Not In The Face!: Is it time for mandatory visors?

It was a scary sight on Monday night: an errant high stick, the agonizing yell of a grown man, and his immediate rush of hands to grasp his face.

In a matter of seconds, an injury that could have been avoided sidelined Philadelphia Flyers Captain and defensive stalwart Chris Pronger for what GM Paul Holmgren has said will be a period of two to three weeks.

And then, it began.  The old debate, reopened.  No, not fighting, something that was covered just last week.  This is the visor debate.  However, this debate is much simpler than tackling what has become a very touchy subject in fighting.

When it comes to facial injuries — those the likes of what Chris Pronger encountered and that which sidelined Manny Malholtra and put his career in danger — could have been avoided by the use of a visor.  NHLPA statistics state that 68% of players in the NHL currently wear visors (via James Mirtle), but what’s more is that it seems to be primarily the younger generation.  This is no coincidence.

An article in The Hockey News in January of 2010 found that 65% of NHLers under 30 chose to wore the facial protection.  Less than half of their elder statesmen, the 30+ category, chose to wear a shield.  This can be well attributed to the younger generation being more aware of incidents of eye injuries akin to what Bryan Berard suffered that threatened to end his career.

As well, those younger players who don’t make the immediate jump into the NHL and go the developmental AHL route have been mandated into wearing a visor.  In 2006-07 the league legislated the use of visors for all players, regardless of age.

Chris Chelios, at 46 years of age, wearing a visor for the first time in his career with the AHL's Chicago Wolves.

But what about fighting?

There are many that believe fighting will drop significantly if visors are made mandatory for all players, but the evidence just isn’t there to prove this.  If you’ve looked through article written last week on fighting, you would realize that fighting numbers in the leagues that have made facial protection necessary is higher than the NHL.  In fact, while many point to visors possibly creating a situation where players remove their helmets prior to a fight and leave themselves vulnerable, it’s simply not the case.  The Western Hockey League, which is statistically the most fight heavy junior league in Canada, has put in a place a rule where it is illegal to remove a helmet before a fight.  Last season?  There were over 1700 fights in the WHL, roughly one per game.  The helmets and visors were far from a deterrent.

There will be those who point to Rule 46.6 of the NHL Rulebook and determine that the face shield will be the end of fighting.

For those wondering, Rule 46.6 states, “If a player penalized as an instigator of an altercation is wearing a face shield (including a goalkeeper), he shall be assessed an additional unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.”  The instigator penalty on top of the unsportsmanlike conduct, nine minutes in penalties over five, would create quite a stir amongst those who make a living with their stone hands.

Could there be a middle ground?  A way to both legislate in mandatory visor use and expel any fear of the additional infractions in any fight?

The Bauer X100 Visor. Patented "Quick Clip" shield removal technology can be seen.

There is.  It has been available for years now and it’s used by the players in most junior leagues.  That answer is the Bauer X100 visor.  The ability to easily remove the visor with two clips puts an end to the clunky use of tools and the premeditation of taking it off well prior to a fight.  It would become the new throwing down of the gloves.  With the X100, two parties wanting to engage in a fight would be able to toss off the gloves, quickly unclip and toss the visor, and throw.  It’s simple and it’s right in front of the NHLPA.

However, the inherent issue in using the Bauer visor is sponsorship and all that is attached to it.  While the AHL and CHL are sponsored by Reebok-CCM and it is the most visible sponsor, the WHL has integrated the use of the Bauer visor.  The logos, while visible, are small and not easily discernible while watching the game.  It wouldn’t truly hurt companies.  As well, the NHL could surely strike some sort of deal with Bauer to use the visors without the logo if need be.  The technology, currently patented by Bauer, would eventually be adopted in some way, shape, or form by the other manufacturers, make no mistake.

The use of a visor isn’t really a question anymore.  It’s not a matter of how many, who, or what will the rules be surrounding them, it’s just a matter of when the NHLPA and the NHL step forward and begin protecting their players.  The solutions for the NHL and NHLPA are there, they just have to be willing to take that extra step and put their foot down.

 

On Fighting

Since I have been a fan of the game, I have been a fan of fighting.

We learned of it from video games, from Don Cherry’s Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em tapes, and from watching the warriors on the ice.  It was part of the game, it was part of the violence, it was part of what made it the toughest game on earth in a fans eyes.  There was nothing like it in any other sport, and maybe that is part of what drew us to it as fans.

The great Ken Dryden with a sprawling save on Jerry Korab

Weeks back — nearly three to be exact — Ken Dryden lent his vast knowledge of the game, and knowledge in general, to the project that Bill Simmons et al have taken up over at Grantland.  The article is not only a great piece of writing, something we have come to expect from Dryden, but astonishing in its ability to bring to light the issues we face today from someone who was present during expansion-era NHL play.  While many of the “old school”-ers from years passed would be reluctant to speak out on the issue, often chalking up the rough play to, “the way the game is,” Dryden faces the issues head on and takes a stand voicing the need for change.

Inter-Kontinental: KHL Off-season In Full Swing

On a previous, now defunct blog, I was the author of a weekly feature regarding the action in the Kontinental Hockey League. The league itself — though often regarded as shady, low-level, and a clear-cut second or third fiddle to the NHL — houses some of the greatest talent in the world, whether the North American audience wants to accept it or not.

One of the primary features of Cycle Down Low going forward will be the ongoing coverage of all things KHL from the perspective of someone who is themselves in the process of learning the ins-and-outs of a league that keeps itself and its dealings behind closed doors, far away from the prying eyes of media.

Throughout the past year to year and a half stories have come out of players being released from their contracts unjustly, the loss of funds that lead to the collapse of one of the most storied Russian hockey clubs of all time with Dynamo Moscow, and the belief that some players were being run around by the clubs when it came to receiving compensation for their efforts on ice. However, as a hockey fan, the better stories have taken place on the ice.

From the outstanding play of Dominik Hasek, the sure fire first ballot Hall of Famer, as one of the elder statesmen of the game to the development and maturation of Alexander Radulov, the once rising star of the Nashville Predators. It was

Coming off of a year where former LA Kings goaltender Erik Ersberg backstopped a Salavat Ufa Yulaev club that included Radulov, Patrick Thoresen, and Oleg Tverdovsky to their first Gagarin Cup in their post-RSL existence, the playoffs gave way to outstanding performances by Gregory Gelashvili, Pavol Demitra, and an impressive eight goal performance by Lokomotiv defenseman Karel Rachunek, formerly of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers, and New Jersey Devils.

Many attack the level of play of the KHL, stating that it’s second rate players — at best — playing against weak competition in a league that lacks physicality and allows players who would be jettisoned by NHL teams to the farm system to flourish, but those are nay-sayers unwilling to appreciate a game that is played with a different skill-set.

Speed and stick-skills dominate the KHL and, while at times it can be a bit shoddy, the goaltending can be quite spectacular.  I will admit that if, in any aspect of the game the KHL is lacking, it is between the pipes.  The goaltenders who make their living in the K, however, are often prone to dealing with defenseman who are geared towards the offensive side of the puck.  The summation of the KHL is as such; great offensive talent and a truly wide-open game.

If the NHL was striving for a product as such, the KHL is where they could have easily looked.

It is a truly astonishing on ice product, one that any hockey fan could appreciate if they took the time to do so.