After former NHL player Adam Johnson was killed when a skate blade hit his throat, advocates are looking to a simple solution to prevent future deaths

• Former NHL player Adam Johnson died in a tragic accident during a UK hockey game Saturday.
• Advocates now want to put protections in place to prevent other similar accidents.

After former National Hockey League player Adam Johnson's tragic death, advocates are looking for solutions to protect players in the future.

Johnson played for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.

Saturday, he played his final game for the UK's Nottingham Panthers and was killed in what the team called a "freak accident" after a skate blade hit his neck.

He was only 29.

Now, hockey leagues are stepping up to prevent similar tragedies from happening — chiefly, by requiring or encouraging neck guards for players.

The English Ice Hockey Association announced that it would immediately "strongly recommend" neck protection through 2023, and mandate it for all players beginning January 1, 2024.

"We are firmly committed to our obligation to exhaust every possible means to ensure that a tragic incident of this nature never befalls our sport again," said the statement. "It is unacceptable for any player to lose their life while playing sport."

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said in a press conference that while he cannot issue a mandate at the NHL level, he will be encouraging his players to use the guards.

"We are in the process right now of trying to talk to our players about some protective equipment in those vulnerable areas," Sullivan said at the conference. "That could be one of the positive things that might come out of this terrible tragedy."

Sullivan added that the American Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League teams associated with the Penguins's organization will now be required to wear the guards.

In addition, the Western Hockey League will now make the neck guards mandatory for all players in practices and games, per ESPN.

But some players have expressed they're unsure about how effective or comfortable the guards are, despite their grief at Johnson's death.

Vince Dunn, a player for the Seattle Krakens, told the Seattle Times that even as junior players, many wearing neck guards modified them or took out protective layers for "comfort and mobility."

"I guess you have to find a balance between safety and comfort. The wrist guards that we wear and the socks I'm wearing right now, they're cut resistant but it's not 100%," Dunn said, adding that Johnson's death was "devastating."

Despite these concerns, the NHL reported four players from the Penguins were wearing the guards at practice Thursday.

"Just trying it out. It's available for us," player Erik Karlsson told the NHL. "I don't think it's a bad thing. Will probably try it out for a little bit and see if I can get accustomed to it and then go from there."