Thoughts on wearing a cage in mens league?

[Rush22*]

I am 25 years old and I play in a competitive mens "A" league. Right now I wear a visor just to protect my eyes. The last 3 games I have played I have had around 8-10 incidents where I nearly lost a few teeth either from irresponible players getting a high stick on me or from a few deflected shots that nearly hit me in the face if I did not see them coming.

It seems to come in waves (shots to the face). I will go a few months without a stick or puck coming near my head then a few game stretch where I come very close to some serious dental work.

What is your opinion on wearing a full cage in a mens league? This is not a normal beer league, everyone in the league is really competitive and most are former NCAA/AAA/Junior players.

Click to read more...

 

[canuck44]

How much do you like your teeth and how good is your dental insurance?

 

[kr580]

How much do you like your teeth and how good is your dental insurance?

This. Wear one if you feel the need. Don't wear one if you don't feel the need. Don't worry about what someone else might think, it's your eyesight/teeth, not theirs.

 

[PuckHogs29]

I can think of no other form of hockey where no one should question whether or not you wear a cage than a men's league. No matter how competitive it is, no matter how good the guys are or where they played before, it's the very essence of meaningless. It's well organized pickup hockey. Even in the league I played in where a free trip to Toronto for a tournament was on the line each season it was meaningless. Just throw the cage on if you're worried about serious damage.

 

[ponder]

I am 25 years old and I play in a competitive mens "A" league. Right now I wear a visor just to protect my eyes. The last 3 games I have played I have had around 8-10 incidents where I nearly lost a few teeth either from irresponible players getting a high stick on me or from a few deflected shots that nearly hit me in the face if I did not see them coming.

It seems to come in waves (shots to the face). I will go a few months without a stick or puck coming near my head then a few game stretch where I come very close to some serious dental work.

What is your opinion on wearing a full cage in a mens league? This is not a normal beer league, everyone in the league is really competitive and most are former NCAA/AAA/Junior players.

I'm your age and playing in a lower level mens league than you (each team seems to have a few ex-Junior A/B players, but mostly good house league/low level rep players), and in my league I'd say around 1/3 of the players wear cages, including me. Not gonna risk losing teeth for beer league hockey, don't have dental insurance and would rather avoid the pain/hassle too.

 

[blueberrydanish]

If you are worried about it wear one...if you are not worried don't

 

[nullterm]

Wear it.

 

[raygunpk]

I will never go without a cage. I questioned it when I first had it on...but then I got checked into my bench as the door was opening, face first into the door hinge area. Definitely saved my face.

 

[Rush22*]

I guess the reason I am hesitant is because I fly around the rink and have no problem sliding in front of shots and I drive the net hard every chance I get with the puck (I am one of the faster stronger players in the league). I would say maybe a handful of guys in the league wear a cage/fishbowl I play in, probably none of them are defensemen (I play defense but normally rush the puck for my team as well). I would be badly criticized for wearing one even more with the style I play.

I have dental insurance but I still value my looks and I hate dental visits.

 

[bdbowti]

Who cares what they think, its your face. I always have worn a cage and just switched to a fishbowl and could care less what others think. I was sitting on the bench talking to another player one time when someone hammered the puck over the boards and right into my cage. It would have hit me right in the cheek if i hadn't had the cage on and would have done damage. My head was ringing as it was after the hit couldn't image the damage without the cage. Its just not worth the risk to me.

 

[johnnyvegas]

Read this article, it's a good read: A sport with teeth

Ultimately, the choice is yours but my advice would be to wear full-face protection.

 

[Bob Clarke Fan Club]

It's not a crime to wear a cage, Just don't play like a dick with it. Nothing worse than a guy carrying his stick around other guys faces or clearing pucks around guys heads when he's got a birdcage on. Smart move if you play the right way IMO.

 

[ponder]

I guess the reason I am hesitant is because I fly around the rink and have no problem sliding in front of shots and I drive the net hard every chance I get with the puck (I am one of the faster stronger players in the league). I would say maybe a handful of guys in the league wear a cage/fishbowl I play in, probably none of them are defensemen (I play defense but normally rush the puck for my team as well). I would be badly criticized for wearing one even more with the style I play.

I have dental insurance but I still value my looks and I hate dental visits.

You would actually be "badly criticized" for wearing a cage in men's league? Seems nuts, even for high level men's league.

