Safety in the NHL: Too much of it? Not enough? Just right?

Question

Also, do you think helmets should be an option or a requirement for the game?

What are you thoughts about the netting behind the 2 rink ends?

Bonus: What's the temperature where you are?

Answer 1

In my opinion, i think player safety is just about right, but these new rules pretty much left the goalies out to dry.  Their defensemen can no longer protect them, so they are being taken out more often by forechecking forwards.  There are some referees that will call the goalie interference penalty, but often they are a bogus call or they miss the necessary ones.  It is obviously not easy to be an nhl referee, but consistency is most important so players know where the line is drawn.  Helmets should remain mandatory and i think half visors will continue to grow in popularity, but i honestly believe its up to the players about half shields or nothing at all.  I guess as long as players can use visors, they will probably be worn more and more.  The netting is pretty necessary from a fans perspective, there is just too much room for injury without it.  You just have to get used to seeing through it, and if you cant, buy tickets in the center of the rink.  

Temp is around 70, 9:15 PM in southern Long Island, NY.

Hope this helped.

Answer 2

helmets should be a requirement nets were a good idea a young girl was killed in columbus a few yrs back which is the reason they're in use now...so ya i'd say just right...and um 71 degrees? GO BLACKHAWKS!

Answer 3

honestly, i think neck guards and helmet visors should be required. i think it would really cut down on injuries. just look at what happened to zednik. a neck guard might have prevented that.

76 degrees.

Answer 4

As someone that plays. helmets need to stay a requirement. I had crashed a few times and hit my head on the ice. I am glad I have a good helmet.

The netting is ify to me. While I can see why they put it up, the Britney Cecil incident, It is something that has ben good and bad. Good that there are less injuries, But there were not that many to begin with. People should be paying attention anyway. And bad in the way that it took getting used to to look through, depending on where your seats were. A minor bad thing was that less pucks going over meant less souvineirs for the fans.

Bonus ; Right this moment in South Florida it is 89 and cloudy. It was 101 during the day today.  

Answer 5

Helmets should stay a requirement. There is no good argument to play w/o helmets.

The netting is a non-factor IMO. If it keeps people from getting hurt then it serves it's purpose

It cooled off today w/ the tropical storm. A lot of wind and rain. Only got up in to the 80's. 82 right now.

As for safety in the game, I think the NHL has overdone it a little. Their safety measures are begining to "sissify" the game.

Answer 6

There is 1 rule that I would add to the NHL at this time, and I know there's a lot of people who won't agree with me.  I would do automatic icing after watching the Sharks vs Wild game where Kurtis Foster got his leg broken.  It was just a hard play where no one did anything wrong, both him and Tory Mitchell were racing to the puck like they're expected to do, and unfortunatly Foster go his leg broke.  That was the play that convinced me.

Helmets obviously should be required, after all this is a high impact full contact sport.  The netting doesn't bother me either.  Let's not forget there is an unforgettable tragic reason it is there.  

For my bonus today in Sunny California it was a comfortable 88 degrees.

Answer 7

I think helmets should be mandatory. I, too, have hit my head quite a few times. Also, my first goal was off of my helmet. If I didn't have one, the would have been a b*tch. I like the idea of visors, as well, though I don't feel they should be mandatory. We all know they probably will be someday, though.

Even though there were so few injuries without the nets, I don't mind them. Sure, they take away the amount of souvenir pucks, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

In New York, it is 73 right now and oh my god Kimmy, that's awful. I hate the summer. I love winter...

Answer 8

1) Helmets need to remain mandatory and I would add half-shields to that. I know they fog up, but at least they help protect the eyes and nose. I have had serious injuries over the years, wouldn't want to imagine what could have happened without the lid.

2) I barely notice them anymore. But as Kimmy said, people should pay attention to the game. (I'd like to add: maybe they would learn about the game that way haha)

Bonus 97F or 36C at last check earlier though it was about 110F or 43C

Answer 9

every thing is required. helmets especially, do you know they could get killed if the puck hits them in the head.. not to mention the fighting

63F here with scattered thunderstorms.

Answer 10

It's just right, I think. Yeah, helmets should be mandatory because the physicality of the game is a lot more than it was before that rule came in. Using that logic, I think visors would come soon. The netting doesn't really bother me. A little girl died because of a freak accident, so what's another safety feature for something that doesn't even affect my spectating at a game?

Oh, and it's too friggin' hot. Jackets fans, stop sending your smog over here.

Answer 11

i think there is just enough safety. although i sometimes wish that the NHL would make it mandatory for everyone to wear a visor  on their helmet to protect more of their face.. but then if you don't want to wear it, that's all on you.

helmets should stay as a requirement, though. you never know when a stick is going to come up and crack you in the head, where your helmet should have been.

the netting sort of makes me mad. i know when i was at an away game at the Mellon Arena, where they were showing the game on the jumbo-tron (which the jumbotron lowered really close to the ice) the netting got in the way of my view.. & it also makes me mad because the mascot and the ice girls can't throw up things during the intermission to the people sitting on the ends...

bonus: I'm not sure, actually. it was really humid today.

Answer 12

The nets are a good idea. The players know the risk of playing contact sports but i think any time you go somewere for entertainement you should be safe from flying frozen rubber. And yes helmets should be mandetory. I think its pretty safe, I mean theres no serious injurys like Kevin Everette's injury in football

Bonus- 16 degrees and raining. July was 30degrees, sunny

Answer 13

Helmets should be required. With pucks flying around at 90 mph its just not safe to not wear one.

The nets are good and were required after that little girl in Columbus got killed by a stray puck that would have been stopped by the netting. Its good to increase spectator's well being and it doesn't really hamper your ability to view the game.

Its like 80-85 here in Southern Maryland.  

Answer 14

the safty is good except they should allow more fighting because the fans love that

Answer 15

I think the safety in the NHL is just about right, they just have to make an adjustment or two. Also, helmets should definitely be a requirement in hockey. I also think that the netting behind the two rinks is necessary, or else someone can get seriously injured. Plus, today, the high was 83.