'We’re skating around the ice with razor blades on our feet': Hockey safety continues taking next step in evolution

A fatal skate cut to the neck of former NHL'er Adam Johnson last October and Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli suffering a cut to his left leg last weekend are fostering safety changes in Windsor.

“You see situations like that, it's terrifying,” said Windsor Spitfires Interim Head Coach Casey Torres. “Essentially we’re skating around the ice with razor blades on our feet.”

Because of these incidents, measures are being taken and player safety continues to evolve.

“It's definitely in our minds when we're playing. We got some new skate proof gear and it's helped a lot,” said Spitfires’ Captain Liam Greentree.

The Spitfires have cut proof socks and cut proof pants, while parts of their shirts are also cut proof. In addition, players are also mandated to wear neck guards.

Not all of the safety gear is comfortable but it is necessary for the advancement of the game.

“Back in the day guys didn't want to wear helmets because they weren't comfortable. We evolve,” Casey noted. “Before it was nobody wanted to wear visors and now pretty much everyone wears a visor.”

Daniele Difranceschi is part of the new safety evolution. He brought in a new skate sharpening system to his shop at the Vollmer Complex in LaSalle, Ont. last month.

“Anything that can give a performance advantage and the secondary benefit is safety,” Difranchesci said.

Daniele Difranceschi brought in a new skate sharpening system to his shop at the Vollmer Complex in LaSalle, Ont. last month. The new technology reportedly makes blades safer and glide with less friction. (Bob Bellacicco/CTV News Windsor)

The technology was developed by a Pittsburgh company called Conicity Technologies whose main business is cutting tool manufacturing. A year and a half ago they launched their skate honing machine they claim helps blades skate safer and glide with less friction.

Difranceschi explained that inside the machine is a nylon bristled wheel with diamonds that take burrs off the edge of the blade.

“You run this through now with the skate and you have the absolute most ideal cutting edge you could possibly have without any burrs that could possibly cut you, slice you, [and] do that harm,” Difranceschi explained.

As an example, Difranceschi showed a balloon with standard skate sharpening pop, and then used a skate that went through the machine and the balloon didn’t pop when performing the same test.

According to the company, Conicity is currently being used by half the team in the NCAA's Big 10, including the University of Michigan. The Toronto Maple Leafs have the machine with five other NHL teams looking to put it in their budgets for next season.

“It's great that we're doing these sort of things and taking the danger element as best we can out of the game,” said Torres.