Full face cages in the NHL

[Gallagbi]

, no cages.


Friend's son was 5 or 6 when he started playing hockey. He tripped trying to make a turn and the cage busted his nose. Kinda funny the thing that was supposed to protect him helped injure him.

Sounds like your friend didn't get his son properly fit, or pieced together the helmet wrong.

The rule might be in for fighting, or even general contact. If I hit someone with no facial protection and I'm wearing a cage, the wires will likely drive into him. A slight slippage and all of a sudden he's cut open. I still think the "mandatory half visor" rule debate is stupid. If you want to protect the players, cages/full visors are the way to go.

 

[stick9]

I read that part and chuckled.
<(-:{
Seriously, I hope you're okay though.

Least I didn't injure my sense of humor.

I'm fine...it was a few years back. Thanks for asking. I got thrown into the boards pretty hard after driving the the net at full steam. I hit so hard the bridge of my nose was in my line of sight. It was so bad that the doctor in the emergency room wouldn't even touch it. In total I ended up with a broken nose, a concussion, and a badly bruised knee. I was out of work for a few weeks and was off the ice for close to three months.

So many times I have thought about going to a half shield. I won't because I am not going thru that crap again. If I had been wearing a shield that night I would have ended up with some pretty bad cuts on my face from the shield being driven into my upper lip and mouth.

 

[mini-mite fan]

, no cages.


Friend's son was 5 or 6 when he started playing hockey. He tripped trying to make a turn and the cage busted his nose. Kinda funny the thing that was supposed to protect him helped injure him.

there's no way the helmet was properly fit

 

[mini-mite fan]

The rule might be in for fighting, or even general contact. If I hit someone with no facial protection and I'm wearing a cage, the wires will likely drive into him. A slight slippage and all of a sudden he's cut open. I still think the "mandatory half visor" rule debate is stupid. If you want to protect the players, cages/full visors are the way to go.

this happened to me in our men's league; the other team got the puck in our offensive zone & one of the guys skated it out behind the net to set up their drive. I was behind him so I skated up behind pretty fast to steal the puck & hopefully land a wrap-around. Meanwhile a guy from their team was meeting his teammate to take the puck from him behind the net and start the drive in the other direction. Needless to say we did not see each other & when I was just coming out from behind the first guy - dude #2 & I smoked each other.

My cage cut a pattern into the side of his nose & one cheek. Size-wise he was the last guy on the ice I would have wanted to pissoff; however, he knew it was totally accidental and thankfully was very cool about it.

if neither of us had cages we would have both had bruises and blood; if we both had them, we p'bly would have both just seen stars for a bit.

I've got to go to work each day as a financial consultant. So, while my stickhandling needs all the help it can get, I have to accept the poorer vision for my hobby so I can be more presentable/professional at my job.

 

[Laus723]

there's no way the helmet was properly fit

Well, it was her 3rd child playing at that age, it was mostly in the way he fell, was an akward fall. I wasn't there, I don't know, just was told the story.

 

[Doctor Hook]

For those of you who rock cages, what kind do you rock?

I've decided to retire my cat's eye and ordered a Jofa FM480.

[IMAGE]http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002PZJTA.01-AQEVOJ47AJ9CV._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg[/IMAGE]

 

[night-timer]

Mine's an Itech FX-50 (half visor, half cage) and it fogs up a lot. I think I'll wash it in shampoo before every single use, from now on.

You also need airflow to prevent a lexan (plastic) visor from fogging up. You can't do the "standing still drill" for too long.

 

[velocity]

nhl

The use of pads or protectors made of metal, or of any other material likely to cause injury to a player, is prohibited.
(NOTE) All elbow pads which do not have a soft protective outer covering of sponge rubber or similar material at least one-half inch (1/2") thick shall be considered dangerous equipment.

A mask or protector of a design approved by the Rules Committee may be worn by a player who has sustained a facial injury.
In the first instance, the injured player shall be entitled to wear any protective device prescribed by the club doctor. If any opposing club objects to the device, it may record its objection with the Commissioner.

(NOTE) The Officiating Department is specifically authorized to make a check of each Team's equipment to ensure the compliance with this Rule. It shall report its findings to the Commissioner for his disciplinary action.

 

[mini-mite fan]

Well, it was her 3rd child playing at that age, it was mostly in the way he fell, was an akward fall. I wasn't there, I don't know, just was told the story.

Hey, not slinging judgement. Just stating a strong opinion. That cage was most likely NOT where to put blame on for the injury.

