Neck guard

Lore & Background

The neck guard was developed in Ontario, Canada, after Kim Crouch, a goaltender for the Royal York Royals, suffered a serious neck injury when his jugular vein was sliced by a skate during a 1975 match against the Markham Waxers. His father, Ed Crouch, created a prototype neck guard to help him return to the game, and the guard was subsequently widely adopted. In Canada, neck protectors for ringette and ice hockey must contain fabric that is BNQ certified and approved. BNQ, based in Quebec, created a standard for cut-resistant neck guards that involves a blade on a swinging apparatus testing for cut penetration. Most neck guards include a moisture system to keep the player's neck cool during play.

Notable injuries have driven adoption. In 1989, Buffalo Sabres goalie Clint Malarchuk suffered a severe neck cut from a skate during a game against the St. Louis Blues; he recovered but would have died without immediate medical aid. In 2008, Florida Panthers forward Richard Zedník had his external carotid artery cut by teammate Olli Jokinen's skate. In 2023, Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson died after his neck was cut by a skate; he was not wearing a neck guard. Johnson's death led to increased use of neck guards among professional players and new mandates across various leagues.

Reader's Guide

The neck guard's significance lies in its role as a potentially life-saving piece of equipment, particularly for goaltenders and players in high-risk situations. Its development followed a specific injury in 1975, and its adoption has been shaped by subsequent severe injuries and fatalities. The death of Adam Johnson in 2023 served as a major catalyst, prompting mandates in several leagues. The Western Hockey League began requiring neck guards in November 2023, while the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League already had mandates. The American Hockey League and International Ice Hockey Federation also began requiring them after Johnson's death. USA Hockey mandated neck laceration protection for all players and officials under 18 as of August 1, 2024, and strongly recommends them for adults. The 2026 Winter Olympics required all ice hockey players to wear neck guards for the first time. The Professional Women's Hockey League recommends but does not require them as of the 2025–2026 season. Beginning in the 2026–2027 season, new NHL players will be required to wear neck guards, while players who played at least one game before that season are grandfathered in. As of 2025, only about 8% of NHL players wore a neck guard.

Did You Know?

• The neck guard was first developed after Kim Crouch's jugular vein was sliced by a skate in 1975.
• Clint Malarchuk's 1989 neck injury would have been fatal without immediate medical assistance.
• Adam Johnson's death in 2023 led to new neck guard mandates in multiple leagues.