NHL and Gary Bettman trying to mandate new piece of equipment for players, but they aren't having it
The National Hockey League General Managers are in full swing this week in Florida and while a myriad of topics is on the docket Chris John reports that the National Hockey League are in discussion with the National Hockey League Players Association and their representatives to <> according to Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly.
Hockey Equipment has come a long way since the early days of the National Hockey League and the idea of player safety has come even further since the first goalie mask, worn by Jacques Plante, and the last player not to wear a helmet, Craig McTavish.
Any player who entered the league after June 1, 1979, was required to wear a helmet but any player who signed their professional contract before then could sign a waiver and opt-out.
Furthermore, in the discussion about whether or not mandating cut-resistant equipment would be welcomed by players who are already playing in the league, it appears that the younger players think <
Whatever your opinion is, it would appear at least at the surface that the league itself is taking initiative to care more about its players than ever before, but it's likely just a case of cover your ass as the league sifts through instances of lawsuits brought upon them by families of players such as Steve Montador who died tragically in 2015 due to an overdose. It was later revealed that Montador suffered multiple concussions over a short period of time that were either ignored or overlooked by medical staff connected to the National Hockey League.
| POLL | ||
Should the NHL mandate cut resistant equipment to all its players? | ||
| Yes. Safety is paramount | 305 | 50.3 % |
| No. Grandfather it in like helmets were | 301 | 49.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
