Gary Bettman: NHL Banning Head Shots Would Lead to End of All Hitting

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman cautioned against legislating out all head shots from hockey because of the domino effect it could potentially cause for other forms of physicality on the ice. 

According to the Canadian Press (via the CBC), Bettman testified Wednesday in front of the Parliament of Canada that "there would be no more body checking" if the NHL were to issue a blanket ban on hits to the head.

He argued taller players, in particular, would be at a disadvantage since they'd have an increased risk of inadvertently striking an opponent in the head when going for a normal check.

Bettman's comments come amid calls for the NHL to do more to look out for the safety of its players.

The PBS documentary League of Denial helped shed light on the NFL's handling of concussions in the past and how players who suffered multiple concussions in their playing careers battled medical issues long after they retired.

The topic soon migrated to the NHL. In a piece for The Players' Tribune last June, Nick Boynton wrote he suffered eight to 10 documented concussions when he played in the league from 1999 to 2011. He added that more concussions likely went unreported.

In November, the NHL reached a settlement with a group of over 100 former players who had filed a lawsuit alleging the league failed to provide the necessary information regarding the long-term effects of concussions.

During his testimony, Bettman downplayed the risk of players suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) later in life as a result of the punishment they absorbed during their careers.

"I don't believe there has been, based on everything I've been told—and if anybody has information to the contrary, we'd be happy to hear it—other than some anecdotal evidence, there has not been that conclusive link," he said.

TSN's Rick Westhead reported Tuesday that Kelli Ewen, the widow of former NHL player Todd Ewen, filed a lawsuit against the league in California after her husband was posthumously diagnosed with CTE. In the suit, Ewen alleges the NHL is "profiting off of a culture of violence and continuing to downplay the potential long-term consequences of repeated brain trauma."