How will NHL change rules for player safety following Adam Johnson’s horrific incident?

NHL player safety rules have been questioned after Adam Johnson got his neck slit by a skate blade resulting in the forward’s untimely death.

How will NHL change rules for player safety following Adam Johnson’s horrific incident?

Adam Johnson [Image Credit: Imago]

No one will ever be able to forget 28 October’s Challenge Cup game in NHL history. The 29-year-old forward, Adam Johnson breathed his last in hospital after getting his throat slit by Matt Petgrave’s skate blade. The incident took place during the 2nd period of the game as the forward collapsed on ice much to everyone’s horror.

The untimely death of Johnson has made fans, players, and even pundits question the league’s policies regarding player safety. NHL strictly follows rules on the safety of ice hockey players, but it was not enough to save the young sportsman from the horrifying incident.

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NHL has now taken the step to make neck gears mandatory prior to going onto ice, to avoid such a tragic incident in the future. The English Ice Hockey League Association changed its rules. As per reports, players have to wear neck protection during matches starting from January.

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“The safety of our players must take precedence above all else. We are firmly committed to our obligation to exhaust every possible means to ensure that a tragic incident of this nature never befalls our sport again.”
EIHA said in a statement as per TMZ.com

Was Matt Petgrave’s hit to Adam Johnson intentional or accidental?

In the video, it can be seen that Matt Petgrave skated towards Adam Johnson in order to make contact, but his leg reached out to his neck ultimately slashing it with the sharp platinum blade. Blood gushed out as fans and his fiancee Ryan Wolfe stood still watching the scene unable to process what transpired.

It was reported that she immediately rushed onto the ice to be by Johnson’s side, praying desperately for help. Unfortunately, the incident is still under investigation so it’s not been concluded whether the hit was intentional or accidental.

Matt Petgrave being held responsible for Adam Johnson's death [Image Credit: EIHL/Sky Sports]
Matt Petgrave being held responsible for Adam Johnson’s death [Image Credit: EIHL/Sky Sports]

FOX host Jesse Watters stated the incident as “homicide” while questioning how a player’s leg can stretch out to the opponent’s neck in a game. He stated that although he himself is not that much of a hockey game watcher, he has never seen anything like this before.

Former NHLer Sean Avery said the contact was intentional, but the intent behind the hit is questionable. Pittsburgh Penguins and NHLers have reached out to Johnson’s family, honoring and offering their condolences following the forward’s death. 

Tragically, his parents, aunt, and grandparents watched the chilling incident unfold on screen as they tuned in for the live stream match. The EIHA announced that all hockey league organizations will work to ensure such incidents never take place in the future.

"It is unacceptable for any player to lose their life while playing sport. Our responsibility is not only to avert the recurrence of such a heart-breaking accident, but also to pre-emptively address other foreseeable incidents in the future."

They have stated that changes are already being made within 48 hours of Adam Johnson’s death, and future changes will also be seen by the NHL world. Whether they will truly be able to avoid such “freak incidents” in the future or will further rules be made to avoid such contact is yet to be seen.

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