[Ryan]

On Pardon the Interuption (I think 6/19 episode) they said in passing that the NHL is strongly considering safety nets at the ends of the rinks.

I think it's a good and necessary choice.

As an indoor lacrosse fan, I've been watching games with safety nets for years, and it hasn't bothered me at all.

 

[John Corn]

My own take is over the years fans have wanted to be closer to the players and the action in a more intimate setting.

And not just in hockey. In baseball the stands are closer to the foul lines, with lower walls so people sit practically on the field.

In Basketball people like to sit right on the court and pay the bucks to do so.

The same with many other sports.

The whole point is you can take safety measures but they can in no way prevent freakish accidents that cause death and severe injury. Putting nets up could still see us having another death in the stands.

If the NHL has stats about the number of people that are hurt in the stands and they can reduce it significantly then fine I can live with that.

However if its a knee jerk reaction to a persons death then its for the wrong reason because you cannot guarantee 100% safety at a sporting event or any event for that matter.

 

[Rusty]

Starting next season, the nets are a reality. The NHL has officially mandated them in all their venues.