Hayley Wickenheiser, a renowned four-time Olympic women’s hockey gold medallist and a current assistant general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs, is championing the cause of mandatory neck protection at every level of hockey. This plea comes in the wake of a tragic incident over the weekend in England, when former NHL player Adam Johnson died after receiving a cut from a skate blade during a game.
Possessing a medical degree since her retirement from playing, Wickenheiser understands the potential severity of unprotected exposure in the sport. She argues vehemently that the risk far outweighs the compromise on the ‘cool factor’ that might dissuade some from wearing neck protection.
It is noteworthy that the NHL has yet to mandate neck guards, with only the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League requiring players to wear them. Hockey Canada, meanwhile, enforces this rule for those registered in minor or women’s hockey.
This dangerous exposure isn’t limited to minor leagues or international games. High-profile incidents have occurred within the NHL itself, with players surviving but enduring long-term trauma. Interim head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, Scott Arniel, must surely recall his time as a forward for the Buffalo Sabres when his goalie teammate, Clint Malarchuk, suffered a horrifying injury from a skate blade to the neck on March 22, 1989. Despite a miraculous survival, Malarchuk battled post-traumatic stress disorder after the incident. Arniel, a veteran of the sport, expects the NHL to initiate a review into the use of increased neck protection measures.
Jets centre Mark Scheifele also anticipates intense discussions about increased neck protection in the future. While acknowledging the restrictive nature of protective gear, Scheifele believes the use of a neck guard should ultimately be an individual decision.
The recent tragic incident sharply underlines the need to prioritize player safety and prompts the core question: Will mandatory neck protection become the future of Hockey at all levels? Only time will tell if these pleas will bring change to the sport.
