Marc Staal eye injury sure to spark debate in NHL (VIDEO)

This time, Marc Staal can’t blame his brothers.

The New York Rangers defenseman is recovering today from an eye injury he suffered Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.

With about 15 minutes left to play, Philadelphia defenseman Kimmo Timonen took a shot that deflected off another stick and hit Staal in the eye.

Staal, 26, doesn’t wear any face protection on his helmet.

He was in obvious agony after getting hit, kicking his legs and grabbing at his face as teammates rushed to his side. There were copious amounts of blood on the ice.

A trainer helped him off the ice immediately, but he wasn’t taken to hospital as New York won 4-2.

There were no updates early today on Staal’s condition, The Toronto Star said, but there was a lovely, graphic GIF floating around the internet.

Hey hockey players: WEAR VISORS twitpic.com/c954xt

— Nick Schwartz (@Nick_Schwartz) March 6, 2013

The injury came on the same night Vancouver Canucks captain Henrik Sedin was also hit in the neck or throat area with a shot against the San Jose Sharks.

Sedin, whose twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks, was in pain but left the ice on his own power and continued playing.

As for Staal, he missed most of 2011 when older brother Eric, who plays for the Carolina Panthers, checked him hard and gave him a concussion.

There are four Staal brothers, and all but Marc play for the Carolina Hurricanes or their farm system.

Jordan plays alongside Eric while Jared, the youngest, is a prospect.

Oh, brother, this is going to spark the mandatory visor debate. Right now, NHL players don’t have to wear face masks, but the debate returns every time there’s a horrific injury like Staal’s.

It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye, as they say.