Working on some rumors for you this week, but first I thought it would be important to send out condolences and thoughts to Adam Johnson…the American hockey player who died this past weekend as a result of his neck being slashed by skate. Just absolutely terrible news and does bring up the age old debate about net guards in the NHL.
I’ve never understand Why they weren’t mandatory. Many of us older folks remember Clint Malarchuk getting his neck slashed during a Capitals game years ago. Clint was incredibly lucky to not have died that night. As an ice hockey goalie myself, I immediately began wearing a neck brace and found it comforting and a comfortable part of my gear ever since…
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— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) January 5, 2021
With the speed of this NHL today there is no question that this was bound to happen and increasingly likely over time. Yesterday, a group of Providence Bruins work neck guards in their game. None of them had any issues with them.
I would like to see the NHL be proactive and mandate these immediately. Such a statement would not only make NHL players safer but would inevitably trickle down to all players big and small and show that it’s OK to wear a neck guard.
What say you?