Another thing, if Malarchuk's injury wasn't as bad as it was, most NHL players wouldn't know how to deal with skates around the neck and face area. Zednik, Burish, and Heward all immediately skated towards their benches to make sure that medical treatment could be administered as needed.

To stevem: Great point, in fact Malarchuk is the number 1 spokesman for neck pads and coverings not only in hockey but for all team sports. Visor use is on the rise because it is far more likely to take a puck or a stick to the eye than a skate above the shoulders.

I'm really glad that the successful players now are the ones who wear visors. I.E. Ovie, Sid, Bobby Ryan, Malkin, Kaner, Nash, Kovalcchuk you see? They use their common sense and wear VISORS. I mean look at Wayne Gretzky he had a kind of collar on his neck so at least he had some kind of protection I mean, how come hockey players still don't understand the risk that they are taking? This is a new era, athletes have to be more careful about the situations that can happen in their line of work.