For many of the players, it comes down to personal choice.

“I think it should just be your own decision,” one said.

“Guys would be smart to use them, but I don’t think it needs to be mandatory,” another added.

“It’s their own risk, right?” said a third. “It’s their life.”

Some of the players voting no indicated that, for their part, they do wear neck guards and other cut-protective gear, including one who had been cut by a skate in the past.

“I wear it. It happened to me,” he said. “I think it’s up to you. I think that there (should) be no requirement.”

“I don’t think you should require them to, but I think it’s stupid not to (wear one),” another player said. “Why wouldn’t you?”

“We’re all big boys,” said a third. “I personally wear them. But being required to? No.”

One idea many players shared was to mandate laceration protection at minor and youth levels first, with the idea of eventually bringing it to the NHL as players get more used to wearing the equipment.

“In the NHL, I don’t think it should be required,” one player said. “But in minor hockey, I think it should.”

“If the NHL mandated it, I’d be OK with that,” said another. “But they should grandfather in everyone who’s used to not playing with it, like they did with visors.”>