The sports world remains in mourning following the unexpected loss of former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Adam Johnson in late October. His passing came after a heartbreaking incident on the ice during an Elite Ice Hockey League game after he suffered fatal injuries from an accidental collision with a falling opponent's skate, resulting in severe neck damage that ultimately proved irreparable.
Since then, a handful of NHL players have decided to wear cut-resistant neck protection, including Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie, Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman, Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cole Koepke.
And while the debate continues to rage on as to whether or not neck guards should be made mandatory for all players as helmets were back in the early 1990s, one top hockey organization is now instituting an official mandate for all players to comply.
Following a recommendation from its medical committee, the IIHF Council has officially mandated that players must now wear neck guards at all times during game play.
How soon until we see something similar come to the NHL?
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