The devastating death of Adam Johnson on October 28, while participating in an English Ice Hockey League game, from a skate cut, caused a domino effect that is still being felt today. Following that, neck protection became mandatory in the English Ice Hockey Federation on July 1st, and several NHL players started donning neckguards during games in the WHL’s major junior league. The German Ice Hockey League, or DEL for short, became the latest hockey league to require neck protection on Tuesday.
The DEL, like the EIHL, will start requiring cut-resistant neck protection for all players on January 1, 2024, according to Chris Johnston of The Athletic. The DEL’s new regulations follow the sports directors of every
In the second period of the Nottingham Panthers’ game against the Sheffield Steelers on October 28, Johnson, 29, was assisted off the ice and transported to a hospital in Sheffield. The fans in attendance were evacuated from the arena and the game was immediately stopped. On October 29, the Panthers announced early on Sunday morning that Johnson had died as a result of the collision.
The hockey world has honored Johnson’s life in the days that have passed. Fans at PPG Paints Arena gave Johnson a farewell cheer last week in honor of his 13 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2018–19 and 2019–20.
Although there isn’t a formal NHL policy in place to require neck protection just yet, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated last
In the second period of the Nottingham Panthers’ game against the Sheffield Steelers on October 28, Johnson, 29, was assisted off the ice and transported to a hospital in Sheffield. The fans in attendance were evacuated from the arena and the game was immediately stopped. On October 29, the Panthers announced early on Sunday morning that Johnson had died as a result of the collision.
The hockey world has honored Johnson’s life in the days that have passed. Fans at PPG Paints Arena gave Johnson a farewell cheer last week in honor of his 13 NHL games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2018–19 and 2019–20.
Although there isn’t a formal NHL policy in place to require neck protection just yet, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly stated last
week that commissioner Gary Bettman has been in touch with NHL Players’ Association executive director Marty Walsh to put the issue “squarely on the radar.”