The NHL will require incoming players to wear neck guards starting in 2026-27, per the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. The reported changes will come as part of the NHL and NHLPA’s collective bargaining agreement and will only apply to new players, with neck protection remaining optional for those entering the league before fall 2026.
Neck guards have become increasingly commonplace since the death of former NHL player Adam Johnson, who suffered a fatal skate cut to his neck in 2023 while playing for England’s Nottingham Panthers. The IIHF and USA Hockey instituted neck guard requirements in the months soon after, with the AHL following suit at the start of last season.
At the NHL level, former Capital TJ Oshie has been a longtime advocate for cut-resistant gear, selling protective turtlenecks through his company Warroad. He became one of the first NHL players to wear neck guards after Johnson’s death, though he argued against an immediate league mandate at the time.
“We’re grown men. If you don’t want to do it… for at least now, middle of season, I don’t think it’s necessary to mandate it,” he said then. “You can make your choices. I made my own choice for my kids. I want to stick around for them. I’m just trying to decrease the chance of injury.”
Despite the risks posed by skate cuts, many players have remained resistant to neck guard requirements. 78 percent of players in a 2023 poll from the Athletic were opposed to a mandate, and just 55 NHL players wore neck guards as of last fall.
The NHL has grandfathered in existing players when instituting safety requirements in the past, most recently doing so when requiring visors for new players in 2013-14.
Other reported changes in the new CBA include a move to an 84-game season, shorter maximum contract lengths, and a playoff salary cap.
