Kyle Burroughs became the first San Jose Sharks player to try a neck guard this season.

Kyle Burroughs became the first San Jose Sharks player to try a neck guard this season.

Burroughs only had it on briefly but told media members he intended to try other options. 

"I think it'd be kind of silly not to," Burroughs said. "It was nice to be able to do it in morning skate when you know you're not going to be stressing yourself too much."

Adam Johnson's passing is a tragic story that sent shockwaves through the hockey world. At the 2024 IIHF World Juniors, the IIHF mandated that all players have neck protection. 

"With what happened is obviously pretty scary," Burroughs said. "I'm trying different options. Trying to protect yourself, I think, is smart."

Different players around the NHL have begun to use neck protection.

Burroughs told the media that he had a close call while playing hockey in high school.

"I was still wearing a cage when it happened. I got a skate right across the mouth, and it was about 25 stitches up on the side," Burroughs explained. "I kind of looked like the one-half of Heath Ledger's Joker."

Burroughs also said he was still wearing a cage but had his helmet pulled off because he was in the middle of a scrum. 

"You have skates come up in a game," Burroughs said. "It's a quick game, and with what happened, you don't really want to think about it."

Burroughs won't wear a neck guard in tonight's game as he wants to test other options to compare safety and comfort. 

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