The NHL is making progress on protecting its players from concussions. But in some cases they just don’t want to be protected. It is obvious that wearing a visor on the helmet can prevent serious eye injuries. Vancouver Canucks forward Manny Malhotra took a puck to the eye in March and needed surgery to avoid vision loss. On Monday, Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger took a stick to the right eye and will miss up to two weeks. According to reports, Philadelphia’s team doctor won’t clear Pronger’s return unless he agrees to wear a visor — something he has never done in an 18-year career. There are reasons players are reluctant. Visors can fog up. Sweat or water obscures vision. In most cases, a player just isn’t comfortable. As many as 10 current Capitals don’t wear visors, and defenseman Karl Alzner thought about shedding his during the preseason. All that on a team on which many veterans recall teammate Tom Poti’s agony when a puck smashed into his right eye during the playoff series with Montreal in 2010.
– Brian McNally
