NHL Players Avoiding Neck Guards Despite Alarming Close Calls

Despite the introduction of new player safety equipment, NHL players are avoiding them at an alarming rate.

Jacob Punturi | Nov 13, 2024

Mar 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Jeff Carter (77) handles the puck against Columbus Blue Jackets left wing James Malatesta (67) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The NHL held its annual late fall general managers meeting. And while the pending Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring is taking center stage, there are still tons of pressing issues and topics to discuss.

There is one area in particular the NHL is trying to take strides on and would love to see some faster improvements. The league is still dealing with the introduction of personal safety equipment, specifically neck guards, and trying to increase the usage of these safety measures.

It's been a year since the tragic passing of former NHL player Adam Johnson. In response, leagues all around the world mandated neck guards. Amateur leagues like the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as well as professional ones like the American Hockey League and across Europe have mandated the usage of the cut-resistant equipment, but that hasn't happened in the NHL.

In fact, according to the league's senior executive vice president and recent Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Colin Campbell shared a staggeringly low usage percentage in the league. Speaking at the GM's meeting, he revealed that just 7.7% of NHL players have worn neck guards this season. That represents just 55 actual skaters out of over 700, despite the league seeing dangerously close calls on a game-by-game basis.

“You wouldn’t believe how many (close calls) there are,” he said. “We’re seeing it almost on a nightly basis. It’s really pretty scary.”

Speaking to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, Campbell discussed the low usage across the league. The NHL is encouraging teams to continue this conversation and encourage players to take as much safety and precaution as possible. The goal is that neck guards, like visors and helmets before them, will gain more and more traction and be a commonly used part of equipment in the near future.

For the sake of player protection, Campbell's optimism better prove true. The death of Adam Johnson was a seismic shift in the hockey world and a painful reminder of how dangerous the sport can be. With the further implementation of neck guards, hopefully the NHL and hockey world can avoid another unfathomable tragedy from happening again.

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Published Nov 13, 2024

JACOB PUNTURI