Oct. 28 marked an extremely sad day for the hockey community. On this day, former National Hockey League Player, Adam Johnson, suffered from an unlikely, yet tragic accident at Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England. While battling for a puck, an opposing player fell over with his feet in the air, causing his skate to strike Johnson in the neck. This would lead to the unfortunate passing of the Nottingham Panthers player. Johnson’s death gave every member of the hockey community something to think about: is the sport they are playing safe enough?

Following the incident, many hockey leagues decided that the sport was not safe enough with the current rules in place. Professional and junior hockey leagues, such as the American Hockey League, East Coast Hockey League, Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and many more, have mandated the wearing of neck guards for all players league-wide. Hockey neck guards are often made of a thick, tough fabric and are worn around the neck to protect players from skates, sticks and other things that could cause injury to the neck area. Most youth hockey leagues, including local leagues such as the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League and Pennsylvania Amateur Hockey League, are also requiring players to wear protective neck lacerations to keep them safe.

“I believe neck guards should be required in all leagues because it reduces the risk of injury to the neck. They can save lives,” junior Noah Fessides, a hockey player, said.

This recent incident is not the first time something like this has happened. During a junior varsity hockey game in Connecticut on Jan. 6, 2022, 16-year-old Teddy Balkind collided with a player, which resulted in him getting cut by a skate in the neck. Balkind did not survive this tragic incident. Following this accident, not as many safety precautions were taken as the recent event involving Johnson. While some leagues recommended players to wear a protective neckpiece, not many leagues required it. Eventually, even the worry surrounding protection in hockey seemed to fade. Perhaps if more rules were made to mandate neck protection, the event that took place on Oct. 28 could have been avoided.

Based on the lack of protection rules following the Balkind incident, hockey players, parents and others involved in the sport are left to wonder if the new mandates regarding neck protection will last. The safety of the players should be the number one priority in any sport, especially one that has dangerous risks, such as ice hockey. 

“I think it’s important to keep the youth safe because we don’t want kids getting hurt. We want kids to get better at the game and not have to worry about getting hurt,” senior hockey player, Chase Grable, said.