USA Hockey finally mandates neckgaurds for kids

[The Crypto Guy]

Not sure what took them so long.

Goes into effect beginning August 1st.

USA Hockey mandates neck protection for U18

USA Hockey is mandating neck laceration protection for all players under the age of 18, with the new rule going into effect Aug. 1.

www.espn.com

Click to read more...

 

[Yukon Joe]

Wow - not sure if it's a Hockey Canada mandate (or hockey Alberta) but kids have been required to wear neckguards for as long as my kids have been playing (which is - gosh 7 years now).

 

[Mrfenn92]

Good move

 

[jetsmooseice]

My kid had a tournament in the US recently and I was shocked to see few if any of the kids on the US-based U11 teams they were playing wore neck protectors.

Especially since the Adam Johnson incident, more NHLers are wearing them. Certainly a good number of Winnipeg Jets have them on now, so it can't be dismissed as some kind of 'little kid' thing. Considering the low cost and low impact of neck protectors, making them mandatory seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[Yukon Joe]

My kid had a tournament in the US recently and I was shocked to see few if any of the kids on the US-based U11 teams they were playing wore neck protectors.

Especially since the Adam Johnson incident, more NHLers are wearing them. Certainly a good number of Winnipeg Jets have them on now, so it can't be dismissed as some kind of 'little kid' thing. Considering the low cost and low impact of neck protectors, making them mandatory seems like a no-brainer to me.

I'm still shocked at the number of guys who play beer league hockey who don't wear a cage - and absolutely nobody wears a neck protector.

Now - I don't wear a neck protector either. I should probably get cut-proof socks as well.

 

[BruinDust]

Wow - not sure if it's a Hockey Canada mandate (or hockey Alberta) but kids have been required to wear neckguards for as long as my kids have been playing (which is - gosh 7 years now).

I thought it was in the early to mid 1990s. BNQ certification for neckguards was 1990. I started minor hockey in 1992 and thought it was a rule then you had to wear one in minor hockey. Junior and Senior levels were exempt.

I'm still shocked at the number of guys who play beer league hockey who don't wear a cage - and absolutely nobody wears a neck protector.

Now - I don't wear a neck protector either. I should probably get cut-proof socks as well.

I went from a half-visor to a cage about 4 seasons ago and it's saved my bacon more than once since. Just last weekend I took a hard high stick to the face that would of broken my nose and likely knocked out a few front teeth had it not been for the cage.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I went from a half-visor to a cage about 4 seasons ago and it's saved my bacon more than once since. Just last weekend I took a hard high stick to the face that would of broken my nose and likely knocked out a few front teeth had it not been for the cage.

Like I get why not wearing a cage is more comfortable. I regularly take my cage off for when I'm coaching, or skating without pucks.

I've only had one scare while playing. I'm playing D, in front of our net. Opposing team takes a slapper, deflected off of someone's stick, smashes me right in the cage. I was unscathed. Without that cage I'm sure I would have lost some teeth. Totally not worth the risk when I'm a low level beer leaguer.

 

[I am Bettman]

Hasn’t it always been this way? It just isn’t enforced.

 

[Squiffy]

I can’t pinpoint it, but it became mandatory in at least Ontario at some point when I was playing as a kid. That’s still like a decade window.. 1990 give or take a few years either way I’d guess?

Better late then never, good move by USA hockey.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

Yeah it was mandatory when I started playing back in 95. Can't imagine not wearing one.

I can’t pinpoint it, but it became mandatory in at least Ontario at some point when I was playing as a kid. That’s still like a decade window.. 1990 give or take a few years either way I’d guess?

Better late then never, good move by USA hockey.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Yeah it was mandatory when I started playing back in 95. Can't imagine not wearing one.

Do you still wear one? I can think of one guy I ever met in playing adult rec hockey who wore a neck guard (and that was recently after that kid was hit by a puck in the neck).

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Hasn’t it always been this way? It just isn’t enforced.

It was not mandatory, it was "encouraged". This will strictly be enforced.

Not sure what the rule will be but likely a warning to the bench and kick the kid off the ice till he has one, then a misconduct penalty for anyone who comes on the ice without one. Kids will learn real fast to make sure they have it.

Edit - Yup exactly what I thought:

What is the penalty for not wearing a neck laceration protector?

Rule enforcement will be the same as any other equipment violation: an initial team warning followed by a 10-minute misconduct penalty for any violations after the initial warning.

 

[BB79]

Wow - not sure if it's a Hockey Canada mandate (or hockey Alberta) but kids have been required to wear neckguards for as long as my kids have been playing (which is - gosh 7 years now).

They were mandatory in my local high schools back in the mid-90s.