Penguins mandate neck, wrist guards for AHL, ECHL affiliates
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The Pittsburgh Penguins mandated neck guards must be worn for all players with their American Hockey League and ECHL affiliates in the wake of the shocking death of former Penguins forward Adam Johnson this past weekend.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan revealed the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers will begin requiring all players to wear neck and wrist guards to prevent skate cuts to such vulnerable parts of the body.
No such mandate can be made at the NHL level without approval from the NHL Players’ Association, but Sullivan indicated the team will heavily recommend such measures to players on the NHL roster.
“(President of hockey operations Kyle Dubas) and I have had discussions about it,” Sullivan said after practice Tuesday in Cranberry. “We’re in the process right now of trying to talk to our players about some protective equipment in those areas. Our (AHL) team has mandated that they’re going to wear neck guards and wrist guards. Our (ECHL) team as well. We can’t do that at the NHL level, but we can certainly strongly encourage and that’s our hope.
“As a league, we can work towards developing just more options for guys in the protective department with respect to these areas. Hopefully, there will be an initiative here moving forward. That could be one of the positive things that come out of this terrible, terrible tragedy.”
Johnson, 29, died while playing for the Nottingham Panthers of the United Kingdom’s Elite Ice Hockey League. During a game against the Sheffield Steelers on Saturday, Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave collided with other players and his skates struck Johnson’s neck, cutting him in a catastrophic fashion.
After receiving medical attention on the ice, Johnson was transported to a hospital but did not survive.
On Monday, the English Ice Hockey Association, which oversees the EIHL, announced it would make neck guards mandatory for all on-ice activities — including practice — as of Dec. 31. In its statement, the EIHA indicated “it is not mandatory with immediate effect due to anticipated supply issues.”
For the NHL, any formal changes to rules regarding equipment would need to be agreed to by the NHL and NHLPA.
Speaking with NHL Network Radio on Tuesday, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly indicated commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh already have had discussions about a potential rule change.
“We have been pushing, really pushing hard, cut-resistant materials and guards for use by our players,” Daly said. “It is an adjustment for them. We are strongly recommending cut-resistance materials.”
“Obviously, the most recent horrific accident really will step up the neck guards for sure.”
There is little to suggest the NHLPA would be resistant to such a measure.
“You always keep evolving on different things,” said defenseman Kris Letang, who serves as the Penguins’ representative to the NHLPA. “The game is not going any slower. It’s going actually faster. I wouldn’t be surprised.”
Members of the Penguins who played with Johnson appear to be open to such a change given the magnitude of the tragedy.
“It’s an unfortunate thing to happen,” said defenseman P.O Joseph, who played with Johnson with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. “Growing up, we all had those neck protectors. Definitely, we’ll touch the subject in the next talks with equipment (matters).
“Things like that happen so many times during the season. For it to happen to him, it’s hard to see. It could have happened to anybody.”
Note: The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins recalled goaltender Taylor Gauthier from Wheeling. … Former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Dennis Bonvie, perhaps the most iconic player in that team’s history, was named to the AHL’s Hall of Fame class of 2024.