Necessary neck guards are coming to youth hockey in the USA.
Already required in Canada and plenty of different international locations, USA Hockey, which governs the game on the newbie stage within the U.S., has lengthy held its line at “recommending” laceration safety — specifically neck guards, but additionally cut-resistant socks, sleeves and undergarments.
The choice was introduced Sunday and can go into impact on Aug. 1, about 9 months after the problem was thrust into the highlight when former NHL participant Adam Johnson died of a skate lower to the neck throughout a sport in England.
Extra NHLers have begun to put on neck safety within the months since, both commonly or to attempt to discover one thing snug.
“You’re seeing increasingly more of it,” one participant informed The Athletic. “I put on the shirt for my wrists. I believe you’re going to see increasingly more neck guards.”
As a part of our NHL 2023-24 participant ballot, we requested these gamers what their urge for food may be for the same mandate, for neck guards and different cut-resistant tools, on the professional stage.
As you possibly can see, for almost all — 78.45 p.c of the 181 who have been prepared to answer that query — it’s a no-go:
For lots of the gamers, it comes down to private selection.
“I believe it ought to simply be your individual determination,” one stated.
“Guys can be good to make use of them, however I don’t assume it must be obligatory,” one other added.
“It’s their very own threat, proper?” stated a 3rd. “It’s their life.”
A few of the gamers voting no indicated that, for his or her half, they do put on neck guards and different cut-protective gear, together with one who had been lower by a skate prior to now.
“I put on it. It occurred to me,” he stated. “I believe it’s as much as you. I believe that there (ought to) be no requirement.”
“I don’t assume you need to require them to, however I believe it’s silly to not (put on one),” one other participant stated. “Why wouldn’t you?”
“We’re all large boys,” stated a 3rd. “I personally put on them. However being required to? No.”
One thought many gamers shared was to mandate laceration safety at minor and youth ranges first, with the thought of ultimately bringing it to the NHL as gamers get extra used to carrying the tools.
“Within the NHL, I don’t assume it must be required,” one participant stated. “However in minor hockey, I believe it ought to.”
“If the NHL mandated it, I’d be OK with that,” stated one other. “However they need to grandfather in everybody who’s used to not enjoying with it, like they did with visors.”
Some gamers indicated they’re not happy, at this level, with the engineering of skate-cut safety.
“I believe everyone knows there’s an inherent threat, (however) I don’t assume the skate-cut know-how is the place it must be for individuals to put on it comfortably,” one participant stated. “I don’t love the sensation of getting stuff on my wrists. I attempted the neck guard. I felt prefer it was so excessive and so tight. It might take some time to get used to.”
“You need guys snug with what they’re carrying.”
NHL groups have labored with producers to offer choices, and a lot of gamers stated that’s the precise response.
“I believe what they’re doing proper now could be good, offering extra stuff,” one stated.
“Ought to be supplied, however not obligatory,” one other stated.
“I’m pleased with it,” one other stated. “There’s numerous good selections. I put on the socks. After what occurred to Adam Johnson, we’re all seeking to perhaps put on one thing extra. That’s an eye-opener for everybody.”
With the favored sentiment amongst NHLers as it’s, some merely stated they don’t see a sensible path ahead.
“I’d like to say sure, as a result of I’d like to by no means see anybody get lower ever once more,” one participant stated. “However I believe that’s simpler stated than accomplished.”
“It might be laborious to implement,” one other stated. “Perhaps sooner or later.”
One participant posed a state of affairs through which the league would mandate cut-resistant tools for the neck, wrists and ankles for a trial interval earlier than deciding.
“Perhaps if it was required for a brief time period, so everybody has to attempt them no less than somewhat bit, I believe a number of guys would keep it up,” he stated. “Everybody ought to have their very own selection, however I wouldn’t be towards it in the event that they stated sure.”
“I believe everyone ought to attempt it,” agreed one other.
Among the many gamers answering sure, the thought of getting gamers used to it earlier than making a choice was common.
“As soon as everyone bought used to it, I really feel like nobody would care to make use of it or not,” one participant stated. “Everyone can be used to it already. Clearly, whenever you develop up, you utilize it. At one level, it’s such as you don’t even discover that’s there. If it was all the time a factor, I believe guys wouldn’t care in any respect to make use of.”
“We grew up enjoying with it,” one other stated. “It by no means bothered me or most likely anybody else, both. In the event that they introduced it again, I believe it’s a factor to get used to, and it’d take a while, however in the event you do it in the summertime, nobody can be bothered by it as soon as the season begins.”
“We did it in Sweden,” stated a 3rd. “It’s simple to do it right here.”
And most saying sure have been in favor of phasing it in over time. New gamers coming into the league can be mandated, and ultimately that’d be everybody.
“Perhaps begin on the youth hockey stage and make it obligatory there,” one participant stated. “Type of incorporate it over time, type of. I believe (younger) Canadian gamers might need to. In America, we didn’t should.”
“I believe you’ve bought to grandfather it in identical to they did with visors,” one other stated.
“I believe that might be a good suggestion,” stated a 3rd.
(High picture of T.J. Oshie carrying a neck guard: Patrick Smith / Getty Pictures)