I've coached enough kids to come to the solid conclusion that it would take an extremely rare accident for a kid to get hurt with a helmet that is on right. On the same note; an improper fit helmet is typically a sure fire way to get an injury in common play.

I get kids on the ice (especially among the "first year'ers") that have nappy equipment: skates too big/small by 2 or 3 sizes, breezers too big, soccer shin guards, hockey shin guards too big/small, etc. etc. However, the one area I demand parents to provide up-to-date quality with a good/perfect fit is the helmet.

 

[Greeneye]

I wear this:
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/hockeymonkey_1902_129172280
as far as shields go this one is ok.

 

[JaskulaR]

Try marketing a high level hockey team where the fans can't see a players face. It's impossible. Star recognition is important!

Compare 2 advertising situations side by side:
Would you rather see a poster of a Bobby Hull let's say, blonde hair flowing in the wind as he skates up ice, earning his nickname the 'Golden Jet.'

Or rather Joe Schmoe with his full wire cage looking as anonymous as possible. I think it's obvious which one would draw the attention of your casual eye.

Marketing wise, full cages are a DISASTER (I've done alot of marketing in the USHL where players have the option. Thank God i have an equiptment manager who demands that players do not wear cages.) And the NHL needs as much marketing help as it can get. As long as the players get their OWN insurance for playing, they should be free to wear as little or as much as they want.

 

[Bench Warmer]

Try marketing a high level hockey team where the fans can't see a players face. It's impossible. Star recognition is important!

Compare 2 advertising situations side by side:
Would you rather see a poster of a Bobby Hull let's say, blonde hair flowing in the wind as he skates up ice, earning his nickname the 'Golden Jet.'

Or rather Joe Schmoe with his full wire cage looking as anonymous as possible. I think it's obvious which one would draw the attention of your casual eye.

Marketing wise, full cages are a DISASTER (I've done alot of marketing in the USHL where players have the option. Thank God i have an equiptment manager who demands that players do not wear cages.) And the NHL needs as much marketing help as it can get. As long as the players get their OWN insurance for playing, they should be free to wear as little or as much as they want.

NFL doesnt have a problem

 

[Kimi]

So players should not play in the NHL because they can't wear full cages?

I know I'd never play if I couldn't use my cage. I'm quite fond of using my eyes and keeping my real teeth. Can't speak for everyone though.

 

[Greeneye]

Yeah as much as I would like to play without a shield I won't. On top of losing eye's/teeth it would drive my wife crazy.

 

[Ceteris Paribus]

I once got kicked in the cage with a skate. I was bent over and the guy in front of me fell forward and accidentally kicked one of his legs upwards behind him as he fell and clipped me right in the mask. I would have been a HUGE mess had it not been for the full cage.

 

[sc37]

[IMAGE]http://www.behindthemask.com/images/mfg/itech/combo_deluxe920.jpg[/IMAGE] I haven't had any fogging issues.

 

[PMP5030]

There's no real reason not to have them, other than the longstanding macho culture of the sport decrying those who wear full facial protection as somehow being less of a man. They do impair vision somewhat, but everyone's wearing them, then everyone's at the same relative disadvantage. The argument can be made that cages cause players to be more careless with their sticks and carry them higher, but I'd take that tradeoff over guys losing teeth and eyes. Probably at some point the NHL will at the very least have to mandate visors and force the NHLPA to go along as they did with helmets.

Personally, I've always played with a full cage, and I've taken far too many pucks/sticks to the face to ever take it off.

 

[Roger's Pancreas*]

I don't have a problem with it. It might restore some of the respect to the game since both players would have to talk off their masks to fight.

 

[velocity]

ggg

If you play in a hack mens league you should wear a cage.. At the Higher levels players have a code and duty to control thier sticks(and the ability).

 

[Petey21]

I don't see how they think wearing a cage can injury a player, the only way to injury someone would be taking a bare fist hit in your face (cage), but non-fighters such as Yzerman or Sakic should be able to use them if they want, IMO.

But that rule mentioned metal. Would a full shield such as the one in the picture be allowed then? It has no metal parts, and the only difference from a regular shield really is that it protects the jaws too. So if a regular shield is okay with the rules, this one should be too.

[IMAGE]http://www.behindthemask.com/images/mfg/itech/fs_concept2_lg2.jpg[/IMAGE]

 

[technophile]

Try marketing a high level hockey team where the fans can't see a players face. It's impossible. Star recognition is important!

