'I got very lucky': Young player speaks out after being cut in the neck by skate blade

A young player who was cut by a skate blade to his neck is warning other players to wear protective equipment properly.

Brandon, 15, who doesn’t want to use his last name, says the incident happened on his second shift of the game earlier this week.

“Our goalie made a big save to get us a face-off in our zone,” said the centreman.

“One of my teammates came in to take the faceoff and lost it, I came across and I tried to grab the puck from the other guy.”

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But Brandon says a teammate got tripped.

“He had forward momentum and his feet went in the air, and I had forward momentum too and it cut me right in the neck,” Brandon said.

He says he doesn’t remember much else.

“The only thing I felt was this warm liquid crawling down my neck, so I touched my neck and I looked at my glove and it was full of blood, so I skated off as fast I could. I took off my neckguard and asked my teammates if my neck was cut.”

Brandon received first-aid from both his and the opposing team’s trainers right away until an ambulance arrived. He was taken to Brockville Hospital and received 10 stitches. He sustained no other injuries.

Brandon says he was wearing a neck guard, which is mandated by Hockey Canada, but he was not wearing it properly.

“My neck guard didn't do that much because I taped it and put it under water.”

This modification the player says, impacted its ability to fully protect his neck.

He says this is a growing trend amongst teammates and he says it has to stop or other serious injuries could occur.

Jeff Baker is the director of Hockey Operations with Hockey Eastern Ontario. He says it is important for Brandon to share his story.

“First off we want to thank Brandon for coming forward and telling his story – it is so brave of him. It is such an important message that kids wear their protective equipment properly,” Baker said.

But Baker says more should be done to make sure players properly wear equipment.

“It is a mandated piece of equipment for players to have. The unfortunate part is that there are a lot of players out there that alter their equipment because it is cool or feels more comfortable. Unfortunately it can come to a situation like this where something catastrophic happens,” he said.

The death of former Pittsburgh Penguins player Adam Johnson in England has reignited conversations around neck guards in the NHL.

Johnson died after a skate blade cut his neck in a game last week. In response, the English Ice Hockey Association will require all players in England to wear neck guards starting Jan. 1, 2024.

The Western Hockey League has also mandated neck guards. A neck guard mandate is already in place for the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

There is no mandate for the protective equipment in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Ottawa Senators forwards Claude Giroux and Josh Norris were seen voluntarily wearing black neck guards during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Nov. 4.

Brandon has not been cleared to play yet, but says when he does, he will be wearing all protective equipment properly.

“I got very lucky," he said.

"I would like to thank God for this, I have a feeling he was watching over my shoulder and gave me a second chance at life.”

With files from CTV News Ottawa's William Eltherington