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Mats Sundin of Toronto was hit in the eye by a puck on opening night. He wasn't wearing a visor and will miss as much as two months.NHL players re-examine the importance of wearing visors
More players than ever before have donned the protective eye shields; recent injuries show why.
Pavel Datsyuk of the Red Wings is equipped with a visor.
Seeing clearly
Should the NHL require that all players wear visors?
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DETROIT -- The visor debate is raging again in the NHL.
One of the game's top players, Mats Sundin of Toronto, suffered a serious injury to his left eye in the season's first game and will miss as much as two months.
Many NHL players, including Al MacInnis, Dany Heatley, Owen Nolan, Bryan Berard and Darcy Tucker, have suffered eye injuries the last few seasons.
The Wings also have had their share of major scares with eye injuries. Steve Yzerman was hit by a puck during the 2004 playoffs and suffered a significant left eye injury requiring surgery that evening.
Yzerman now wears a visor.
On Monday against San Jose, Kris Draper was struck near the right eye and suffered a less serious -- but no less scary -- injury.
Draper's exams after the game showed no damage to the eye or orbital bones, general manager Ken Holland said Tuesday.
A later exam showed one bone might be broken, but the eye is fine.
Holland said Draper has retinal swelling, and there's fluid buildup, but his vision will not be affected.
Draper's availability is day to day. He could be on the ice as early as this weekend.
With all the recent scares, Holland would like to see more players wear visors.
"I just believe it protects the players more," he said. "The league has done a good job of keeping the sticks down (a significant source of trouble a few years ago). But nowadays, after you see what happened to Steve Yzerman, and Draper last night, and you look at Mats Sundin, the puck is just flying all over the place.
"I just think it (a visor) gives you a little more protection."
The recent incidents might have influenced players.
A survey this week by the Hockey News found that 244 of the approximately 640 NHL skaters, roughly 38 percent, are wearing visors this season.
The numbers are in stark contrast to 2000-01, when 131 players, roughly 24 percent, wore visors.
But the fact that established veterans such as Yzerman, Sundin and MacInnis were injured, and the career of a rising young star such as Berard was derailed, could be having an effect.
Sundin was struck near the left eye and has had several similar injuries through the years. Berard was struck by an errant stick from Marian Hossa of Ottawa in March 2000 and lost 80 percent of the vision in his left eye.
Heatley was wearing a half-visor in Europe last season when a puck deflected and caught his left eye. He now has a permanently dilated eye.
Yzerman, when talking to reporters days after his injury in the 2004 playoffs, had changed his opinion on visors.
"Sitting in the hospital that night, I really wished I'd been wearing a visor," Yzerman said. "I played 21 years and never had an eye injury. My cheekbone didn't really hurt at the time. The first thing that went through my mind was, 'I don't want to lose my eyesight.' I really believe guys should be wearing them. I didn't say that (a week before the injury occurred)."
Yzerman said last week, after Sundin's injury, that he would support the idea of mandatory visors. He added that he had no trouble adjusting to the visor.
The NHL Players Association leaves the decision of whether or not to wear visors up to its membership.
The NHLPA did an online survey in recent weeks, polling players on their opinions of visors. The NHLPA also wants each team's representatives to discuss the matter with teammates.
Most players say visors, or any type of face mask, distort on-ice vision.
Many people around the league believe players shy away from visors because of a question of "manhood." Players who play physically believe those who wear visors have an unfair advantage when fighting.
Still, opinions seem to be changing.
Dallas defenseman Philippe Boucher has had serious injuries to his eyes. He has worn a visor since being struck in the left eye in 2003. Boucher had eye surgery during the lockout.
"I should have made it (the decision to wear a visor) after the first time," Boucher told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I didn't feel the pressure, but I felt, it's not going to happen again (getting hit). I felt better without it (a visor), and I never really gave it a good chance. It's a personal choice."
Osgood joins Griffins
The Wings have assigned goaltender Chris Osgood to Grand Rapids, their American Hockey League affiliate, for conditioning.
Osgood is scheduled to play tonight against San Antonio.
Babcock appearance
Wings coach Mike Babcock is scheduled to sign autographs from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Hockeytown Cafe.
Fans who donate a new youth-friendly book or movie will receive one free autograph from Babcock. Monetary donations also will be accepted. Donations will benefit pediatric cancer patients.
You can reach Ted Kulfan at (313) 223-4606 or ted.kulfan@detnews.com.
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