Injuries In The NHL On The Rise: Heads Up!

I don't think poor Don Henderson (above) could get much prettier!

The subject of injuries to hockey players, specifically NHL players, has once again been thrust to the forefront.

With the focus primarily on the perceived  increase of " head-shots ", GMs, while meeting in Toronto this past week, agreed to em-panel a study group of managers  to research  the phenomenon. The group will report to the league’s General Manager meeting in February in Boca Raton.

“I do think there’s a sense that when there is a shot to the head to a player who is vulnerable or unsuspecting, there is something that could and perhaps should be addressed,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

 In researching this topic, I have found that while information is out there to be had, it is typically difficult to obtain with out joining dozens of medical groups, Dr's associations, and so on and so forth.

What follows, will be both very informative, and very opinionated, but there are a lot of very interesting 'angles' to acknowledge, so please, bear with me.

One of the most intriguing stats that I uncovered, is that, during a 10 year study, from '97-98 to '07-08, the number of concussions reported in the NHL has actually decreased .

According to an article in the Canadian Journal of Neurological Science, the number of concussion reported in that 10 year study was on a steady downward trend, however, also reported that while instances were down, time lost per instance was on the rise.

There are obviously many things that could be contributing factors to the the latter part of that stat and while I don't want to get into all of them, we will talk about a couple of the more commonly referenced ones.

Player Equipment

Don Cherry's now infamous rant on CBC's Hockey Night In Canada , had a great deal of validity to it.

Player equipment has easily passed the point of protection for the player and has long ago turned into something much more. Players who throw a body check are, and have been for a long time, almost at as much risk of injury as those receiving the check.

Over protection has also added a degree of "complacency" to the game. Players in general, are less worried about taking a legal hit because of the amount of protection they wear, so, are more likely to leave themselves in a position of vulnerability.

Players

There is no doubt that players have gotten bigger, stronger, and faster over the years, but, all that really means is, in 1920, you would have had a player who was about 5-9 and 172 pounds charging at you, with little or no padding. But, with a recognition, that his target was also similarly suited.

Now, the average size is about 6'2" and 210 pounds. With armor plating, and a healthy appetite for a big contract.

One of the biggest, and most disappointing changes in hockey over the last three decades or so, is the deterioration of respect that the players exhibit toward the game itself and consequently, other players.

Interference

I was listening to a radio show on AM640 the other day. The host and co-host were talking about of course the GM Meetings and the focus on head shot's.

They had former NHLer and Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito on. I could listen to that guy talk hockey 'til the cow's come home.

One of points that he made was, that the lack of any kind of interference, has increased the average speed of the player as well.

It may seem a little hair brained at first, but if you think about it, it's true.

Officiating

One of the troubles facing the league in response to this subject is officiating. There are many GM's, fans, and players who, although not a proponent of players getting hurt, are worried that introducing a new rule that specifically targets "Head Shots" will accomplish little more than take hitting out of the game.

"The hitting in the game is great," Washington Capitals GM George McPhee said. "Every once in a while you have to sit back and say, 'That hit may be legal, but is there something wrong with it?'"

"The most important thing is we're concerned about guys getting blindsided or kind of caught unaware," Ottawa Senators GM Bryan Murray said.

“A player should have an ability to anticipate a hit, prepare for a hit or avoid a hit,” Toronto GM Brian Burke said. “If he doesn’t have those, then I think the onus has to shift to the hitter. He’s got to deliver a safe hit.”  

The trouble with introducing a new rule is that the refs are still human. The current NHL Rule Book , already provides penalties designed to curtail these kinds of hits. They, like many other rules are simply not called on a constant basis are too open to interpretation.

In Closing

You don't see very many actual head shots , what you do see, are a lot of players moving faster, and hitting players who have become a little complacent because the figure that with all the armor they wear, they are inpenetrable.

This opinion of course, does not account for the idiots. That small percentage of players who simply don't think when they are on a collision course with some one who is 2-3 feet from the boards, and "could" turn towards them when it's too late to stop.

Some of these players, are dumb, some are just disrespectful and don't care, either way, these are the players we don't want in the game, the ice would automatically be a safer place to be!