The measure was one of five rules proposed by the National Federation of State High School Associations Ice Hockey Rules Committee at its annual meeting in late April. All five rule changes, including making the neck guard mandatory, were accepted by the NFHS Board of Directors and are effective for the upcoming season.Mandating neck guards, NFHS says, furthers the commitment to risk minimization and health and safety of players.
If a player refuses to wear one, play will be stopped and the player will serve a two-minute minor.The move comes after Hibbing native and former Minnesota-Duluth hockey player Adam Johnson died during an on-ice incident last October in a game in England. He caught a skate blade to his neck during a game, and later died at a hospital. He played in high school for Hibbing/Chisholm.The other player involved in the incident was arrested a few days later and eventually released on bail.