Thoughts on wearing a cage in mens league?

[Devil Dancer]

I get hit in the face all the time, which is why I wear a fish bowl. No one ever chirps me for it, and if they did I wouldn't care. Besides, most of the guys in my league wear full face protection.

 

[HowToHockey]

I'm 25 and I wear a full cage in mens league, no one really mentions it. I find I play more aggressively with the cage.

 

[robmneilson]

I'd say 98% of players in my leagues wear full cages. In Chelsea Piers or lasker you can't play with a half shield due to insurance reasons, but in LIC they will let you.

I've been whacked in the fact a half dozen times in the last season, glad to have my cage and no dental bills.

 

[Pedagogue]

Not sure why dudes come on the Internet wanting a bunch of strangers to help them decide if they should wear a cage or not. Everyone knows that not wearing a cage is dangerous as ***t happens! I wear a half visor and know the risks. It all depends on your comfort level.

 

[SuburbanArgyle]

The only people that should get chirped at for wearing cages in beer league are the ones that are jerks anyway and try to start "fights" (and I put that in quotes because we all know what beer league fights generally look like) while wearing their cages.

 

[canuck44]

I got chirped for wearing a cage because I confronted a guy who kept hacking away at me and crosschecking me. I guess I'm the ***** for wearing one and not hacking back

 

[seanlinden]

I wore a half-visor this year up until gettign a puck in the mouth... fortunately no teeth lost, just a bloody lip.

Here's the way I look at it now -- you're playing mens league, you're not a pro hockey player and you're not going to the NHL. Missing teeth isn't a great conversation starter.

Personally I'm a fan of a gray cage. Black is the same colour as the puck, chrome will reflect light, white will be very bright, but that's personal preference.

 

[PP Subban]

Im a hemophiliac and i dont wear a cage, but i do wear a visor to protect my eyes. Its weird, ill go weeks without a stick around my head and think about taking the visor off. Then the past 3 games, ive taken a stick to the face and one slapped right across my visor hard.

A lot of guys will chirp the cage, but it is recreational hockey, if your just lookin to be safe then i have no problem with it. But if you put it on and start getting more aggressive with your stick work then i have a problem. Just keep to yourself and its nbd.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

With the number of players baling hay out there, I don't know why you wouldn't wear a full cage.

 

[SouthpawTRK]

If you don't have dental/medical insurance and cannot miss work due to non-work related accidents, then I would wear a cage. Even if a person plays in an "A" level league; the individual cannot control other player's reckless play or avoid untimely accidents.

 

[hattrick3518]

I just recently joined a beer league, haven't played my first game yet, but I've gotten a visor to protect my eyes. I've got my cage in my bag so if anything goes nuts or I feel uncomfortable, I'll just put it back on.

 

[DevsFan84]

I usually don't get involved in any chirping or anything like that...the exception is when someone is trying to be the Sean Avery of adult league and is wearing a cage or a fishbowl (I wear a visor) It just seems lame to me.

The day I lose my dental insurance is the day the full cage comes back on, and I'd never fault someone for wearing one.

 

[Whiplash27]

I wear a half-half combo. Top shield, bottom cage. Does the job.

It's made by Oakley, something like this:

Heck, I remember I was playing with no helmet on in open hockey. There were just three of us, all of whom played on the same team. We were just screwing around when I got a stick in the mouth. Luckily I didn't lose any teeth, but I had a huge cut on my lip from my tooth digging into my lip. Took a month or two to fully heal. Never played without my cage again.

They don't pay me to play beer league hockey, so no way am I taking that chance.

 

[Blues88]

I dont wear one and I play in some competitive leagues. High sticked twice and took a puck to the mouth earlier today.

Wear one. Don't be the cool dip **** who bleeds on the bench.

I am literally that guy, and its kinda sad.

 

[Gert B Frobe]

I ate an errant stick from my teammate in a B league game on some Tuesday night at 11:30 and lost a handful of teeth. That hurt a lot and looked like hell forever.

Not wearing a full cage is just stupid. I can take it off if I need to fight so whatever. I will never go through that again!

 

[Fleuryoutside29]

I wear one in my league. But its because there are a bunch of boneheads who don't know how to take a slapshot and end up shooting into a crowd of heads.

 

[Badger36]

I personally wont play hockey without a cage or full faceshield. Even on a higher level beer league, you're still playing for nothing besides fun and pride, so why risk it?

 

[Placebo Effect]

full cage always

 

[shoeshine boy]

in my league you are required to at least wear a half shield unless you play in the highest level which is almost all former college/junior/pro players. there are still plenty of guys who wear full cages and shields in the highest level.
a buddy of mine plays in that level and he used to wear no shield or cage at all. he took a slapshot in the jaw and it shattered. after a few months of drinking all of his food through a straw he bought a cage and hasn't looked back.

 

[macgyverthatshiz]

Simple. If you like your teeth and face, wear a cage. If not, go without.

 

[hattrick3518]

Wore a cage last night because my visor is still stuck in the mail, can't wait to switch to the visor so I can actually see. Not a very competitive league but the guys seem to know what they are doing, they aren't standing there throwing their sticks around so I'd feel comfortable with just the visor

 

[Briere Up There*]

I play pretty aggressive when I have a cage on. But it blocks my vision sometimes so I wear a halfie and just hold my hand up to my mouth whenever someone winds up for a shot in my direction.

 

[LarryO]

 

[Hacker10]

I was covering the other team's D up at the blueline during one of my daytime league games. I gave him a bit too much space, and he got a pass that had been ringed around the boards. I went for a poke check as he wound up for a slap shot, and the puck deflected off my stick blade and right into my cage, directly at my mouth, and below where a visor would be. Had I not been wearing cage, I probably would have lost all my front teeth, and done serious damage to my mouth/jaw. Heck, it even made me think twice about the neck guard sitting in my gear bag in the locker room.

I have to work in the morning, and I prefer not to eat my food through a straw. No way I would ever play beer/rec league without a cage.

 

[edog37]

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 would wear full cage if I were you. I play in an iron lung league & I can get by with a visor. However, if the league you play in is that competitive, I would recommend full cage...