“I’m getting choked up now. It’s tough. I don’t want any parent to go through it. You just don’t understand. You can’t understand,” said New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald at the annual GM Meeting. Fitzgerald became emotional while recalling how a night at a restaurant with his wife became a nightmare as the Devils’ GM watched his son playing live on his phone.

Fitzgerald grew concerned when his son Casey repeatedly gestured toward his neck after getting tied up with other players in a corner. It wasn’t until some time had passed that another player noticed Casey Fitzgerald bleeding from his neck. The Devil’s GM recalled the horrifying message after the incident. Another player’s skate had cut his neck in a “near miss” freak accident.

Tom Fitzgerald doesn’t want any players or their loved ones to go through what they did on the night of December 28, 2024. So the New Jersey Devils GM took the opportunity to suggest that neck guards should be mandatory, as per TSN journalist Pierre LeBrun.

While ice hockey players cover up their necks, those measures do not provide adequate protection. After all, the Hartford Wolfpack player needed 25 stitches that night.

The AHL player was lucky the skate didn’t hit any major artery. Thankfully, the New Jersey Devils GM has already begun brainstorming ideas of what a mandatory neck guard may look like. “The first thing I thought about was the chin guard. If you can mandate players to at least have the two-finger rule [of coverage below their chins], would a Kevlar chin guard have stopped [the worst of it for Casey]?” said the 56-year-old, as per ESPN.

While he doesn’t know for sure, the New Jersey Devils executive revealed that a prototype is already being made. However, Fitzgerald is aware that convincing the NHLPA won’t be easy. That challenge became more apparent when the news of the Devils GM’s suggestion divided the fan base into two halves.

The New Jersey Devils GM’s suggestion spawned two trains of thought

Tom Fitzgerald’s suggestion to mandate neck guards sparked mixed reactions from the fan base. Some hockey fans wholeheartedly supported the cause. “They should be mandatory,” commented one hockey enthusiast. As it stands, the AHL remains the highest men’s pro league in which it is compulsory for players to wear gear that protects them from skate blade injuries.

“I don’t understand how it wasn’t made a mandate after all of the freak incidents in recent times. It’s basically a turtle-neck that protects the players, it’s not something that would be uncomfortable to the players, and it doesn’t affect how they play,” argued one fan. Other team’s GMs, including Winnipeg Jets’ Kevin Cheveldayoff, and Tampa’s Julien BriseBois also voiced their support.

“I’m a huge believer, and have been for a long time, that players should protect themselves as much as possible,” said BriseBois. Yet, as Devils GM Fitzgerald looks to forward his cause, other fans don’t seem to be completely on board with the plan. “They’re adults… Let them choose!” commented one fan. The netizen didn’t argue against implementing proper neck guards but said the choice should lie with the players.

Others joined the conversation with similar opinions. “Disagree. Let adults make their own choices. One guy’s kid’s experience will alter the game for a hundred years?” commented one fan. However, claiming the Hartford Wolfpack player was the only player to go through such an ordeal would be wrong. Life-threatening and tragic incidents aren’t as uncommon as you may think.

Blackhawks star Connor Bedard took a puck hit to the neck during their recent clash with the Colorado Avalanche. While it was nothing major, Adam Johnson wasn’t as lucky. In 2023, during a match against Nottingham Panthers, suffered an injury similar to that of Fitzgerald and unfortunately succumbed to it. Once again, Julien BriseBois came up with a middle-ground approach.

BriseBois explained, “Neck guards at the NHL level are a little more challenging,” as most would complain about the heat. So, the Tampa Bay GM suggested neckguards should become mandatory at the “grassroots” level. That way, players will grow up getting used to the piece of gear instead of having to adjust as an NHL pro. Yet, what’s your opinion on the whole neck guard debate? Let us know in the comments.