A year after bringing forth legislation mandating the use of cut-resistant socks and wrist sleeves, the American Hockey League has taken it a step further.
AHL president and CEO Scott Howson announced Friday the league would be adding cut-resistant neck guards to the previously mandated protections.
“All AHL skaters, referees and linespersons, regardless of age or experience, will be required to wear approved cut-resistant neck protection beginning this fall,” the league said in a statement.
The latest forms of player protection come after the death of former NHLer Adam Johnson last October, who was mortally wounded when a skate blade cut his neck during a game in the United Kingdom for the EIHL’s Nottingham Panthers.
Another prominent incident happened in the NHL in November 2022, when Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane had his wrist accidentally cut open during a game. After undergoing surgery to repair the damage, Kane would miss three months of games.
Many other governing hockey bodies have brought forth legislation of their own for mandatory cut-resistant protection, as highlighted by Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Kuehl, who noted the NHL has yet to bring forth any:
The Western Hockey League joined the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League in mandating neck guards. The International Ice Hockey Federation began requiring neck protection for all levels of competition last year as well.So far, the National Hockey League has yet to make any mandates for cut-resistant protection. While it has been discussed at league meetings, no rule has been introduced, as the NHL actively encourages players to wear extra equipment, but leaves it to the individuals to make the final decision. Many players across the league adopted neck protection in the wake of Johnson’s death, most notably TJ Oshie and Patrik Laine.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.
