'If You Don't Want to Get Hurt, Don't Play Hockey': The Uneasy Efforts of Hockey Injury Prevention in Canada

Ice hockey is known for its speed, skill and aggression. This paper uses an analyses of injuries in boys' minor leagues and primary documents to examine competing discourses that surround participant safety which give meaning to broader hockey practices. We problematize a prevailing discourse that preserves the physicality of Canadian hockey and an emerging reverse discourse that prioritizes player safety. Theoretically informed by Foucault's concepts of discourse, knowledge and power relations, we interpret the relationships between these two competing discursive streams which have created a public controversy, particularly concerning body checking, and intensified a polarizing national debate. Ultimately, we argue that these discourses impact the implementation of progressive injury prevention initiatives in minor hockey and youth sport.