Hockey, Concussed

Good morning dear readers!

I had a professor simplify the concussion scenario in the NHL today. All he said was: "Concussions were happening long before they happened to Sidney Crosby. Now we're paying attention."

It's true. Lately we've seen an emphasis on head injuries in the NHL. I ask the question, more to myself than the community as a whole, "Why now?" When I first started watching hockey, concussions weren't a huge story. Once in a while I would hear something about Eric Lindros (especially when he retired in 2007 after sustaining eight concussions). I remember being at a game in Edmonton when the Oilers were facing Wayne Gretzky who was playing for the St. Louis Blues in 1996. He was hit pretty hard and the only NHL game I ever saw him play live was cut short in the first period by a head shot. My dad said something about head injuries, and that was the end of the conversation.

I've seen a recent trend in sports commentators talking more consistently about the dangers of head shots, head injuries and especially concussions. Part of it must be medical advancements that allow us to understand head injuries much better than we ever have in the past. With the death of Bob Probert and the subsequent revelation that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), there has been an increasing concern over what the sport of hockey does to its players in the long run. Sidney Crosby is only one of many who have been sidelined by concussions this season. The recent hit Zdeno Chara dealt to Montreal's Max Pacioretty, while not just a head shot, has called into question the physicality of the game, and the punishment mechanisms of the league.

I think we can all agree, head injuries are bad. Concussions are bad. We should be trying to curb the amount of games missed and careers cut short by head injuries. We should also be looking at ways to deal effective punishments for overly violent hits (whether that type of violence was intended or not). But how do we do this without losing the game we've all come to know and love: fast, physical, skillful, dangerous, tough and entertaining. I don't have all the answers. There are people much smarter than I am, and more connected to the sport than I am, trying to come up with a solution.

So what do we do? Make sure children coming up through the hockey system know that head injuries are dangerous, and head shots, violent or not, will not be tolerated. At all. As much as I enjoy a good fight here and there, young players should also know how that part of the game can seriously affect their lives. Knowledge is power and the right kind of training that includes the health aspects of a physical game and not just the skills on the ice can mean a world of difference.

What do you think?

Cheers,

Cait