NHL fans are insisting neck guards become mandatory across the league

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Finnegan Frost
November 7, 2024 (8:24)

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The NHL witnessed a chilling scene two nights ago when St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway collapsed on the bench due to a puck hitting a nerve in his neck.

First off, I just want to emphasize that Dylan Holloway made a 100% recovery and is expected to suit up for tonight's game against Utah HC. With that being said, the horrific scene has sparked an interesting conversation in the NHL - and some fans are calling for a change.

It's no secret by now that hockey players take pride in being arguably the toughest athletes in sports. With that being said, the neck is a highly sensitive area with a relatively high level of exposure, and unfortunately, accidents happen more often than not.

Take Adam Johnson's tragic passing for example. In 2023, Johnson's neck was slashed during a British League game, resulting in a horrific, put potentially avoidable death.

Neck guards for the most part seem to be undesirable amongst hockey players, with the argument largely being that the added piece of protection is too hot, and too uncomfortable - even unfashionable.

After Johnson's tragic death last year, many NHL players tried to tackle the issue by utilizing neck guards, but the overall sentiment was largely unanimous - too hot, and too uncomfortable.

"I kind of tried it out for the first time during the game, but it didn't last that long," Dahlin said. "I'm going to wait until they develop something. It was very warm and I felt very uncomfortable using it, so hopefully someone develops something nicer in the near future."

Do you think neck guards should be mandatory in the NHL? Answer our Oilers Insider poll to have your say!