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Examining the Safety of Canadian Hockey Players: A Perspective on Mandatory Neck Guards in the League

Published

1 year ago

5 minute read

News of Adam Johnson’s tragic death after an injury during a hockey game in England has sent shock waves through the hockey community worldwide, raising pressing questions about player safety and protective mandates across different leagues.

As a former NHL player who also took to the ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Johnson’s incident underlines the potentially life-threatening risks hockey players face. Remarkably, the NHL currently has no rules requiring players to wear protective neck gear, a decision that has come under scrutiny in the wake of Johnson’s death.

Canadian hockey legend and resident physician Hayley Wickenheiser has joined the call for mandated neck protection across all levels of play.

This article delves into the ongoing debate surrounding safety regulations in Canadian hockey leagues, highlighting different perspectives on the implementation of compulsory neck guards for players.

Mandatory Neck Guards in Other Leagues

Unlike the NHL, some leagues have taken proactive measures to ensure player safety by making neck guards mandatory. The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), for instance, require all players to wear neck protection. This rule extends to minor league players and women’s hockey players registered with Hockey Canada.

Even outside of Canada, the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) has upped its safety recommendations in the aftermath of Johnson’s death. Initially, the association strongly suggested that all players wear approved neck guards for the remainder of the year. However, this recommendation is set to become a requirement after December 31, 2023.

Experts and Influential Figures Weigh In

Prominent figures in the hockey world have increasingly voiced their concerns and opinions on this critical issue. Winnipeg Jets interim head coach Scott Arniel, who witnessed his teammate Clint Malarchuk’s neck injury in 1989, anticipates that the NHL will deliberate on modifying regulations regarding neck guards.

Meanwhile, Tim MacMillan, head coach of the Strait Pirates Junior B team in Nova Scotia, emphasizes the importance of consulting a wide range of stakeholders in deciding on the implementation of neck protection mandates in the league.

Hayley Wickenheiser, a respected figure in Canadian hockey, advocates for uniform neck guard regulations across all levels of play. She asserts that the necessity of protective measures transcends the professional leagues, extending to junior and amateur players as well. The collective voice of these influential figures is pivotal in bringing about change and fostering a safer environment for players within the rink.

Response from the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA)

The English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) responded promptly to Johnson’s death, issuing a statement that expressed their concern and commitment to player safety. They declared, “It is unacceptable for any player to lose their life while playing sport. Our responsibility is not only to avert the recurrence of such a heart-breaking accident but also to pre-emptively address other foreseeable incidents.”

To this end, the EIHA has announced a strong recommendation for all players to wear an approved neck guard for the rest of the year. After December 31, 2023, this recommendation will become a mandate, demonstrating the association’s dedication to enhancing player safety and setting a precedent for other leagues to follow.

Final Thoughts

The death of Adam Johnson has brought to light the critical issue of player safety in hockey, particularly the need for mandatory neck guards. While some leagues have already taken steps to make these protective measures compulsory, more needs to be done across all levels of play. The influential voices and actions of experts and leaders in the hockey community will hopefully continue to push for progress toward a safer playing environment for all hockey players.

In the meantime, both players and fans alike are left to contemplate the FanDuel NHL odds and other statistics, knowing that injury risk remains a constant factor. The hockey community needs to continue pushing for improved safety measures to protect players at all levels and maintain the integrity of the game we all love.

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The bizarre story of Taro Tsujimoto

Published on March 28, 2025

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The National Hockey League (NHL) has seen its fair share of strange moments, but few compare to the bizarre and hilarious tale of Taro Tsujimoto, a player who never existed. His “selection” in the 1974 NHL Draft remains one of the most legendary pranks in hockey history. If you want to wager on actual players, making the 1xBet app download is definitely a great idea.

In the 1970s, the NHL Draft was a much less glamorous event than today. It was a tedious process conducted over the phone, with teams calling in their picks. The 3 biggest highlights of what happened during that year’s draft were:

  • the draft dragged on for hours;
  • there were multiple rounds and teams selecting unknown prospects from obscure leagues;
  • frustrated with the monotony, Buffalo Sabres general manager Punch Imlach decided to have a little fun.

As the 11th round approached, Imlach instructed his team’s representative to draft Taro Tsujimoto, a supposed forward from the Tokyo Katanas of the Japan Ice Hockey League. The name sounded authentic enough. The league officials, unfamiliar with Japanese hockey, accepted the pick without question. By downloading the 1xBet app you will also be able to wager on great NHL teams too.

A small problem

There was a small problem with all of this, as 2 things didn’t exist: Tsujimoto and the Tokyo Katanas. Imlach had completely fabricated the player as a joke, taking advantage of the NHL’s lack of verification. When it comes to NHL wagers, there is no better platform than the 1xBet Canada site.

