Do you think wearing helmets should be an option in the NHL?

Answer 1

I play hockey, coach hockey, and dream hockey. I could never imagine a player in todays age not wearing a helmet. I coach bantams (13-14 years old). Just yesterday I watch one of my players go head first into the board full speed. He was going for a loose puck when he got pushed the wrong way. He picked his head up just in time to see the boards. I have never seen this kind of damage to a helemt ever. The plastic boke in about 5 or 6 different places. Now just think of a Pro player hitting the boards with out a helemt, and now think of what hi head would look like...

Answer 2

I grew up in the 70s/80s and saw a large percentage of players not wearing helmets. That seemed normal. Today when I see a player lose his helmet; he stands out and it looks bizarre.

The players playing today have always played wearing a helmet. I think helmets today are normal to them as any other piece of gear.

I would bet that most (90%+) would play with a helmet even if were not mandatory.

My $.02...

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Answer 3

defiantley NOT! it was at first but the injuries were huge! the head is just to fragile and to important to leave unprotected! now that we've finally got professional nhl players to wear their helmets like they're supposed to and without making a fuss about it, we should keep it this way. we want them to be able to play, but we also want them to live, to survive for more then 5 years after their first nhl game,... don't we? which is just not gonna happen if they stop wearing helmets! way to important, so no, it should NEVER become an aoption!

Answer 4

The risk factor in todays NHL is the highest it has ever been. Think of it this way you got a 250 lb crazed man coming at you head hunting, hitting about 25 kms an hour if drops you your hitting the ice hard. Another major risk is pucks flying some going as fast as 100 km/h and if one alters its path and crunches buddy in the head thats an end of a career maybe even a life. So no it should not be a option.

Answer 5

Craig MacTavish is the last player to play in the NHL without a helmet, then they made it mandatory to wear one in the late 80's. now the big thing is they want players to start wearing visors, but allot of players don't like the idea cause they cant see properly. look at Mats Sundin last year when he got the puck in the eye, well when he came back he did put a visor on but it didn't last cause he lost his view from the ice.

Answer 6

No, no option on helmets. I am old enough to remember Bill Masterson of the Minnesota (now Dallas) North Stars dying because he fell in a game and hit the back of his head on the ice. Heck, I'm old enough to remember when goalies didn't all wear masks. Jacques Plante (who played for St. Louis when I remember him) always had one, but it wasn't until the mid-70's until all the goalies wore them (Andy Brown of the Penguins was the last maskless goalie in the NHL...1974 or '75). Yeah, it would be nice to be able to see these guys' whole faces, but it's even better that they be able to keep those faces and heads in one piece.

Answer 7

they started to really use helmets when the slap shot was introduced in the late 1960's as long as that puck is going over 100 miles an hour they need helmets.

Answer 8

No, hockey is much more physically these days. The guys are bigger and check much harder. You'll be seeing a lot more concussions if players are skating around without helmets. Just ask Eric Lindros.

Answer 9

I like seeing the guys faces, It is just so dangerous I think what we like does not matter. Let the players choose though if they want at the NHL level. They are professionals .

Answer 10

Ask Scott Stevens or Eric Lindros.


(The answer's no. And like others have said, even if it *were* optional, I don't think you'd see any player, pro or otherwise, playing without a helmet.)