The Worldwide Ice Hockey Federation has made neck guards obligatory for all ranges of competitors of their tournaments, together with the Olympics.
The mandate doesn’t apply to the NHL, who’re unlikely to introduce cut-proof security necessities for gamers any time quickly. That may require an settlement between the league and gamers’ union, who’ve already been discussing blade security for a while.
The choice comes after the dying of former Pittsburgh Penguins heart Adam Johnson, who was tragically killed while enjoying for the Nottingham Panthers within the UK’s prime ice hockey division.
Johnson, 29, died resulting from a deadly reduce to his neck from a skate worn by the Sheffield Steelers’ Matt Petgrave. It was described as a ‘freak accident’ and now, the game is taking motion.
The English Ice Hockey Affiliation has already mandated neck guards from 2024 however it doesn’t affect the Elite Ice Hockey League, because the league isn’t below their management.
The EIHL have strongly inspired gamers and officers to put on them, nonetheless they don’t seem to be obligatory.
I dislike how shut this skate involves Elias Pettersson’s head/neck space.
— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) November 29, 2023
“The IIHF stays in shut contact with its suppliers to make sure they can reply to the present excessive demand,” the group stated.
“Till the rule formally goes into impact, the IIHF continues to strongly suggest that neck laceration protectors are worn by all gamers performing in an IIHF competitors.”
The NHL’s vp of hockey operations Rod Pasma stated he addressed GMs final month on cut-proof tools and gamers have way more choices then they did a decade in the past.
“Within the neck, we’re getting there. We (didn’t have) many a month in the past, however because it sits as we speak, I believe there’s as much as eight corporations on my desk ready to be cleared, and of these eight there’s in all probability 12-14 choices to put on, ought to they select.”
