Since the unfortunate tragedy that struck the hockey world last weekend, hockey players all over the planet are currently reflecting on the use of neck guards and other pieces of equipment that could save their lives.
It must be said that it is a topic that's making everyone think deeply, and it's sad that it took a death for things to change. The EIHA (English Ice Hockey Association) and the WHL have made neck guards mandatory, and many AHL players are now wearing them. In the NHL, Rasmus Dahlin has also started wearing one.
Many players seem open to trying neck guards, but from what's being said on the ice, it would likely require a grandfather clause, meaning that new players entering the NHL would be required to wear them, while established players would not.
In any case, leagues will follow suit one after the other, as the WHL has done, and it will become normal to wear them.
As for St-Louis, he remembers a tragedy that occurred in January 2022 in Connecticut. It's worth noting that his family lives in the region. A 15-year-old boy died from a throat cut in a game involving two high schools, one of which was his youngest son's. The coach is still shaken by the incident.
