Lawmaker proposes mandatory neck guards after hockey death

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut state lawmaker says she plans to introduce legislation requiring all hockey players to wear a neck guard or a similar protective device during practice or games. The proposed legislation follows the death last week of a 10th-grade player, 16-year-old Benjamin Edward “Teddy” Balkind, whose neck was cut by a skate. While the governing body for interscholastic sports among secondary schools in the state requires all hockey players to wear neck protection, state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria says the rules don’t apply to private schools or youth hockey programs. The incident involving Balkind occurred during a game between two private schools.