Neck guards will absolutely come up at the GM's meeting in November. But will anything come of it? The topic of mandating cut-resistant materials came up at last years November meeting. It was discussed, and a review of recent skate laceration injuries and how they could have been avoided with cut-resistant gear was provided.
To list just a handful of NHL injuries from skate lacerations (not even counting ones to the face, yikes):
Evander Kane (wrist, 2022), Ilya Mikheyev (wrist, 2019), Cal Clutterbuck (wrist, 2019), Alec Martinez (wrist, 2019), Erik Karlsson (achilles, 2013), Casey Cizikas (leg, 2019)
All of these are very recent or within recent memory like Karlsson's in 2013. I'll never forget when it happened. When I go to the arena, I know the spot and in my head can see it happening. If I can see that, having only experienced it on TV, I hate to think of everyone who witnessed the loss of Adam Johnson in person. No one should ever have to again just because a player might feel a little too warm wearing something extra.
The day after Mikheyev's wrist injury occurred in New Jersey, the Leafs were all fitted for protective Kevlar sleeves. How many wore them? How many still do? Now, the Penguins are mandating that their AHL and ECHL teams wear neck guards and wrist protection. They announce this the day after they honored Adam Johnson... and not a single Penguin put on a neck guard last night. Because it could never happen to them, right. After all the freak injuries they have had over their careers, not that, though. So, you mandate it.
The GM's can discuss it as much as they want. Them discussing it is important to continuing the conversation. Whether they want to protect the person or just their asset/investment, it's up to the players and their union to make it mandatory. The NHL could mandate it, but the union would likely fight it. Some players could want it, but until the entire union is on board, they will continue to protect every player's choice. Even if it's a stupid one. Personally, I'd prefer if members of a union I am a part of didn't die or get injured from a preventable injury. But safety regulations are written in blood, and hopefully, it doesn't require more before they come to their senses.
The best the GM's can do for now is implement it at lower levels so that it becomes a habit and natural to the younger players coming in. And someday, hopefully, we will look back and think how crazy it was, just like helmets and gloves, that players were not wearing a variety of cut-resistant items.
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