And about Prucha. The kid is tough. Wasn't it in a Devils game earlier this year that he got a puck to the face? And then minutes later a Devil's player got a puck in the face. What team was that. Yes, Prucha is one lucky man for not losing an eye on both incidents. When will the NHL make Visors mandatory?
The problem with visors, I have noticed, is that they don't do much. In some cases, they cause more harm than good. A lot of times when a player is hit fac first into the ice or glass, the visor strikes a players face/nose so hard, it causes serious damage.
Remember, Prucha wears a visor, and it didn't help him at all on those last two incidents. The only way to completely prevent facial injury would be to mandate full face shields, which wont happen for atleast another 50 years.
It's pretty pathetic that the NHL is going to wait until somebody dies, or loses an eye, or is seriously injured.
It hasnt happened much in how many years of NHL operation? This sport is dangerous in its own right. There are so many things that can kill a player on the ice, its not even funny.
But its an element of the game, and its up to the players... if they feel comfortable with the risk in playing the sport, then dont force anything on them.
The problem with visors, I have noticed, is that they don't do much. In some cases, they cause more harm than good. A lot of times when a player is hit fac first into the ice or glass, the visor strikes a players face/nose so hard, it causes serious damage.
Remember, Prucha wears a visor, and it didn't help him at all on those last two incidents. The only way to completely prevent facial injury would be to mandate full face shields, which wont happen for atleast another 50 years.
Horsehockey - name a serious injury that has been caused by a visor.
I agree that full face shields would be better safety-wise, but visors are certainly better than nothing.
My heart practically stopped when he got cut in the face, and as I've made it known on the boards, my biggest fear in hockey is another Malarchuk-like incident occuring. I'm terrified of skate blade injuries, whether to the arms, the back of the legs, or worstly, the neck/face.
This is the third time this year that a player has been cut in a very dangerous area (Bourque in the neck, Heward in the face, Prucha in the face). Additionally, Colin White got clipped in the ear later on in the game, albeit not as serious. But shouldn't we be concerned?
One of those players could have easily gotten killed, had the circumstances been slightly different. Those of you who watched the malarchuk incident live can attest to how gut wrenching it is to watch something like that happen. I never want to see a hockey player die due to injury, and when skate blades are flying around in the air, the potential is there for a terrible incident to occur.
Thank God it only got Prucha on the nose and missed his eye. But I think to myself, if Prucha was 6'3 in stead of 5'10, that blade would have gotten his neck, and who knows what would've happened then.
I was in such a bad emotional state until I heard he was okay, and was so relieved when he came back to play. And I cannot describe how shocked and ecstatic I was when he scored. Because of that (and the puck to the face incident, and because he works his *** off every game), I cannot find a single player ever in the game that I've watched that I've respected more than Petr Prucha. His determination and effort and fearlessness is mindboggling.
But I can't help but think what might have happened to him had White's blade connected in a slightly different area.
This leads me to ask the question, should neck guards be mandetory (in all levels of play)? I know I'd never play a game without one, and I cannot imagine how someone could let their child play without proper protection. Forget neckguards, even the backs of legs, certain areas in the arms, and parts of the chest/back are exposed to these razor sharp blades. All it takes is one small accident and a kid could get killed playing this otherwise wonderful sport. I believe certain precautions NEED to be made.
What does everyone else think?
I have a good friend who lost a teammate (in Mora were the WJC are played this year) in a simular accident, something like 8-9 years ago in a accident like that.
Neck protection became mandatory in sweden after it.
Quite frankly, I think its only a matter of time before it happends in the NHL... (because of a accident) There is 2000+ games per season in the NHL, looking forward 10 years thats 20.000+ games, saddly its bound to happend.
I am not sure how good the neckprotection we got in Sweden really are. Its like a polo sweater for the neck only, looks like a bib that you got under the sweater so to speak. Its made of a special fabric so that it can't be cut through. Click on the attached pic below on you will get a close up on it.
Hockeyplayers looks a little more equiped with it on, for a kid its a bit bothersome since they don't got a laundry service, for a vet since you sweat a bit more. Its not a perfect fabric since it don't breaths perfectly, and I've heard players get rashs from it ect, I never had any problems, I actually felt that it was good for me as a kid since we played in cold rinks and it kept me from getting colds ect.
I defenitly think it should be made mandatory everywhere. I know how it effected my friend, he later played with me in the north of Sweden, and we often played against Finnish teams were we used international rules were neck protection weren't mandatory, he refused to even be in the arena for thoose games...
Horsehockey - name a serious injury that has been caused by a visor.
