While professional hockey's collective attention has been focused squarely on dangerous hits to the head, the NHL should really be turning part of that attention towards another pressing issue: mandating protective visors. Currently, players are only strongly encouraged to wear visors – there is no rule requiring their use. How many near-misses and close-calls is it going to take before the NHL adopts a new rule? The most recent incident is one of the most horrifying in recent memory. On March 16, Vancouver Canucks center Manny Malhotra was hit directly in the left eye by a puck in a game against the Colorado Avalanche. Since then, he has been ruled out for the season, a major blow for the Western Conference-leading Canucks. But even more importantly, he has undergone two major eye surgeries in an attempt to save his eye. There are still no guarantees that he will regain sight, let alone ever play professional hockey again. Malhotra was not wearing a visor.
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