Friday, June 21, 2002
NHL orders safety netting in wake of tragedy in Columbus
Cyclones, Ducks will consider adding nets, too
By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Safety netting will be hung at all NHL arenas next season following the death of a 13-year-old girl who was struck in the head by a puck.
At its meeting Thursday, the NHL's Board of Governors ordered installation of the nets as well as standardizing the height of the glass around the rink to a minimum of 5 feet.
Locally, the Mighty Ducks and the Cyclones, Cincinnati's minor-league teams, say they will consider following the NHL's lead.
“The starting point is the NHL doing it,” said Ducks spokesman Don Helbig. “Our league (the American Hockey League) will have discussions on it this summer.”
Helbig said the hardest part of installing the nets is configuring them to specific arenas. The Ducks play in the Cincinnati Gardens, which Helbig said is conducive to netting.
“I've actually seen the netting before in Wheeling (W.Va.) in 1994,” Helbig said. “It's not that bad, really. It's like sitting behind home plate at a Reds game.”
Cyclones president Pat Pylypuik said he will discuss installing nets in Firstar with building management “first thing (this) morning.”
“The NHL sets a precedent for rules in the hockey world,” Pylypuik said. “We would most likely do what is right. You might have some traditionalists complain it obstructs viewing. But whatever is best for the fans makes all sense in the world.”
The actions follow the death of Brittanie Cecil, who was hit by a deflected slap shot March 16 at a Columbus Blue Jackets game. She was taken to Children's Hospital in Columbus and died two days later after an injury to an artery in her neck caused internal bleeding. It was the first documented death of a fan from being struck by a puck at an NHL game.
Although a league report found arenas to be safe, commissioner Gary Bettman said, “We're doing it because we think it's the right thing to do after what has happened.”
He hopes to have the improvements in place prior to the start of next season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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NHL orders safety netting in wake of tragedy in Columbus
