Jan 29, 2024 - Sports

Minnesota youth hockey leagues will soon require neck guards

Kyle Stokes

A hockey player with his taped stick raised in the air wears a black jersey, a helmet, and a black neck guard — A hockey player wears a neck guard during a game held to honor Hibbing native Adam Johnson, who died after taking a skate to the neck during a hockey game in England in Oct. 2023. Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Starting in August, more than 130 Minnesota youth hockey associations will mandate players wear equipment to protect against potentially deadly skate cuts to the neck.

Why it matters: The hockey world has been rethinking its safety rules since last October, when a Hibbing-born professional player, Adam Johnson, died after a skate blade sliced his neck during a game in England.

Driving the news: USA and Minnesota hockey officials announced the rule change Jan. 28 that will require neck guards for all players and youth hockey officials under 18 starting Aug. 1.

It will apply to both practices and games. After warnings, teams could be subject to on-ice penalties.

By the numbers: There are more youth hockey players in Minnesota than any other state: 50,000 boys and 13,000 girls.

Threat level: Skate cuts are rare, but skate-to-face contact is a part of the game.

The intrigue: Minnesota Hockey has long recommended, but not required, the use of neck protection for non-goalies.

Some local leagues already require neck guards for all players. Minnesota's District 6, which covers the Twin Cities' southwest suburbs, has required neck protection for several years.
The guards, made of cut-resistant fabric and padding, are relatively cheap — especially by hockey gear standards.

Catch up fast: Johnson's death spurred changes at many levels of the game. The International Ice Hockey Federation announced in December it will require neck protection at the men's and women's world championships.

The NHL doesn't require them, but some players began wearing them after Johnson's death, and several minor league teams and leagues began mandating their use.
University of Minnesota men's hockey coach Bob Motzko told RinkLive in November he thinks the protection should be mandatory, with their phase-in starting in the youth ranks.

The other side: Some players complain they are too hot or too uncomfortable.

They also might be tricky to find. Interest in them surged last fall, putting a strain on supply.

What we're watching: Whether the rules eventually change in the Minnesota State High School League, too.

The MSHSL follows rules set by a different national organization, which plans to revisit its policies in April.
For now, neck protection remains "strongly recommended" in high school play — but not required — the league said in a statement Sunday.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with Adam Johnson's correct name in the photo caption provided by Getty Images.

Add Axios on Google

Minnesota youth hockey leagues will soon require neck guards

More Twin Cities stories