Neck Guard Mandate Set for Penguins Affiliates
The mandate of neck protection for the Pittsburgh Penguins minor league teams is in full swing.
It’s been just about a week since the hockey world was shaken by the loss of former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Adam Johnson, who died after taking a skate blade to the neck mid-game.
Johnson’s death raised many questions about players safety, centered around the usage of neck protection and the Penguins worked quickly to implement some changes.
Head coach Mike Sullivan stated that the organization would implement a mandate of neck guards for their minor league teams the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers.
At the same time, Sullivan said he is ‘highly encouraging’ his NHL squad to follow along; a handful of players picked up the extra protection during a recent practice.
As for the Penguins’ affiliates, the mandate has been put in place; the WBS Penguins played their first game with neck guards on Friday and walked away with a last-second win.
In the days following Johnson’s death, numerous teams and players have started wearing neck guards and more will likely follow.
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