AHL approves facial protection

[Duder84 0]

I think something that is being overlooked here, and is important to the players who choose not to wear them, is how they look wearing them. I don't mean how they physically look in them, but rather how others preceive them in comparison to how they play. I think it was Avery who made the comment about Gauthier being a pussy for wearing a visor and then taking runs at people. Not wearing a visor has a certain stigma of toughness attached to it. Its true even down in adult league. The guys who think they are tough, who play a rough game, who fight, and are gritty overwhelmingly choose not to wear visors. Its a way of separating yourself from the "soft" players in the league.

but if they are all forced to wear a visor.....

[kosydar 0]

they'll be pissed about it. If they do decide to make it required, they should at least grandfather it in.

[Chadd 916]

I think something that is being overlooked here, and is important to the players who choose not to wear them, is how they look wearing them.  I don't mean how they physically look in them, but rather how others preceive them in comparison to how they play.  I think it was Avery who made the comment about Gauthier being a pussy for wearing a visor and then taking runs at people.  Not wearing a visor has a certain stigma of toughness attached to it.  Its true even down in adult league.  The guys who think they are tough, who play a rough game, who fight, and are gritty overwhelmingly choose not to wear visors.  Its a way of separating yourself from the "soft" players in the league.

Gauthier's problem is that he won't fight when challenged after running guys. I would expect any NHL version of the rule to be grandfathered.

[TML4LIFE 0]

He was just following through on a shot.

He swung wildly at the puck, a normal follow through doesn't come 6' off the ice.

True.. and if I remember correctly the puck was already kinda past of him and out of his reach..

[Eazy_b97 1]

At the point of contact the puck is in a Leafs possession and he is starting to curl out of the zone. The puck isn't really around him, at least not to get a shot at it like that. I still maintain that he swung in an attempt to hurt Berard, just not smoke his eye.

[chippa13 1844]

He was just following through on a shot.

He swung wildly at the puck, a normal follow through doesn't come 6' off the ice.

He was trying to turn around and put a slapper on a loose puck on net. Nothing wrong with what he did. Unfortunate accident.

[chippa13 1844]

as koivus case proves visors wont stop the facial injuries from happening although it will definitely help.

Look at the size of the visor that Koivu wore. It barely covered his eyes. He is really a bad example for claiming guys get hurt with visors. That would be like trying to argue Heatly wore a visor and still got hurt. Before his injury he was wearing his visor flipped up to the point where it wasn't in front of his eyes.

[chippa13 1844]

At the point of contact the puck is in a Leafs possession and he is starting to curl out of the zone. The puck isn't really around him, at least not to get a shot at it like that. I still maintain that he swung in an attempt to hurt Berard, just not smoke his eye.

He was dead center of the slot and had his back to Berard until the very last second. To say he was intentionally trying to get his stick on Berard may well be the dumbest comment I've seen here to date.

[Jason Harris 31]

I think something that is being overlooked here, and is important to the players who choose not to wear them, is how they look wearing them. I don't mean how they physically look in them, but rather how others preceive them in comparison to how they play. I think it was Avery who made the comment about Gauthier being a pussy for wearing a visor and then taking runs at people. Not wearing a visor has a certain stigma of toughness attached to it. Its true even down in adult league. The guys who think they are tough, who play a rough game, who fight, and are gritty overwhelmingly choose not to wear visors. Its a way of separating yourself from the "soft" players in the league.

Bingo!

[bucko 0]

i hate that visor/cage discussions!!

every body is having his own opinion or experiences, i just hate those discussions, cause i hated it when it ´became mandatory in germans pro leagues, i don´t know if there are statistics that proof facial injuries going back at a lower level with makin visorsmandatory, but i think so.

but i don´t know what is next?

what if they start one day to try to regulate your skate sharpening? sounds crazy but 50 years ago making visors mandatory would also be a very funny idea...

i don´t know, maybe it´s just the way it is in our decade, making everything safe being scared of this and that, injuries and sports are just two things that stick together. well yes, you can minimize the risk but you never can close it out. so after the visors it will be neck protection, than teeth protection and one day there will be 2 teams with armoured knights playing a hockey game...

[hip check 0]

My workplace has rules in place to protect the employees, whether the employees like th rules or not. I'm almost surprised the labour board, OSHA, or someone else like that has not mandated full cages and neck guards for the pro leagues! It is no longer in the hands of the players whether or not they have the right to say what protective equipment is required for them.

As an owner of a players rights, I would want to see them have the best protection available to them, for their own benefit as well as my own.

[CHIEF22 0]

Bingo!! Eye protection is mandatory in automotive dealerships here in Maine. If, by chance some one gets an eye injury and are not wearing their protection, workmans comp WILL NOT pay.

The Pirates lost a great player this year to an eye injury and it also ended his career.

[KYHockey3 0]

i think this is a great idea. its kinda like wearing a helmet when motorcycling.....just do it to be safe!