Nick Bonino, Blake Wheeler wear neck guards while other Rangers mull decision

TARRYTOWN − When Nick Bonino sat his 7-year-old daughter down to tell her she had to start wearing a neck guard for youth hockey, the conversation was brief.

"We’re like, ‘Hey, you have to wear this neck guard.' And she’s like, ‘Okay,'" the Rangers' veteran forward said with a smile. "She's a kid. There’s no real thought about it."

The discussion among NHL players is more complex than that.

The Oct. 28 death of Adam Johnson from a skate cut while playing in a professional league in England has spurred debate in locker rooms across the league, with several players deciding it's better to be safe than sorry.

Two of them play for the Rangers, with Bonino and Blake Wheeler each opting to wear neck protection in the aftermath of the Johnson tragedy.

"Obviously with what happened, it scares you," said the 37-year-old Wheeler. "I'm getting towards the end of things here (in my career) with kids and a family. I've been wearing these ones on my wrist for as long as I can remember. I got cut and it was like, ‘Why am I messing around with it?’ It's probably long overdue and I'm sure there’s going to be more and more guys that start doing it."

Mandate coming?

Neck guards are mandated at many lower levels, including by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) and New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA). Earlier this month, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced that they'll now be required at all of its events, including the Olympics and World Championships.

The NHL has yet to take such measures, but commissioner Gary Bettman has expressed optimism about the possibility.

"I would encourage players to wear neck guards. At some point, maybe it will be mandatory," he told reporters earlier this month. "If you remember, how many years did it take us to get agreement on face protection (visors)? I think it may have been two decades. But I'm hoping with all the work we're doing together − we have a joint committee with the Players’ Association − we're working cooperatively where there's a lot of studying going on. I think, ultimately, we may get there.”

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The league would need sign off from the NHLPA, and while many players seem open to the idea, Bonino said it's largely viewed as "a personal decision" by his peers.

"I'm not advocating one way or another for other guys," he said. "It’s just for me, I feel a little bit safer with it, so I'm going to keep it."

Supply and demand

There are a view hurdles to clear to get to a point where it's widely accepted.

One of them is comfort. Players have been turned off by past versions, which tended to be bulky and hot. But those who have tried the newer designs and materials say they're much less restrictive.

"The technology has kind of caught up now where it's not as uncomfortable as it once was to do that," Wheeler said. "It's not in the way."

The problem is the preferred lightweight models are in short supply.

Johnson's death fueled a mad dash for players of all ages, with some of the most popular brands currently out of stock. One of them is Warroad, which was founded by Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie. A visit to their website is met with a prompt to join their waitlist.

"As soon as that happened, they were sold out everywhere," said Rangers forward Jonny Brodzinski, who was serving as captain of AHL Hartford at the time of Johnson's passing. "I know at least in the American League, I think only two of the teams had a full set. Our team only had four. ... They’re coming back into stock now, but it was hard to get them for a long time."

Setting an example

Brodzinski is one of several players who have yet to try neck guards in an NHL game but sound ready and willing. ("I would love to wear them," he said.)

He believes a larger shift will occur this offseason once supply is replenished and players have a chance to train and get comfortable wearing them.

"Guys don't really like changing a lot," the 30-year-old said. "But next year with a full summer of practicing with them, I think a lot of guys will go into them."

It's a topic that resonates in the tri-state area less than two years after the tragic loss of Connecticut high school player Teddy Balkind.

The Rangers who have children themselves, such as Bonino, Brodzinski and Wheeler, are especially sensitive to how one false move in a game that moves at lightning speed can devastate a family and understand the example they can set for younger generations.

"When you see it at the professional level, it just brings it that much more into focus for you," Bonino said. "My kid has to wear one, so now she sees me playing and I'm wearing one, too."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Bonino, Wheeler wear neck guards while other Rangers mull decision