It’s not that noticeable at first glance, but the neck guard Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser wore during morning skate Saturday speaks volumes.
“Just kind of pulled it out today,” he said. “Parchy (equipment manager Troy Parchman) said, ‘Hey, I got something for you.’ ”
Kaiser also wore the neck protector during Saturday night’s game against the Florida Panthers at the United Center.
Kaiser said his decision to wear added protection was influenced by Adam Johnson, the Nottingham Panthers forward and former Pittsburgh Penguin who died during a game last month in Sheffield, England, after an opponent’s skate blade cut his neck.
“Adam Johnson was a (University of Minnesota) Duluth guy — I skated with him this summer — so it just wasn’t worth the risk,” said Kaiser, who first played for Duluth four years after Johnson last played for the Bulldogs. “I don’t even notice it out there. It’s a no-brainer.”
Kaiser choked up a little when talking about Johnson.
“I didn’t really know him great, just met him a few times, but Duluth guy, Minnesota guy, it definitely hits close to home,” he said.
The Hawks’ 2020 third-round pick said he grew up wearing a neck guard in high school as well as during the 2022 World Juniors. Kaiser, who wore a Warroad shirt in the locker room, said the company’s apparel with neck guards built in appeared to be out of stock, “so I kind of sew a makeshift one on.”
Kaiser’s decision isn’t that of most NHL players, but he and other Hawks said players might become more open to wearing neck guards in the wake of the Johnson tragedy.
Connor Bedard said he took notice of Kaiser’s neck guard.
“What happened is a tragedy. It definitely makes you think,” Bedard said. “My first thoughts about it were about the person and (Johnson’s) family and everything, but seeing some guys put it on, and Wyatt there, you definitely think about it, for sure.”
As a rookie, Bedard couldn’t say if hockey is embracing more protective wear, but “from a personal perspective and talking to guys, seeing a few things, obviously we want to be as safe as we can. No one’s going to go against (wearing) that if someone’s trying to be safer.”
Meanwhile, Ottawa Senators forwards Claude Giroux and Josh Norris both tried out neck guards during their team’s morning skate.
“Just wanted to try it out,” Giroux said in a video on the team’s social media account. “It doesn’t feel anything different. Going to try it tonight (against the Tampa Bay Lightning) and see how it goes.”
He said there has been “a little bit” of discussion among players.
“I’m sure some guys are going to try it, some won’t,” Giroux said. “It shouldn’t be mandatory.”
After USA Hockey “received numerous questions about neck guards,” the organization issued a news release Friday reiterating its support for neck laceration protectors and cut-resistant socks, sleeves and undergarments.
“USA Hockey will continue to work with the Hockey Equipment Certification Council to encourage development of a uniform, modernized standard for cut-resistant protective equipment for the neck, arms and legs.”
Hawks coach Luke Richardson said some players resist wearing new equipment, so it could take time.
“Some people will cut away the neck part of their undershirts because they don’t like the feel of their neck when they’re breathing hard and it almost feels like a bit of a choking, gag reflex,” he said. “Nowadays, everything’s kind of that spandex material that stretches, (but) it still feels like it’s restricting.
“That’s probably the mental barrier of getting over that and just getting used to it physically, how it feels.”
The subject of on-ice safety became personal for Jason Dickinson, whose skate clipped the Boston Bruins’ Jakub Lauko during an Oct. 24 game at the United Center. The skate came precariously close to Lauko’s eye.
But some stitches on the nose and a black eye apparently were the worst of Lauko’s damage.
Lauko joked on social media about his modeling career being in jeopardy, but Dickinson still thinks about the encounter.
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“If I see him in person, I’d love to offer an apology of sorts, but it was obviously a complete accident,” Dickinson told the Tribune. “I didn’t even know I had got him, never even felt it.
“I had no idea at the time until I saw the video after it. I didn’t even know he was there, didn’t know my skate came up, didn’t know any of that.”
Dickinson said no one wants to see a teammate or opponent hurt, but these “life-threatening” dangers are a part of hockey, and players just accept putting their bodies at risk.
“Blades are sharp, and they’re moving fast,” he said. “So things happen quick, and it’s hard sometimes to protect yourself in those moments.”