Erik Karlsson, Marcus Pettersson among multiple other Penguins players sporting neck guards in practice

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Nov 02, 2023 19:29 GMT

Neck guard usage among several Pittsburgh Penguins players, including Erik Karlsson, Ryan Graves, Marcus Pettersson and Lars Eller, has become more prevalent during practice.

This increased safety precaution follows a devastating incident involving former Penguins forward Adam Johnson, who died at the age of 29 due to an unusual accident. Johnson suffered a neck injury caused by a skate while playing for the Nottingham Panthers in the Elite Ice Hockey League in England.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan has been actively encouraging players to consider wearing neck protection in response to the tragic incident.

"We can't do that at the NHL level, but we can certainly strongly encourage," Sullivan said. "That's our hope. Hopefully, as a League, we can work toward developing just more options for guys in the protective department with respect to these areas. … That could be one of the positive things that might come out of this terrible tragedy."

Erik Karlsson, who hails from Sweden, is familiar with using neck guards, as they were mandatory in the men's league in his home country. Karlsson mentioned that he wore a neck guard during his time in Sweden, and he can see it becoming more normalized in the NHL.

"I grew up in Sweden," Karlsson said. "Playing with a neck guard, it was mandatory, even in the men's league, I think it still is. I don't know if we wore it properly, but it was still something that we had to wear right when we started playing hockey."

Erik Karlsson further referred to his adoption of protective socks after suffering a lacerated Achilles tendon in 2013:

"Because I don't think anyone was really wearing it before that. After that, I think most guys just wear it because it's just like a normal sock anyway. I think they've done a good job with it."

Ryan Graves also shared his perspective on the importance of neck protection. He said:

"It's sad, but it takes something tragic to happen to make you really open your eyes and make you see."

Apart from Erik Karlsson, Lars Eller and Marcus Pettersson used the neck guards during practice as a trial.

Eller said:

"I would consider wearing it. I tried it today just to see how it felt. It was a little uncomfortable because it was new. You're not used to wearing it. … I would change the design a little bit to make it better and more comfortable. But all in all, I would be able to get used to wearing it."

Pettersson said:

"I think everybody is taking it very seriously. Skates flying everywhere. You realize how close it is to happening all the time, but you don't see it happen that often."

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Apart from Erik Karlsson, Penguins captain Crosby and Oilers' McDavid also discuss the importance of neck guards

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, while not wearing a neck guard, acknowledged that having them available is a positive step, especially in light of recent events.

"I wore a neck guard growing up. I don't know if we wore one in juniors or not," Crosby said. "But obviously, with what just happened, I think everyone is trying to do their best to avoid that. I think everyone is going to take a good look at it. Now, there's been some conversations, so we'll see what happens.

Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers also weighed in on the topic. He said:

"It’s also comfortable to know that you’re protected. That can bring a big comfort to guys. I think it’s personal preference for everybody."

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Should neck guards become more prevalent in ice hockey? Let us know in the comments section below!