TSN’s Bob McKenzie on the decision to ban body checking from peewee

Hockey Canada’s board of directors have decided that Peewee hockey players in Canada don’t need to be body checking. The rule change to ban body checking for 11- and 12-year-old players takes effect when the next hockey season begins this September.

Quebec minor hockey already prohibits body checking until children are in bantam, at age 13.

The decision by Hockey Canada was based in part on research that showed that the risk of injuries was three times greater when body checking was allowed.

TSN journalist and hockey analyst Bob McKenzie Tweeted the news, as well as some great insight. Here’s what he had to say.