Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/60989
TURNING THE PAGE ON THE CAGE? After four seasons of wearing a cage at Boston College, Mike Boyle is in favor of allowing collegiate players to wear half shields. and dental injuries. Unfortunately we may see a case of blindness to a student-athlete where we have never seen that before." Former college players who now use less than a full facemask admit that cuts to the chin and chipped teeth are part of the equa- tion with a shield. "There's a freak accident here and there, and you can get some teeth knocked out, but you have the face shield on to cover your eyes," said Rangers forward Brian Boyle, who played four seasons at Boston College. "I think for the most part it would be a pretty good idea." At the heart of the debate is an argument that seems counter intuitive at first blush. Coaches, and many players, believe that college hockey will naturally become safer with less protective equipment covering the face. This is based on two concepts: peripheral vision, and something called the "gladiator effect." The concerns about peripheral vision come from the fact that full facemasks have a chin cup, which blocks a player's view toward their feet, and the puck. That means that players have to look down to see the puck, and they're taught from the youngest ages that skating with your head down is a recipe for disaster. Better vision and easier breathing are things many players like about shields. "It does help with your breathing, you can breathe better and you don't have to worry about fogging up as much," said Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Matt Carle, who won the Hobey Baker Award at the University of Denver. "Things happen so fast, and there is bet- ter visibility, so I'm sure it could help in that sense as well." The other positive effect of shields, pro- ponents say, is that injuries go down because players are more cautious about raising sticks and taking needless risks if more of their face is exposed. gives kids kind of a gladiator effect, a feel- ing of invincibility that leads them to play the game in a more reckless manner," said Paul Kelly, who until recently was execu- "The coaches' position is the full cage 28 "RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY FEAR WITH THE FULL MASKS, AND I THINK YOU SEE THAT IN THE WAY THE GAME IS PLAYED." — SCOTT SANDELIN, HEAD COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-DULUTH tive director of College Hockey, Inc., and one of the most staunch advocates for the rules change. "They throw themselves into pucks or into plays, and carry their stick in such a way that they create hazards and dangers on the ice, not only to themselves but to others as well. There is an increased risk of cata- strophic injury for kids wearing a full cage as opposed to a visor." Proponents of a rule change are quick to point out that college coaches have voiced unanimous support of allowing shields as opposed to full facemasks. "I like it, and as a body I think we're all in favor of it," Minnesota Duluth coach Scott Sandelin said. "Part of it is keeping sticks down. Right now, I don't think there is any fear with the full masks, and I think you see that in the way the game is played." According to Ty Halpin, the associate APRIL/MAY.2012 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM director of playing rules for the NCAA, there will be more discussion, and possibly a vote of the college hockey rules committee in June, before any decision is made about a change in facial protection at the college level. But even he acknowledges that there is seemingly more momentum for allowing shields than there has ever been. "There is still some convincing on the medical side that this is what needs to be done," Halpin said. "But the visor really takes away the eye issues, which were really the reason for the facemasks in the first place." In other words, with a nod to those who stress caution and careful consideration of the risk of injury, for many college hockey coaches and players, an end to the era of full facemasks is their vision of the future. N Jess Myers is a contributing editor to InsideCollegeHockey.com. PHOTOS BY Getty Images