Hockey Star Lohrei's mom creates new neck guard

As of February 2023, Teri Weiss, mother of Hockey star Lohrei, is unveiling a next‑generation neck guard designed to offer enhanced cut resistance without sacrificing comfort for safety.

In the fall of 2022, Connecticut teenager Teddy Balkind tragically lost his life due to a skate blade injury, and in October 2023, U.K. pro Adam Johnson died from a similar wound. Both events prompted urgent calls for standardized neck protection in youth and professional hockey. When neck protection became required at games for youth players, Lohrei did not like to wear his. He often got hurt, which pushed his mom to think of a solution.

The story began years ago, when Mason was 9 years old, and he received a neck laceration from a stick blade during practice. Reflecting on the incident, Weiss shared she tested their current neck guard with a kitchen knife and discovered it was easily sliced through. She then founded the company Skate Armor, which launched specialized, cut-resistant neck guard designs.

Due to the current neck guards being extremely weak, Weiss dug deeper and found a cut-proof fabric that is often used in kitchens. Later on, she realized that with the cut-proof fabric, rubber cups should be attached to the neck to further protect important blood vessels.

After lots of research, Lohrei’s mom created a new slice-resistant neck guard. This neck guard had protective rubber pieces that covered important blood vessels.

Weiss says her team engineered the collar to match NHL performance standards, and it’s currently undergoing certification by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC). USA Hockey prepares to finalize national neck guard mandates as of August 2024.

In addition to helping her son stay safe, Weiss was also motivated by the fact that other hockey players were dying because of incompetent neck protection.

While this invention may not be as huge as the refrigerator yet, it has done its fair share of saving hockey players’ lives.