A little over a year ago, T.J. Oshie came across a story about a young boy who was injured by a skate blade during a youth hockey game. Being one of the founders of Warroad, a hockey apparel company, Oshie immediately contacted his partners. What had initially started as a venture to create comfortable undershirts had evolved into a business dedicated to developing cut-resistant fabrics to protect players’ wrists and Achilles tendons. This time, Oshie wanted to create turtlenecks to protect players’ necks and carotid arteries, the most vulnerable areas of a hockey player’s body. Warroad successfully came up with a sleek turtleneck design called “tilo” that featured cut-resistant panels. Although it was effective, Oshie noticed that no players in the NHL wore such protection, despite it being mandatory in some other leagues. Oshie understood the reasons behind this, including discomfort in warm rinks, superstitions, and the belief that neck guards don’t look cool. However, after learning about Adam Johnson’s tragic death due to a skate blade accident, Oshie decided to take action. He ordered five Tilo turtlenecks for himself and his teammates to try out. He realized that Johnson’s death highlighted the need to address the life-threatening risk associated with playing hockey. Jason Dickinson also experienced the shock of realizing his skate accidentally caused an injury to Boston’s Jakub Lauko. Recognizing the frequency of such incidents, Hayley Wickenheiser, an emergency physician and hockey executive, emphasized the importance of making neck protection mainstream in the sport. While these incidents may be categorized as “freak” accidents, many players have close call stories that underline the need for increased safety measures. Luke Richardson, an NHL coach, acknowledged the risks inherent in the sport but expressed hope that neck protection will eventually become the norm, just as helmets and visors did over time.
