Defensive Moves.

One of my favorite defensive moves in prep hockey -- when the defenseman drops to the ice using his body to shield the puck -- proved fatal recently for a high school player.

Fluke injury -- it happened to Trent McCleary with the Montreal Canadiens in 2000, who survived with an emergency tracheotomy but ended his professional playing career.

Sometimes, nothing more can be done to save a life, you just have to accept that, without changing the rules of game, or trying to improve the equipment to protect in every fluke circumstance.

This kid loved hockey, and gave his all for it, playing passionately. It's cliche-ish, but he died doing what he loved.

When hit, Kyle was wearing a throat protector, which is made of thick fabric and designed to prevent cuts from a skate's blade but not reduce a puck's impact. Hockey Canada requires all minor hockey players to wear them. Now, the agency is considering whether more neck protection is needed. Manufacturers don't make anything that would fully shield a throat from a slap-shot, said Glen McCurdie, Hockey Canada's vice-president of membership services. The agency will review the case.

"If there's a problem there, there's probably a solution," he said. "But I'm not sure that I would know exactly what that was."

Among many who are against an equipment change is Kyle's coach. Only a "big bubble" could be entirely safe, he said. "It is what it is. These kids are covered in gear… It was just a fluke accident and I think that's where it should be left at."