Grin and bear it: NHL players say losing teeth part of game

When Brent Burns packs his bags for road trips, the San Jose Sharks defenseman often leaves something behind: his cosmetic teeth.

Missing teeth have been associated with hard-nosed hockey — for better and for worse — for decades, becoming a stereotype of the game even with some players, like Burns, embracing it as a rite of passage or badge of honor.

Many casual fans might assume all players are missing a few teeth — not true — but there is far more interest in keeping the originals than there was in the 1980s, a time Kings coach Darryl Sutter recalls seeing players writing their numbers on coffee cups, putting their teeth in the cups and setting them on a shelf before games.

Despite player safety being scrutinized by the league more than ever and technological advances in equipment, hockey players are going to lose teeth.

If a player chooses to wear a mouth guard, he may help his chances of not having a concussion.

When players do get hit in the mouth with a stick or puck during a game, they are moments away from getting professional treatment from a team dentist and perhaps an oral surgeon.

Dental care is one of the progressive moves made by the NHL, according to Predators general manager David Poile.