Foot Protection A Heads Up Play?

I would like to begin this post by honouring Sarah Burke (left), freestyle skier who gave her life to the sport she loved so much. As many of you probably already know, Sarah was seriously injured in a practice session last week and was in a coma ever since. It is from the injuries she sustained that she succumbed too. My condolences go out to the Burke family and all of her fans.

In a recent article published in the Globe and Mail by Allan Maki, he brings to light the rising number of foot injuries in hockey.

If you ask anyone who ever played hockey, taking a puck off the skate is probably one of the most painful happenings for any player. Just ask Devante Smith-Pelly (right) who broke his foot while playing for Team Canada at this year's World Junior Championships. In the NHL, players like Jay Pandolfo and Nik Antropov are two of a long list of names to go down with a foot injury sustained from a puck off the boot. With head shots (no pun intended) stealing the spotlight, it has allowed foot injuries to go almost unnoticed unless you have them in your fantasy league.

The funny thing is that it isn't as if there are products out on the market to protect hockey players from foot injuries. A company from St-Laurent, Quebec fits hockey players with these guards. The guards (left) snap over the boot of the skate and acts as an halo over the entire boot. Other versions like SPATS foot armour (above, right) are a more simple version for the weekend warrior. Some say the guard is too bulky, others swear by them. Montreal Canadians Defenceman P.K. Subban took a puck off the foot from Washington Capitals sniper Alexander Semin. The puck hit his boot and rocketed up into the stands about 15 rows. The impact off the skate with the guard on cause the 26 bones in his foot to crunch up but without it Subban would have been out six weeks.

So with this being said the most common response to the guard is: a) the guard is two bulky and b) the old school mentality of "they never wore them before" taking precedent. The guard is anything but bulky weighting only a few ounces and snap on to the boot as to act as part of the boot. The old school hockey mentality is unfortunate because players never used to wear helmets or visors but both have become mandatory either across the league or grandfathered in. Even referees! (Kerry Fraser [right] still has the best flow of any person in the NHL, even Leafs fans can agree.) There should be no reason why this shouldn't change either.

Before everyone starts commenting like crazy let me clarify that it should not come down to the NHL implement guards,  but rather the GM or coach of the respective hockey team.

With so many players being paid more and more money each season why wouldn't a GM put into the contract that defencemen must wear the guards, along with certain forwards, to protect the player and their investment from injury? A simple clause that most players would learn to play with after a few practices could save many players from nagging foot injuries.

And if you think this blog is absolutely crazy just think about the next time you head to the rink with intentions of seeing you favourite player only to have them in street clothes and scratched from the lineup due to a foot injury.

Let me know you thoughts on this post and if you think the guards should be worn or not, and if they should be part of a contract?

Thanks and remember, keep you head up and concussions down!

Overtime: For those who are fortunate enough not to have their hearts broken every year by the Maple Leafs, here is the reference I mentioned in the blog!