Referee Dan O’Rourke appears to be the first NHL official to wear a cut-resistant neck guard.
O’Rourke debuted the new protective gear on Thursday’s game between the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens.
His neck guard appears to be part of a performance underlayer made by Ontario-based Base360. It includes Kevlar-reinforced fabric for cut resistance in the neck, forearms, and wrists.
The National Hockey League has not yet mandated neck guards for players or officials.
“In the neck [guards], we’re getting there,” said NHL VP of Hockey Operations Rod Pasma of protective gear for both players and officials back in November. “There’s up to eight companies on my desk waiting to be cleared, and of those eight there’s probably 12-14 options to wear, should they choose.”
In December, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced that neck guards would be required to be worn at all levels. Neck guards were already mandated at the Under-20 and Under-18 levels. No date was provided as to when the new policy would be enforced for the senior level events.
In addition to supplemental neck protection, the NHL officials have also evaluated cut-resistant gloves to try to protect officials’ hands – particularly on faceoffs. Reportedly, the linesmen weren’t a big fan of the look or feel at the time.
O’Rourke was seen again wearing the neck guard for Saturday’s matinee between the Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins. While it might not be mandatory, it’s good to see an official taking steps to protect themselves on the ice.