I agree that full face shields would be better safety-wise, but visors are certainly better than nothing.
I think an injury he was referring to was one like the Sundin hit last year, where the visor came back and cut him on the cheek after he got crushed.
But I do agree with you, those types of injuries are rather trivial compared to potential Berard-like incidents....and visors only appear to not be that effective because no one makes mention of all the times a stick or puck or skate hits the visor....it does it's job quietly. But also, I do agree that facial/neck protection can be increased.
The real pressing safety issue in the NHL is the non-mandatory visor/cage rule.
While the original poster speaks of neck protectors, the real modern day epidemic is facial/eye injuries. That is the issue that needs to be addressed.
I agree with you too, but I am worried about the neck.
I've seen footage of the accident in Sweden, one hard high check around the boards, the player hit are thrown backwards, his legs flys up and his left foot hits a player standing nearby, leaning down a bit, in the throat. Doctors were there but they didn't have any chance to save him.
To my knowledge so far it have only happend once, in all the 100.000 of games that are played, but when you see it you go like - darn that could happend to anyone at any time, its such a normal event in a hockey game. Nothing unusual happend at all, a hit close to a player with bad balance around the boards.
I have a good friend who lost a teammate (in Mora were the WJC are played this year) in a simular accident, something like 8-9 years ago in a accident like that.
Neck protection became mandatory in sweden after it.
Quite frankly, I think its only a matter of time before it happends in the NHL... (because of a accident) There is 2000+ games per season in the NHL, looking forward 10 years thats 20.000+ games, saddly its bound to happend.
I am not sure how good the neckprotection we got in Sweden really are. Its like a polo sweater for the neck only, looks like a bib that you got under the sweater so to speak. Its made of a special fabric so that it can't be cut through. Click on the attached pic below on you will get a close up on it.
Hockeyplayers looks a little more equiped with it on, for a kid its a bit bothersome since they don't got a laundry service, for a vet since you sweat a bit more. Its not a perfect fabric since it don't breaths perfectly, and I've heard players get rashs from it ect, I never had any problems, I actually felt that it was good for me as a kid since we played in cold rinks and it kept me from getting colds ect.
I defenitly think it should be made mandatory everywhere. I know how it effected my friend, he later played with me in the north of Sweden, and we often played against Finnish teams were we used international rules were neck protection weren't mandatory, he refused to even be in the arena for thoose games...
You see, something like that (in the picture) is perfect, assuming it works properly. It doesn't seem to obstruct to much, and if it does it's job, it can save a life.
That's a terribly sad story about your friend's teammate, and the only positive thing that could be taken out of that is that neck guards became mandetory.
However, in the States, I don't know what it'll take for people to become aware of the danger.
In some sense, I'm almost not too worried about teenagers/professionals, only becasue you get the impression that they are smart enough and have enough control over their skating to, for the most part (barring a freak accident), avoid most injuries. However, I am VERY worried about all the 5,6, 7 and 8 year olds playing hockey for the first time....you're practically giving these kids two knives on their feet, and I hope to god that nothing ever happens to someone that young. But I really want the reassurance that these kids have protection.
And, as I mentioned, although injuries in the higher levels are less frequent, or at least have a greater chance of being avoided, that occasional chance of a freak accident should be enough to mandate neck guards.
has anyone ever noticed prucha has about 1 near death experience per game.. he's constantly almost getting decapatated with a vicious hit.. i see him skate into heavy traffic and i pray..
has anyone ever noticed prucha has about 1 near death experience per game.. he's constantly almost getting decapatated with a vicious hit.. i see him skate into heavy traffic and i pray..
I've definitely had my heart stop numerous times because of the danger he puts himself in...but in all honesty, this incident was one where I really feared for his life.
I hate to bring up an old thread but I was meaning to add to this one for awhile... I made a mockery of your call for neck guards as being completely ridiculous and over-protective.... well, after seeing Lunqvist take that skate to the side of his mask recently, I stand corrected. wow.
The Rangers had a real scare upon returning home from Montreal Saturday night.
Since Westchester County Airport has a rule prohibiting its clearing of more than 20 passengers per flight through customs, the Rangers' charter had to briefly touch down in Albany to meet U.S. Customs officials there. At least, that was the plan.
Their plane touched down very briefly before being yanked back into the air. Then, after circling, it aborted another landing as it apparently overshot the runway a second time. The third time was a charm and the Rangers were admitted back into the Lower 48 in time to watch Tony Romo similarly fail to get a football safely to the ground on a similar, seemingly routine maneuver.
Sorry, just a little petty venting from an unfulfilled Giants fan
