Concussions coming out of the NHL isn't exactly a new phenomenon. You ask anyone who follows the league and they'll immediately tell you about the on-ice attack on Colorado's Steve Moore by Vancouver's Todd Bertuzzi or the shoulder to the head of Philadelphia's Eric Lindros by New Jersey's Scott Stevens. They may even mention that one hit on Boston's Marc Savard by Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke.
However, the argument over how to best stem the tide of these injuries has come to the forefront of the hockey world this year. After only 22 games played, there have been 18 confirmed concussions with countless other suspected concussions suffered across the league. Different groups are advocating for different ways to handle the pandemic but it is agreed overall that something needs to be done.
One of the new, more popular ways people have come up with solving the concussion issue is implementing a league wide ban on fighting. Mayo Clinic researchers conducted a study on concussions and determined that fighting could lead to serious, long term brain damage. Although they could find no direct link between hockey and long term brain trauma, they cited an Oct. 1 fight in which Montreal's George Parros was knocked unconscious as evidence to the negative effects of fighting.
Now many hockey fans would agree that fighting is a natural and almost essential part of the game. It's obvious to us that the game just wouldn't be the same without the occasional bout in the corner of the ice between one team's instigator and a player who was unfortunate enough to get his number taken down. But alas, not everyone sees it this way. The researchers over at Mayo Clinic claim that fighting is dangerous for the players and could become a liability issue for the league.
Now many hockey fans would agree that fighting is a natural and almost essential part of the game. It's obvious to us that the game just wouldn't be the same without the occasional bout in the corner of the ice between one team's instigator and a player who was unfortunate enough to get his number taken down. But alas, not everyone sees it this way. The researchers over at Mayo Clinic claim that fighting is dangerous for the players and could become a liability issue for the league.
Their solution? Not only a league wide ban on fighting but immediate ejection from the game, and automatic suspension for anyone involved in the fight. Seem a little ridiculous? I have to say I agree 100% with you there.
Banning fighting league wide would by far be one of the most absurd and entirely useless things the league has ever done, beating out the jersey tuck rule and the horrendous trapezoid rule (which is pretty hard to do).
Why do I say this? Probably because it's been shown that the rate of fighting induced concussions is minuscule. According to a study by Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital, 28% of concussions are caused by illegal hits to the head and 64% are caused by legal body checking . That leaves only 8% of concussions to be caused by fights on the ice
Banning fighting league wide would by far be one of the most absurd and entirely useless things the league has ever done, beating out the jersey tuck rule and the horrendous trapezoid rule (which is pretty hard to do).
Why do I say this? Probably because it's been shown that the rate of fighting induced concussions is minuscule. According to a study by Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital, 28% of concussions are caused by illegal hits to the head and 64% are caused by legal body checking . That leaves only 8% of concussions to be caused by fights on the ice
So the question then becomes, why don't we ban body checking of any kind if it's causing that many concussions? Because my dear Watson, it's hockey and body checking is an essential defensive and offensive maneuver and without it the game would basically be unplayable. You can attempt to say that younger kids still play hockey without the body checking, but those adorable children are not being paid millions of dollars to score goals and win games.
In my opinion, what the league really needs to be focusing on are those illegal hits to the head. This season alone the league has seen 11 suspensions ranging from 3 to 10 games for these illegal hits. But these suspensions just aren't enough.
In my opinion, what the league really needs to be focusing on are those illegal hits to the head. This season alone the league has seen 11 suspensions ranging from 3 to 10 games for these illegal hits. But these suspensions just aren't enough.
The refs are the beginning of the issue. The refs have a horrible tendency to miss these types of hits or to just not call them. It wouldn't necessarily be a problem if the league didn't reprimand the people who conducted the hits because then technically the hits are legal. But if the league gets involved and the refs didn't make the call, they're putting other players on the ice in danger by allowing the perpetrator to keep playing. A prime example of this was the hit on Boston's Chris Kelly by Florida's Jesse Winchester. So at the most basic level, the refs need to either be re-trained or need to be replaced because allowing this type of conduct to continue is not okay in any way.
