How protected are Canadian hockey players? A look at league mandates on neck guards

Conversations surrounding what could be life-or-death protective mandates in hockey have been sparked this week following the death of a 29-year-old player on Saturday.

Former NHLer Adam Johnson died after his neck was cut by a skate during a game in England, putting the lack of safety regulations in some ice hockey leagues into focus.

Johnson, who played in 13 NHL games for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2019 and 2020, was playing for the Nottingham Panthers when he was cut by a skate in the second period of the Elite Ice Hockey League game at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.

While there are currently no rules in the NHL that say players must wear protective neck gear, Canadian hockey legend and resident physician and assistant general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs Hayley Wickenheiser has called for mandated neck protection at all levels of play. 

Neck guards are mandatory for players in both the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Hockey Canada also has some safety requirements in place, as it requires registered minor league players and women’s hockey players to wear neck guards on the ice.

Winnipeg Jets interim head coach Scott Arniel said he was playing for the Buffalo Sabres in 1989 when his teammate Clint Malarchuk’s neck was cut by a skate blade.

Now, Arniel says he expects the NHL to look into changing the rules around wearing neck guards.

Tim MacMillan, head coach of the Strait Pirates Junior B team in Nova Scotia, said in an interview with CTV News Atlantic that he thinks many people should be consulted in making the decision to implement neck protections in the league.

“I can understand if there would be some debate today, I’m sure there’s some across the country,” he said.

MacMillan also said there are no neck protection mandates in the league he coaches in, except for affiliate players aged 18 and under.

Following Johnson’s death, the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) announced a strong recommendation for all players to wear an approved neck guard for the rest of the year—after Dec. 31 2023, the recommendation will become a requirement.

“It is unacceptable for any player to lose their life while playing sport,” reads a statement from EIHA. “Our responsibility is not only to avert the recurrence of such a heart-breaking accident, but also to pre-emptively address other foreseeable incidents.”