sure thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be talks about it and itB次元官网网址檒l come down to kind of more of an individual decision on what to do.B次元官网网址�
The NHL and NHLPA had not made any announcements regarding protective neck gear as of Monday afternoon.
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