WINNIPEG, Manitoba – The hockey world continues to mourn the loss of Adam Johnson, a former NHL player who died after a freak accident in which his neck was cut by an opposing player’s skate blade during a game in England’s Elite Ice Hockey League on Saturday.
He was 29.
Amid the tragic incident, discussions surrounding extra protective gear have picked up.
The Rangers have not had any official conversations about wearing neck guards, largely due to the fact that they are at the end of a road trip that concludes against the Jets on Monday, but it has been a hot topic in the locker room amongst players.
Following Johnson’s death, the Oxford City Stars of the National Ice Hockey League – the second highest British league – announced that their players must wear neck guards at all times on the ice.
Additionally, several players on the American Hockey League’s Providence Bruins wore neck guards during their game on Sunday.
Some Rangers already wear cut resistant sleeves on the exposed areas of their bodies that aren’t covered by their gear, such as the wrists and ankles.
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They have a sock-like texture to them with a compression fit.
During the Islanders’ 2019-20 season, three different players experienced skate lacerations.
Cal Clutterbuck missed 30 games after taking a blade to the wrist, which required surgery to repair and left the Islanders forward quite shaken.
Casey Cizikas was sidelined for 13 games due to a leg laceration he sustained mid-game, as well.
Later in the season, Johnny Boychuk caught a skate blade directly in the face and needed 90 stitches.
It was considered a miracle he suffered no damage to his eye in that particular incident.