Try marketing a high level football team where the fans can't see a players face. It's impossible.

Oh, wait, what's that? You can't see the faces of anyone in the NFL (okay, except for the kickers), and yet the NFL is infinitely more popular than the NHL?

How do you explain that one?

Never mind that you already can't see the players' faces when they're on the ice anyway, because you're watching the puck. Faces aren't how you recognize players during a game; size, position, and number are.

Compare 2 advertising situations side by side:
Would you rather see a poster of a Bobby Hull let's say, blonde hair flowing in the wind as he skates up ice, earning his nickname the 'Golden Jet.'

Or rather Joe Schmoe with his full wire cage looking as anonymous as possible. I think it's obvious which one would draw the attention of your casual eye.

It's funny. Helmets are required in the NHL, and yet I see all kinds of promotional materials where the players aren't wearing them. If they're not wearing the helmet, they're not wearing the cage either, and so promotional materials wouldn't change.

 

[AGraveOne]

Heck man, i guess we should HAVE TO wear helmets when we drive...i mean head injuries are a leading reason for death in motor vehicle accidents...seems idiotic not to wear a helmet in a car.

It is a choice. It's not like someone gets a puck to the face every game or even per team every season.

Rest assured, when the cost of injuries from pucks/sticks to the face area begins to dent the HUGE PROFITS insurance agencies acquire from the league/players/teams then face masks will be be LAW.
(or when a player goes down to block a shot and gets hit in the temple with the puck and dies - man, players shouldn't be allowed to slide down to block shots!)

Ya know, in this day and age, why are we allowed to go outside, i mean, everything can be done through a computer from your home...think of the gas savings and lives saved in traffic accidents!

And hiking in the woods! Should be illegal - there are wild animals out there. ( i know, over this season, i've heard of more people mauled by wild animals than players hit in the face with the puck.

(i could care less, one way or the other - cages or not. And i'll probably advise my kid to wear a cage...but still it will be his choice mostly.)

 

[technophile]

Heck man, i guess we should HAVE TO wear helmets when we drive...i mean head injuries are a leading reason for death in motor vehicle accidents...seems idiotic not to wear a helmet in a car.

Indeed. Which is why air bags have been legally required for years now. You know what air bags are for? To prevent your head from slamming into the steering wheel or the windshield.

Ya know, in this day and age, why are we allowed to go outside, i mean, everything can be done through a computer from your home...think of the gas savings and lives saved in traffic accidents!

And hiking in the woods! Should be illegal - there are wild animals out there. ( i know, over this season, i've heard of more people mauled by wild animals than players hit in the face with the puck.

What about hiking in an area where you know that aggressive predators are common, without any kind of protection? Would you recommend that? No, you'd take simple, common sense precautions that would reduce the risk of foreseeable injuries.

 

[AGraveOne]

Indeed. Which is why air bags have been legally required for years now. You know what air bags are for? To prevent your head from slamming into the steering wheel or the windshield.


What about hiking in an area where you know that aggressive predators are common, without any kind of protection? Would you recommend that? No, you'd take simple, common sense precautions that would reduce the risk of foreseeable injuries.

And a helmet would reduce the risk ALL THE MORE.

Are you implying that death is common from pucks to the face? I am not sure i understand? I mean, an aggressive predator is ALL ABOUT INTENDING TO EAT YOU, a hockey puck and the players who shoot them are never aiming at another player's head. The risk is ENORMOUSLY different.

A helmet in a car is INFINITELY more value than a face cage in hockey.

 

[technophile]

And a helmet would reduce the risk ALL THE MORE.

Are you implying that death is common from pucks to the face? I am not sure i understand? I mean, an aggressive predator is ALL ABOUT INTENDING TO EAT YOU, a hockey puck and the players who shoot them are never aiming at another player's head. The risk is ENORMOUSLY different.

A helmet in a car is INFINITELY more value than a face cage in hockey.

According to your own argument, a helmet is only of INFINITELY more value in a car than in hockey if the steering wheel is intending to smash you in the face. Which it's not, at least in any car I've ever been in.

Death may not be common from pucks to the face, but facial injuries, up to and including the loss (temporary or permanent) of vision in an eye, are quite commonly caused by high sticks. In fact, it's a rare NHL game where you don't see at least one high-stick and someone grabbing at their face. That's an entirely predictable, easily avoidable danger--much more predictable and avoidable than nearly any car accident.

If full visors/cages were required, Al McInnis might still be playing. Brian Berard would still be able to see out both eyes. etc, etc.