American Hockey League requires neck protection after death of Adam Johnson

The American Hockey League will require players to wear cut-resistant neck protection starting this season, the league announced on Friday.

The league – the NHL's main affiliate – said it would require all players and officials on the ice to wear neck guards, after previously requiring cut-resistant socks and wrist guards. The change was unanimously approved by the league's board of directors.

The decision came after former NHL player Adam Johnson died in a bizarre accident during a game in England last October. Johnson, 29, suffered cuts to his neck from an opponent's skate after a collision on the ice. The Minnesota native, who played 13 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 2018 and 2020, also played six seasons in the AHL.

After Johnson's death, several hockey associations began mandating additional protective equipment. Three days after Johnson's death, the Penguins began requiring all players in their AHL and ECHL affiliates to wear neck and wrist guards. USA Hockey later mandated neck guards for players under 18, and the IIHF, the sport's international governing body, required neck guards at all tournaments it oversees, including the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Several NHL players began wearing neck braces after Johnson's death, but any requirement to wear the equipment would have to be agreed upon by the league and the players' union. In a survey of 181 NHL players conducted by the league in February The athlete78% said they would not support the requirement to wear a neck guard.