Hockey helmet
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A hockey helmet is worn by players of
Visors and shields
A visor or face shield in ice hockey is a device attached to the front of a helmet to reduce potential of injury to the face. Visors cover the upper half of the face, while full face shields cover the entire face. A series of eye injuries, most notably that to Greg Neeld (the first player to wear a visor in professional hockey)[2] and Bryan Berard[3] have led to a call from many to enforce their wearing. As of 2017[update], 94% of NHL players wear visors.[4] Many other leagues around the world mandate the use of visors. Visors and shields, made of a high impact-resistant plastic, offer better overall vision than the wire cages available, which can obscure vision in certain areas. The face shield provides excellent straight ahead and peripheral vision, but does not provide as good air flow as a cage.[citation needed]
The American Hockey League, the top minor league in North America required all players to wear a visor prior to the start of the 2006–07 season. The NHL "strongly recommends" the use of visors. In 2013, the NHL began requiring all players with fewer than 25 games of experience to wear visors.[5]
The hockey visor was first invented by Kenneth William Clay when he lost vision in his left eye to a high stick while playing for the Vanderhoof Bears. After a month in hospital in Vancouver, Clay created the first documented clear face shield in January 1964. The invention caused quite a stir, with announcers calling it a "fish bowl" and a "wrap-around windshield". While the original shield and helmet were lost in the fire that consumed the Vanderhoof Arena a few years later, the newspaper clippings still attest to the dates and facts.[6]
Full facial protection
A cage in ice hockey is a device attached to the front of a helmet to reduce potential of injury to the face. It consists of a metal or composite mesh that covers the entire face, although some half cages do exist (to protect the eyes while allowing full airflow). The bars, or cage, are spaced far enough apart to allow seeing through to the action but are close enough to stop pucks and sticks from getting through to injure the face. A hybrid variation of the full-face shield, which uses a polycarbonate face shield on the top half and either a polycarbonate or metal cage on its bottom half is also available.[citation needed]
Full facial protection is mandatory in many amateur leagues and in North America, full face cages, full shields, or shield and cage combination are mandatory in high school hockey,
In 2002, the British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study identifying the protection offered against concussions between the half-face shield and the full-face shield. The use of a full-face shield compared with half-face shield significantly reduced the playing time lost because of concussion, suggesting that concussion severity may be reduced by the use of a full-face shield.[7]
Helmet developers
Canadian ophthalmologist Tom Pashby spent 46 years improving the safety of helmets to prevent injuries. He served as president of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for two decades, which resulted in standards being set for helmets, rules enacted for wearing protections, and rules for safer play.[8][9]
NHL player George Parsons was forced to retire due to career-ending eye injury in 1939.[10] He became involved with CCM, helping to develop helmets and facial protection that would be safer for players. The hockey visor was first invented by Kenneth William Clay when he lost vision in his left eye to a high stick while playing for the Vanderhoof Bears. After a month in hospital in Vancouver, Clay created the first documented clear face shield in January 1964. The invention caused quite a stir, with announcers calling it a "fish bowl" and a "wrap-around windshield". While the original shield and helmet were lost in the fire that consumed the Vanderhoof Arena a few years later, the newspaper clippings still attest to the dates and facts.[11] By early 1976, CCM had developed a hockey helmet complete with eye and face shield and lower face protector that was both approved by the CSA and endorsed by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.[12]
Helmets in the National Hockey League
The first player to regularly wear a helmet for protective purposes was George Owen, who played for the Boston Bruins in 1928–29.[citation needed] In 1927, Barney Stanley presented a prototype of a helmet at the NHL's annual meeting.[citation needed] It was quickly rejected.[citation needed]
Helmets appeared after the
During the
The death of
In August 1979, the then-President of the
Nearly a decade later, in 1988, the NHL also made helmets mandatory for its officials; like the ruling for players, any official that was not wearing a helmet before the ruling could also go helmetless if he so desired.[15]
With the new rulings in place, the last player to play without a helmet was Craig MacTavish, who played his final game during the 1996–97 season for the St. Louis Blues.
Following the players, the last referee to call a game without wearing a helmet was Mick McGeough, who began wearing a helmet during the 2006–07 season, just before he retired at the end of the 2007-08 season.[citation needed]
Brands
- Bauer Hockey (including Mission Hockey, Itech, and Cascade)
- Easton Hockey
- Oakley
- Koho/Jofa)
See also
References
- S2CID 137153670.
- ^ Hockey visors: Meet Greg Neeld, the first hockey player to wear one
- ^ Bryan Berard remembers the injury that changed his life
- ^ Johnston, Chris (27 November 2015). "Visor-less NHLers an increasingly rare sight". Sportsnet. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Hybrid icing tops list of rule changes for 2013-14. NHL.com Retrieved September 30, 2013.
- ^ Hayes, Kelly (14 January 2016). "Keremeos man claims to have invented the hockey visor". Global News. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- S2CID 1443442. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ Colbourn, Glen; Kalchman, Lois (August 27, 2005). "Heads Above the Rest: Hockeys' Dr. Safety dies at 90". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario. p. A1.; Colbourn, Glen; Kalchman, Lois (August 27, 2005). "Hockey pioneer saved many players: Safety (From A1)". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario. p. A19.
- ^ "Dr. Tom Pashby". Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. 2000. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
- ^ "George Parsons". Legends of Hockey. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- ^ Hayes, Kelly (14 January 2016). "Keremeos man claims to have invented the hockey visor". Global News. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
- ^ "George Henry Parsons Bio". CCM Vintage. 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2017-12-21.
- The Vancouver Sun; January 17, 1968; p. 19
- New York Times; August 6, 1979
- ^ Shoalts, David (April 28, 2000). "Ex ref supports mandatory helmets". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
The NHL has 60 referees and linesmen under contract and among them are 11 men who do not wear helmets. This is allowed through a grandfather clause in the collective agreement between the NHL Officials' Association and the league, which made wearing helmets mandatory beginning with the 1988-89 season. However, just as the NHL did with its players when helmets became compulsory for them in 1979, a grandfather clause was inserted in the agreement. All referees and linesmen who were employed on or before Sept. 1, 1988 did not have to wear a helmet.