College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

[giwan]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

With all the concussions I bet the NCAA decided since they are the only league not using shields this might open them up for a lawsuit.

Right because you can see how much lower the concussions rate is in the pro ranks where no one wears a cage. The dental repairs are less as well in the pros. And with more HS players going directly to college hockey I'm sure they will adjust easily from the cage to 3/4.

What a serious NON-issue this is.

 

[mcfarljd]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

If they want to wear a full cage I'm sure they can find a local "learn to play" program. these kids are used to visors, I'm sure they arent whining as much as some people on here

 

[ansinator]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

This whole debate would be moot if only the NCAA could find a way to make the players invincible without them feeling like they are.

 

[sbkbghockey]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

If the hits from behind were as rampant in the NHL as they are in college hockey, then you would have a leg to stand on, but they aren't. The respect factor in college hockey is nearly non-existent and that's why coaches have voted to implement the visors. Yes, you do see a "danger" play or two in the average NHL game but i've seen games were you see 2-3 "danger" plays a PERIOD in college hockey. I wouldn't have thought cages would've been a big deal until i had the opportunity to see half a dozen USHL games this season and each player held themselves very accountable on the ice, nobody could hide.

But let's not kid ourselves. This whole visor implementation is college hockey's way to "professionalize" the game and shed the "amateur" stigma--which is fine by me. I think it's a good thing they're trying to do.

It's probably not the visors making players more accountable, fighting is allowed in the USHL and most other jr. A leagues so there's self-policing of danger/dirty plays similar to pro hockey. Also there's always going to be a bit more dangerous plays in college and jr. hockey because it's not the NHL and players are young, still growing, still learning, and still developing skills.

 

[Pirateasaurus]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

I think this is pretty unnecessary. Hockey is a physical game and players will be injured every once in a while, just like they always have. People seriously need to stop trying to solve the mysteries of the world every time a player gets caught with his head down or hits the boards in a bad way. Getting rid of cages is going to do nothing to stop that.

If they were to make the move, i guess that's fine. Serious facial injuries aren't that common, really, but we'll be having this debate at this time every year due to the guys who have their mouth/jaw exploded by a slapshot ala Duncan Keith or Patrick Eaves.(which WILL happen).

 

[KnightsOfTheRound]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

If they were to make the move, i guess that's fine. Serious facial injuries aren't that common, really, but we'll be having this debate at this time every year due to the guys who have their mouth/jaw exploded by a slapshot ala Duncan Keith or Patrick Eaves.(which WILL happen).

Ugh, that's exactly why they should keep the cages. Most of these kids aren't going to play professional hockey. They'll have to get real jobs and live in the real world when their playing days are over. We owe it to them to protect them from this stuff. Plus, the idea that switching to visors will reduce concussions sounds like pure pseudoscience.

 

[uaafanblog]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

If the hits from behind were as rampant in the NHL as they are in college hockey, then you would have a leg to stand on, but they aren't. The respect factor in college hockey is nearly non-existent and that's why coaches have voted to implement the visors. Yes, you do see a "danger" play or two in the average NHL game but i've seen games were you see 2-3 "danger" plays a PERIOD in college hockey. I wouldn't have thought cages would've been a big deal until i had the opportunity to see half a dozen USHL games this season and each player held themselves very accountable on the ice, nobody could hide.

But let's not kid ourselves. This whole visor implementation is college hockey's way to "professionalize" the game and shed the "amateur" stigma--which is fine by me. I think it's a good thing they're trying to do.

Anybody can make up nonsense anecdotes and draw erroneous conclusions. Thanks for providing the best example yet in this thread of this fallacious argument.

There is absolutely ZERO difference in the responsibility of junior hockey players as compared to college hockey players. You have ZERO basis to claim otherwise.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

Ugh, that's exactly why they should keep the cages. Most of these kids aren't going to play professional hockey. They'll have to get real jobs and live in the real world when their playing days are over. We owe it to them to protect them from this stuff. Plus, the idea that switching to visors will reduce concussions sounds like pure pseudoscience.

OK, so where would they NOT be allowed to wear cages if they so desired?

 

[KnightsOfTheRound]

Re: College Hockey Potentially going to 3/4 Sheilds?

OK, so where would they NOT be allowed to wear cages if they so desired?

If you read the original article from the first post you'd know that is what is being discussed. It says it a few times, but most succinctly:

If the full shields mandate is eliminated, McLaughlin said there is a belief that everyone must go to three-quarter visors instead. If it's optional to still use full shields, then it defeats the purpose of reining in reckless behavior.