Jeff Carter First Penguins Player To Wear Neck Guard in Game
After multiple Pittsburgh Penguins wore neck guards during a practice, Jeff Carter breaks the ice to wear one in a game.
Players around the NHL have been taking their own approach to extra neck protection following the death of former Pittsburgh Penguins player Adam Johnson.
In the days following the tragic accident, multiple Penguins experimented with neck guards at a practice, but nothing has been noticed since.
That was until their most recent contest against the Los Angeles Kings when veteran forward Jeff Carter returned to the lineup.
After being a healthy scratch for the first time in his career, Carter slotted back into the Penguins lineup and was donning some extra protection.
Carter became the first Penguins player to wear a neck guard in game competition since this conversation entered the forefront of player safety.
During a practice, Lars Eller, Erik Karlsson, Marcus Pettersson, and Ryan Graves all wore neck guards, but that was just as an experiment.
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan stated that the organization was mandating neck protection for their minor league affiliates.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Wheeling Nailers have both been wearing neck guards for about a week.
Sullivan also said that while they cannot mandate the usage for their NHL roster, they are still highly encouraging them.
It’s possible the Penguins see more players follow in Carter’s footsteps; he may not bring the same production he used to, but he’s a veteran leader and overall well respected as a hockey player.
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