In 2011, Jack Jablonski was hit from behind and paralyzed while playing high school hockey in Minnesota. Since then he established Jack's Pledge in an effort to help others think twice on the ice. As we begin another season, his words are a reminder to play smart and play safe. Hockey is not a right. It's a responsibility.
I pledge allegiance to the game of hockey, the fastest, hardest, most beautiful game in the world. Hockey is a state of extremes: extreme speed, extreme skill, extreme discipline.
Participation is a privilege extended to the toughest, the smartest, the best. As a member of this elite club, I pledge to uphold its code of honor: I play to win by being the toughest, the smartest, the best.
I play to win by following the rules. I do not play to win by any other means. I take the body to take the puck. I do not hit to hurt. I do not board. I do not cross-check. I do not check from behind. Ever.
When the whistle blows, I stop. When the puck drops, I go. You are right to fear