But the biggest problem of all is how the league is handling these hits. Rule 48 was put into place in 2010 to help identify and punish those who illegally hit other players in the head. The rule has helped in some ways but according to the St. Thomas study, the rates of concussion did not decrease after it was implemented as it was initially hoped.
The rule may be ineffective due to the presence of repeat offenders and the leagues handling of them. The most recent example of this is Patrick Kaleta's hit on Columbus's Jack Johnson. Patrick Kaleta had been suspended twice before for other illegal hits resulting in concussions and yet he was continually allowed back into the league. With the most recent hit, he was only suspended 10 games despite it being his third offense resulting in serious injury. He would have been allowed to play again after his suspension had his team not decided to send him down to the AHL hoping that he would change his game.
But the biggest problem of all is how the league is handling these hits. Rule 48 was put into place in 2010 to help identify and punish those who illegally hit other players in the head. The rule has helped in some ways but according to the St. Thomas study, the rates of concussion did not decrease after it was implemented as it was initially hoped.
The rule may be ineffective due to the presence of repeat offenders and the leagues handling of them. The most recent example of this is Patrick Kaleta's hit on Columbus's Jack Johnson. Patrick Kaleta had been suspended twice before for other illegal hits resulting in concussions and yet he was continually allowed back into the league. With the most recent hit, he was only suspended 10 games despite it being his third offense resulting in serious injury. He would have been allowed to play again after his suspension had his team not decided to send him down to the AHL hoping that he would change his game.
Raffi Torres is another example of the league totally dropping the puck on these hits. Raffi Torres is the poster child for dirty players unwilling to reform their ways. He was suspended last season for 25 games, the longest suspension given to a player since 2007, after an illegal hit to the head on Chicago's Marian Hossa that kept Hossa from playing several games in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was the third time in 13 months Torres had been suspended for a questionable hit. And yet, the league let him keep playing. So in reality the rate of concussions may not have decreased because players are not being deterred enough by the new rule and it's punishments.
In my opinion what needs to happen is relatively simple: the league needs to stop acting like fighting is the biggest issue in the game and develop a zero tolerance/three strikes policy for hits to the head. Any kind of hit to the head that requires the victim to leave the ice and not return to the game should be strictly punished no questions asked. For repeat offenders, the penalties should increase in severity according to the number of offenses. If an offender illegally hits other players three times, they need to be removed from the league. Whether that be moving them down to the AHL or not, they should not be allowed to play in the league until it is proven they are capable of playing a clean game of hockey.
But alas, due to collective bargaining agreement and the NHLPA and general league tom foolery, these types of sanctions will never actually happen. But even if these types of sanctions don't, something does need to be done because it is obvious that the current way of doing things isn't working. So we as fans are left hoping that something changes before something more serious than a concussion occurs.
But until next time guys,
Keep calm and Bergeron!
In my opinion what needs to happen is relatively simple: the league needs to stop acting like fighting is the biggest issue in the game and develop a zero tolerance/three strikes policy for hits to the head. Any kind of hit to the head that requires the victim to leave the ice and not return to the game should be strictly punished no questions asked. For repeat offenders, the penalties should increase in severity according to the number of offenses. If an offender illegally hits other players three times, they need to be removed from the league. Whether that be moving them down to the AHL or not, they should not be allowed to play in the league until it is proven they are capable of playing a clean game of hockey.
But alas, due to collective bargaining agreement and the NHLPA and general league tom foolery, these types of sanctions will never actually happen. But even if these types of sanctions don't, something does need to be done because it is obvious that the current way of doing things isn't working. So we as fans are left hoping that something changes before something more serious than a concussion occurs.
But until next time guys,
Keep calm and Bergeron!