Last month, the tragic incident that took Adam Johnson's life shocked and impacted everyone across the hockey world. Even though the game was played in a low-level professional British league, it's clear that this tragedy has impacted the highest levels of the game.
Since the incident, more and more NHL players are being seen wearing neck guards in practices and games. The league hasn't made the use of neck guards mandatory, but players are seeing the value and using them anyway. Some teams, like the Pittsburgh Penguins, are actively encouraging their team to wear neck protection. Now, NHL equipment companies are struggling to keep up.
According to the Daily Mail, some equipment companies are struggling to meet the increased demand for neck guards, and can't produce them fast enough. Some players, like Nick Bonino, felt the need to get one so quickly that he opted for a neck guard on Amazon.
From the report above, Bonino detailed that he actually placed his order for a neck guard the day after the Johnson incident. However, due to back-log on production from the professionals' equipment company meant that there would be a long delay on the order, the Amazon option provided a neck guard much sooner - and could be life saving equipment. That's great that Bonino had the initiative to protect himself, but the regular channels of equipment production are shamefully behind on this essential piece of equipment.
Hopefully, the equipment companies increase production greatly, and more NHL players see the incredible value of the neck guard - and make them a part of their game setup.
