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Olympics Mandate: Neck Guards Now Required for Hockey
20 Nov
Summary
- 2026 Winter Olympics hockey players must wear neck guards.
- Mandate follows tragic death of player Adam Johnson in 2023.
- NHL players previously opposed such mandates by a wide margin.
The upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics will feature a mandatory safety measure for all hockey players: the use of neck guards. This significant rule change by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) comes after the tragic incident involving Adam Johnson in October 2023, where a skate blade caused a fatal neck injury.
The IIHF had previously announced a worldwide mandate for neck guards across all levels, citing supply issues for a phased implementation in senior competitions. Professional leagues like the NHL and AHL, along with USA Hockey and high school associations, have since adopted similar requirements, though the NHL's mandate for new players begins with the 2026-27 season.
Interestingly, a poll conducted in February 2024 indicated that a substantial 78.5 percent of NHL players opposed a neck guard mandate. Despite this, hockey legends like Wayne Gretzky have advocated for such protections, emphasizing player safety. The Winter Olympics are scheduled to take place in Milan and Cortina, Italy, from February 6th to 23rd.
