Good move forward with the pledge. The professionals should sign and follow it. Be an example to the youth who look up to them. We wouldn't tolerate other professionals modeling violence to our children. As far as the penalties, no: zero tolerance policy for intentional violence. You do it you're banned from playing. Period. Get serious with it.

While a pledge is a nice gesture, how about we insist referees give out major penalties or worse for checking from behind, even when the game is on the line.

Considering the attention span of some kids (and coaches), wouldn't it be a good idea to have the pledge signed more frequently? why not have everyone sign the pledge on the 13th of every month during hockey season?

How about instead - the Adults make stronger rules, put them in a contract and make every player and every parent sign the contract, with REAL consequences if broken - and then ENFORCE those rules and tell parents who complain to take their kids and go home because their participation is not needed if they aren't going to play clean and by the rules.

A nice gesture indeed, but somewhat meaningless. How many teams, even at the high school level, are taught to play the body? Whether it's the state tourney at Xcel, a regular season game in Warroad or a college game at Mariucci, are fans going to stop cheering the big hit? I doubt it.

The pledge is a start but as someone already stated it is the adults who need to change the "culture" here. Starts with character first priorities across the board. Safe play and fair play come before winning ! The "cheat to win" philosophy needs to be in the zero tolerance catagory !! Hopefully, some real and lasting change will come from this to truly honor Jack and Jenna !!!

My 3 brothers all played hockey growing up I asked each if they heard all the parents from either side yelling at there kids and team players to check and "body hit" as a kid watching there hockey game's I alway's worried they would get injured, as a center one of my brother recieved a brain injury. To all players,please sign the pledge

First bad hit and your out for the game. Second bad hit your out for the season. Third bad hit your out for good.

As a now 'retired' youth hockey association board member of many years, I agree with those who feel a pledge is nice gesture. But is only "window dressing." Granted- anything that can be done to eliminate a life changing injury is positive! But if you've seen youth hockey for at least the past 7-10 years then you'd have noted the players all have 'stop sign' patches affixed to their jerseys in the rear shoulder area. This was introduced years ago and was supposed to be the warning to on coming players- if you can see the 'stop sign' then stop and don't check the player. Hitting from behind has been a known problem for years in our game. The sport needs to be re-calibrated at the youth level for about 5 years with no checking -in order to 'wash out' the 'attitude' along with a lot of the adults who have promoted 'bully style' hockey. Then body checking in a constructive form could be re-introduced gradually -with monitoring to assure that the only checking done is to purposefully create a turn over- not to gain notariety in the kid's community as the big hitter.

You do not need a pledge, just better coaching of the forecheck and tying up on the boards, not rocket science. US Hockey does a nice job of testing coaches but there is no way to test ability to coach.