For weeks, the league listed Tsujimoto as an official draft pick, and even some newspapers reported on Buffalo’s mysterious new Japanese prospect. Eventually, the Sabres admitted the hoax, and the NHL was forced to retroactively erase the selection from its records.

Despite being a fictional player, Taro Tsujimoto took on a life of his own. Buffalo Sabres fans embraced the prank, and over the years, his name has become a cult legend in hockey culture. Some fans even wore jerseys with “Tsujimoto” on the back. The joke persisted so much that when EA Sports released NHL video games, players could occasionally find Tsujimoto in the game’s draft pool as a hidden Easter egg.

More than just a prank, the story of Taro Tsujimoto highlights 2 things: the quirks of old-school sports management and the creativity of one of hockey’s most colorful executives. Today, with the draft process being highly scrutinized and broadcast live, such a prank would be impossible. But Tsujimoto’s legacy lives on as one of hockey’s greatest inside jokes. What is not a joke are the great rewards that a platform like the Canadian 1xBet site can give you.

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60% of Canadians gamble each month – why the industry is going from strength to strength

Published on March 26, 2025

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When it comes to regulating gambling, Canada has a somewhat relaxed approach. The Canadian Gaming Association oversees the industry, but it’s up to individual provinces to enact and enforce any laws relating to online casino gaming, sports betting, traditional casino gaming, and other forms of gambling.

Canada’s online casino gaming laws are not totally clear, but individual provinces are starting to put this right. Ontario was the first and did so when it launched its own regulated igaming market in April 2022. Now some other provinces have followed suit, creating a safer igaming environment for players in those provinces. Below is a look at gambling in Canada compared to other parts of the world, at gaming laws in Alberta compared to other provinces, and at the future of the Canadian, US, and UK gambling industries.

Canada: a forever love of gambling

Gambling in some form or other has always been popular in Canada. Way back in the 1990s, research found six in ten Canadians (60%) gambled every month. Additionally, four in ten (43%) spent between 1 and 20 Canadian dollars on gambling. Fast forward to today and the Canadian gambling market is worth 14.2 billion US dollars as of January 2024, according to data on the website of consumer and market data company Statista.

It seems Canada enjoys wagering just as much as two other countries that love a gamble: the US and the UK. Data on the Statista website shows that 49% of US adults took part in gambling activities in 2023. Fifty-six percent said their attitude towards gambling had relaxed, compared to the 50% of 2019.

The UK returned similar stats for the same year. Forty-eight percent of adults reported engaging in gambling activity. Online casinos generated the most gross gambling yield in 2023, but it was the nation’s National Lottery that people played the most.

 

Alberta: following Ontario’s lead

The regulatory developments in Ontario have triggered movement in Alberta. In May 2024, Bill 16, the Red Tape Reduction Amendment Act, made it through the process and later received Royal Assent to become law. The act removes the monopoly of gaming by a single government entity and will allow private operators, licensed by Alberta’s provincial regulator, to provide online gaming services in Alberta, meaning players will have a choice of more than one Alberta online casino to play at.

The regulation transforms Alberta into one of the more liberal provinces when it comes to online gambling, others being Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia.

Several provinces, such as Novia Scotia and Northwest Territories, have no provincially regulated online gaming sites. Some also restrict betting on horse racing and/or other types of sports betting, obliging citizens to use international betting sites for freedom from caps and betting on as many events as they wish.

What lies ahead for the Canadian, US, and UK gambling industries?

Canada’s appetite for gambling is clear, and the industry’s online sector is beginning to thrive. Ontario has enjoyed vast success by creating its own regulated market, one which, in just its first year, saw Canadians place billions in wagers and the industry itself generate more than a billion in total gaming revenue.

Canada can expect to see other provinces follow Ontario’s lead and allow private operators to provide services in the province under license. The purpose of the regulation is player protection. Any province that develops a regulated market will focus on this, so there will also be regulations around the advertising of gambling services.

The US

Gambling online is the future for the US, too, although states are slow to legalize it. As of September 2024, 38 states had legalized sports betting, following the US Supreme Court’s ruling that states could regulate sports gambling directly.

Despite allowing sports betting, some states only permit in-person betting, and only a few states allow online casino gaming. Operators believe online casino gaming is the future of gambling.

The UK

In the UK, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will get bigger and bigger. Companies have realized AI can enhance players’ experience and are embracing it more and more. For instance, sports betting websites can use it to crunch data and provide iGamers with stats and other data to make better betting decisions. They’re also understanding they can use AI to prioritize content players are likely to be interested in and to personalize their offerings and services to players’ preferences.

Canada enjoys gambling as much as America and the UK. Although laws around igaming are more of a grey area in Canada, some provinces are clearing the issue up by creating regulated markets and experiencing great success. As time goes by, more are sure to follow.

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