 

[jacklours]

Yeah it took me too long to leave behind the whole ''bird cage'' sarcasm when I started playing beer leagues.

I started wearing a cage back this year after 10 years, it save me at least 2 cuts already.

Who cares what the guys in your elague think. Are you guys allowed to fight?

First thing I noticed is that many players thought the same way I did and just switched to a cage because the saw someone had done it. Some players don't have the guts to say they want to protect themselves they'd rater try to look though by showing they don't care getting hit by a puck or stick in the face.

 

[Rush22*]

Read this article, it's a good read: A sport with teeth

Ultimately, the choice is yours but my advice would be to wear full-face protection.

Nice article. Really I am fortunate to have had nothing but a bunch of cuts around my chin.

How much would a mouth guard help? Like the hard custom under armour ones most pros use (see Jonanthan Toews if you don't know what im talking about).?

 

[Bob Clarke Fan Club]

Yeah it took me too long to leave behind the whole ''bird cage'' sarcasm when I started playing beer leagues.

I started wearing a cage back this year after 10 years, it save me at least 2 cuts already.

Who cares what the guys in your elague think. Are you guys allowed to fight?

First thing I noticed is that many players thought the same way I did and just switched to a cage because the saw someone had done it. Some players don't have the guts to say they want to protect themselves they'd rater try to look though by showing they don't care getting hit by a puck or stick in the face.

Some players just don't like the feeling of a cage on their faces as well.

 

[Rush22*]

Yeah it took me too long to leave behind the whole ''bird cage'' sarcasm when I started playing beer leagues.

I started wearing a cage back this year after 10 years, it save me at least 2 cuts already.

Who cares what the guys in your elague think. Are you guys allowed to fight?

First thing I noticed is that many players thought the same way I did and just switched to a cage because the saw someone had done it. Some players don't have the guts to say they want to protect themselves they'd rater try to look though by showing they don't care getting hit by a puck or stick in the face.

No and there is no checking, but guys play hard and there is a ton of body contact and things can get rough. I am 5'9'' 220 lbs (all muscle) though so I am not concerned with guys getting chippy with me. I just don't want to be "that guy." Being that I play guys hard and dive in front of slappers and also drive the net.

 

[Bob Clarke Fan Club]

Nice article. Really I am fortunate to have had nothing but a bunch of cuts around my chin.

How much would a mouth guard help? Like the hard custom under armour ones most pros use (see Jonanthan Toews if you don't know what im talking about).?

A lot.

 

[Halifaxhab*]

I get chirped at sometimes for wearing one, but it's just meaningless men's league hockey...played for fun. I have a career to worry about and missing work because of a preventable injury is just plain wrong. Besides my employer (NAVY) only endorses me playing (full insurange coverage) if I wear the cage.

 

[johnnyvegas]

Nice article. Really I am fortunate to have had nothing but a bunch of cuts around my chin.

How much would a mouth guard help? Like the hard custom under armour ones most pros use (see Jonanthan Toews if you don't know what im talking about).?

Actually, here is a follow-on to the previous article: More on Tkachuk's ordeal

And this is a direct quote from that article:

[The shot] put a hole through my mouthpiece -- it actually put a hole right through my mouthpiece.

So a mouthguard would help but not for everything.

 

[Jimmy Carter]

What's there to think about? You're not a pro, so protect your face! You don't have a team to pay for the medical bill, so throw down $20-$30 bucks and buy a cage. If you really love using a visor, get the half visor/half cage. If you think you need it, then you need it.

 

[rinkrat22]

as long as your hard play doesn't include Sean Avery type antics wear the cage if you feel like you would be more comfortable. just dont try and be a beer league tuff guy wearing a cage. I actually saw a guy wearing a cage pick a fight with an older guy with no cage the other night in the game before ours. thats a ***** move. if you are a good, hard, clean player and would feel better wearing the cage, go for it.

 

[YNWA14]

What about a full shield?

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/bauer-hockey-recon-full-shield.html

Are they legal in top level hockey? Do they offer enough protection for lower level?

 

[RangersAM99]

there isn't a team of doctors on the bench ready to help you when you go down with a facial injury, put the cage on, thats my motto

 

[Sitka]

I wear a visor, but my whole attitude about being hit by a puck is that I wasn't that pretty to start with.