The death of hockey player Adam Johnson by a skate cut has jumpstarted work on protective equipment

The death of American hockey player Adam Johnson from a skate cut to the neck during a game in England has led to plenty of talk about how to prevent such injuries, including a new mandate for young players in the United States.

It has also opened the door for new technology when it comes to on-ice protection from skate blades.

The gear already widely available for wrist and leg protection is fairly modern, though nothing guarantees safety. Columbus Blue Jackets rookie Adam Fantilli over the weekend was cut by a skate blade in the back of his left leg, causing him to miss the rest of that game and Tuesday's game as well. Fantilli was wearing Kevlar socks, but the blade sliced through.

The design and production of cut-proof neck guards still need even more work.

"This is this is an opportunity for us to come up with better cut-resistant materials, better designs to cover the vulnerable anatomic areas," said Dr. Michael Stuart, chief medical officer for USA Hockey, which on Sunday approved a neck guard mandate for players under 18 and others in junior, boys or girls classifications up to age 20. “There is a market for these materials and devices, so companies are now kind of jumpstarted to not only increase production but to come up with better designs and materials.”

Protecting players from their razor-sharp blades has taken decades and often followed terrifying incidents, including the 1989 throat slash of goaltender Clint Malarchuk and a similar injury to Richard Zednik in 2008. Wrists, calves, Achilles tendons, even the torso — are all at risk.

After Philadelphia's Claude Giroux was cut in the back of his left leg in 2015 and left the ice with blood pouring out, then-teammate Carlo Colaiacovo said general manager...