Imagine being in those meetings.
NHL - "guys, I think it's time we make neck guards mandatory. We've had several severe scares over the years and now a player has died from a skate slicing a neck. Player safety must be paramount and I mean, all players wear them in minor hockey already"
NHLPA - "f*** that Gary, nobody wants to look like a dweeb out there. We have to maintain the status symbol of being the toughest athletes on earth"
NHL - "um, you're already behind MMA in terms of toughest athletes"
NHLPA - "we are? f***"
NHL - "you know, players wouldn't have to be tough and return after losing teeth or getting stitches to the face if they just, you know, wore cages like they do all throughout their minor league careers"
NHLPA - "but then how do we fight each other"
NHL - "you morons really do get hit in the head too much"
Seriously, could you imagine being in a room, asking why you won't wear neck guards and the response is simply that you don't want to look like a dork?