In 1965, Ralph Nader penned Unsafe at Any Speed, a book that took an in-depth look at the auto industry and its lack of safety standards. The book was a huge seller and launched Nader into a career of activism and later failed Presidential bids. Nader’s latest target just happens to be in the world of sports—fighting in the NHL.

Nader recently penned an open letter to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman compelling Bettman to ban hits to the head and, more specifically, fighting from the game.

Early in the letter, Nader proclaims:

Continuing to downplay what we know about sports-based brain injuries, while simultaneously supporting fighting as an elemental aspect of the NHL game, is simply irresponsible.

To say that the NHL downplays what is known about brain injuries is irresponsible and not based on any type of knowledge of the strides that have been made by the NHL as far as care for its concussed players. The NHL’s program is one that every other major sport should strive to emulate. 

Nader then goes on to say that head trauma shortened the careers of:

Pat LaFontaine, Eric Lindros, and Keith Primeau.  Currently, concussions are threatening the careers of Pittsburgh Penguins’ superstar Sidney Crosby and the Philadelphia Flyers’ Chris Pronger.  Three enforcers, Derek Boogard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak, whose primary job was to protect teammates by throwing fists at the heads of opponents, have died in the past year.  It’s certainly possible the brain trauma they received on the ice from their fellow combatants played a significant role in their deaths.

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

To those with knowledge of the game, these words are easy to dismiss, because everyone that follows hockey is fully aware that the concussions of LaFontaine, Lindros, Primeau, Crosby and Pronger were not tied to fighting. 

The other point that I take great umbrage with is the statement that “it’s certainly possible” that head trauma suffered by Boogaard, Rypien and Belak contributed to their deaths. That is an irresponsible statement based on pure speculation with no basis in research. Nader’s words on the last three players are pure opinion, used to influence the reader. In fact, the reverse argument could just as easily be made that head trauma did not cause the deaths of those players.

The problem with Nader’s claims is that hockey fans won’t just read them; instead, they will be seen by individuals that are not familiar with the game. These non-fans may very well take Nader’s word as truth, which helps Nader further his agenda, but it does nothing to advance the overall debate on how to take head injuries out of the game while still keeping the game exciting and physical.

While I appreciate that Nader seems to have an interest in the game we know and love, I feel that the NHL is doing fine on its own. Fights per game are dropping without any outside influence and the NHL is by far the most advanced sport when it comes to care of players that suffer brain injuries.

In closing, I would like to say thanks, but no thanks to Mr. Nader, the NHL and its fans do not need his influence in our game.