By Quinlan Gray ’25
The thrilling sport of hockey has been around for almost 4,000 years and is a very fast paced game that is known most commonly for its harsh intensity while players battle it out on the ice. While players are typically equipped with a wide variety of protective gear such as helmets, faceguards, shoulder pads, chest protectors and so on, the neck still remains an unprotected area that is often overlooked. With the addition of neck guards to the already mandatory protective gear players wear, it could help create a safer game for the players and help to keep them protected from potentially life-threatening injuries.
There are already some rules in place for wearing neck guards. In the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Maritime Hockey League, players are required to wear some form of neck protection as well as anyone under the age of 18 according to a USA hockey rule. While this is effective, players in other leagues or over the age of 18 will typically opt out of wearing neck protection. This is dangerous because the neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body, especially during a high contact game like hockey. On the ice, high speed collisions, checks, falls, the skates of other players, sticks, and even flying pucks can pose as dangers to the neck, resulting in lacerations or cuts. Though some injuries from such objects can be as small as a bruise or a cut, they can be more serious leading to deep wounds or even fractures in the neck. Unlike other parts of the body, the neck already has less natural protection, which makes it easier to experience trauma. Introducing neck guards, made up of cut-resistant, lightweight foam that is flexible to the wearer, can help to significantly reduce the risk of possible injuries.
In October of 2023, National Hockey League (NHL) player Adam Johnson from the Nottingham Panthers was tragically killed after his neck was sliced with a skate during a game against the Sheffield Steelers. Johnson was not wearing a neck guard while he was playing. After his tragic passing, the appearance of neck guards in leagues was on the rise. NHL players such as Rasmus Dahlin, a Buffalo Sabres’ defenseman, T.J. Oshie, the Washington Capitals’ forward, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman, along with other players from various teams began to wear neck guards. This proves the point that neck guards are an important part of protection that should be required in the game of hockey.
As mentioned earlier, other forms of protection are already mandatory in hockey. Hockey is already dangerous enough that protection is required, so the addition of neck guards would not be a negative, especially knowing that they would help protect players. The neck holds vital arteries and if cut by a skate blade, it can be deadly. The average neck guard costs between fifteen and thirty dollars, so it is not extremely expensive for the protection it provides. If other forms of protection are already deemed necessary for the players, it would make sense for neck guards to be required as well, especially knowing the neck is an area of vulnerability. Neck guards have also saved players’ lives before. A high school hockey player from Long Island was wearing one during a game and when an opposing player’s skate collided with his neck, the cut was minor. It is said that without the neck guard, he would have died.
Moving forward, it would make sense if neck guards were a required part of protection in the extremely physical sport of hockey. Helmets, shoulder pads, and other types of protective gear have already prevented injury, so it is time to extend this same level of protection to the necks of players. These small and simple pieces of protection could help save lives, keep neck injuries to a minimum, and let players have the comfort in knowing they have full protection on their bodies. Considering the severity neck injuries can have, it is truly important that hockey leagues take action on this topic and require neck guards for all players and referees on the ice.
The Raider Press 