What can the NHL really do about head shots?

[c-towns]

Really? Longer suspensions aren't going to solve this. Football helmets? Seriously, what can they really do?

[Northern Wish]

Big ass fines.

Hit em where it really hurts!

[Guest Low Roller]

Mandatory AHL 're-education' stints for repeat offenders.

[TheSloth]

And who is going to assess those big ass fines? One of the major issues isn't the punishment, it's the punisher.

Edited March 11, 2011 by Guest
grammar counts

[Northern Wish]

An independent arbitrator; I was thinking along the lines of Tissue Man or Low Roller.

[Guest Low Roller]

Ach. If I was elected mayor I'll kill the whole lot of you and burn your town to cinders!

[Northern Wish]

[c-towns]

So no real idea's then? The league is probably in the same boat.

I really feel it is the equipment (armour) they're wearing. Sure players are bigger/stronger/faster but I also feel that they're a little less fearful of personal injury flying around the ice in such armour. Is it to late to scale back or put restrictions on equipment? Does anyone really care?

[Kanada Kev]

better here i guess.

The dinosaur also weighed in tonight on Cockbreath's Corner and it really was inappropriate of Cherry not know his name in this incident. Isnt that schtick a little overcooked?

Looked pretty tacky not having Max's name on the tip of his tongue. However, I thought that montage of stanchion hits was quite telling/shocking. They weren't culled from decades of coverage, but all from recent times. While they didn't end up in broken vertebrae they easily could have. Was there concern for player safety after those? Sure. But again, nobody killed, so no rush to fix the problem.

The Hot Stove had a few interesting points. Since the lockout the average number of hits in a game has increased by 40% So, when articles come out talking about the dramatic increase in head injuries/concussions, etc. it only seems logical that there is if there are that many more hits in games these days. Also, what about that there are more concussions in upper level Women's hockey that's "non-contact? Hmmmmm.

Obviously they aren't going to make NHL rinks international size, but damn that would make a difference. We were at a Junior A playoff game on Friday night and it was on an international sized rink here in Oakville. Damn was it FAST and the amount of hitting was very small. Shots on net? 54 to 36 or something

Sucks that these incidences result in players getting hurt badly. Also sucks that these are the times that the NHL gets front page coverage in the US.

Another "turnbuckle" on Friday night:

[Booche]

I'm of the belief that if you hit anyone hard enough in the wallet, whatever behaviour you are trying to curb will get curbed.

NHL players love to play hockey while collecting fat paycheques. Make the suspensions massive and guys will become quickly responsible. The real problem is the NHLPA and the owners.

[Esau.]

I'm of the belief that if you hit anyone hard enough in the wallet, whatever behaviour you are trying to curb will get curbed.

I would say that might work in sports, maybe. But outside in the world it's already proven not to curb anything - people still speed 150kmph on the highways even though there are 10-20k fines with possible jail time, people still drive without insurance even though looking at 10k+ fines for doing so, hell people still commit felony crimes with a 3 strike system (in the US) risking life in jail, or even the death penalty.

The only way I really see that working is if they are hit in their pay checks. Something that becomes part of their contracts. Because, big fines, long suspensions I doubt will curb this alone. Maybe a system where the player gets fined large, suspended large for a first offense and if it happens again not only do they get even bigger fines and longer suspensions, they also get dinged how much they are paid.

Only problem with that idea is, so many players already have 10-15 year contracts and breaking/changing those contracts would cause another big shitstorm all of it's own.

I say, redesign the rinks, and the equipment - mainly the helmets - full face masks, and enforce neck guards etc. Think of how many injuries over the last 10 years have been directly related to no face masks. The visor may help, but it doesn't stop a stick from still hitting the face. Problem there is the players themselves have already fought against that shit as well.

Perhaps slowing the game down, put the red line back in (eg: 2 line pass). Change to the icing calls, remove the touch, I dunno. But since the game made all these changes to "speed things up" or make it "more exciting" for the viewers we are seeing more and more injuries. I never understood how they figured games were too long begin with.

As for head shots, I don't know if we'll ever see those stop. I mean, not unless the game becomes non-contact. Not all head shots are on purpose/intentional and I'm not referring to the Habs/Bruins here, but in general.

[Booche]

Yes, I was definitely overzealous with my remark there Esau. Apologies to all but I do believe if players knew real suspensions would be handed out they would be more mindful on the ice.

And in case anyone doesnt know, when a player is suspended they forfeit their salary for those games. More Gillies examples, less Chara ones.

[Esau.]

All good man, wasn't sure. No apology needed. As for forfeiting salary, to be honest, I forgot about that. I was sort of thinking more along the lines of a reduction in salary overall. Unlikely I know, but I imagine it would curb a lot of bullshit we see on the ice now-a-days if a player knew he would lose say, 5k (as an example) overall on his total salary per year. They may think twice before pulling any crap.

I also like Lowroller's suggestion of re-education, which could no doubt be a huge hit to their pays.

[rubberdinghy]

The Plan: courtesty tsn.ca

In addition, Bettman suggested a five-step plan he intends to implement in an effort to curb concussions.

The first step involves former NHL All-Star and current NHL vice-president of hockey and business development Brendan Shanahan working with the NHL Players' Association on equipment reforms.

The second step would be to revise the current concussion protocol. If a player is suspected of being concussed during a game, that player must then be removed from the bench and taken to a quiet area where the player can be assessed by a medical doctor, who is not the team's athletic therapist. The player will then be given a SCAT test before he is cleared to return to play.

Third, in dealing with players who are deemed repeat offenders on illegal hits to the head, penalties will be assessed to not only the player, but also to the team and/or head coach.

Fourth, safety engineers will do a full evaluation of the playing area in each of the league's 30 rinks. Individual arenas will have to conform to higher safety standards (for example plexiglass versus seamless glass in some rinks).

The fifth and final step will be the assembling of a blue ribbon panel to continue to look at the issue of concussions going forward. That panel would consist of Shanahan, along with recently-retired defenceman Rob Blake, as well as Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman and Dallas Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk.

[PassedOutGuy]

Not that there arent any Canadian's on the panel but no one representing Canadian teams?

Shocking.

Edited March 15, 2011 by Guest

[Booche]

From the excellent Kerry Fraser Files on TSNdotCA.