Apparently, hockey players aren’t invincible. The NHL’s 30 general manager recently formed a committee that will investigate the the effects players exhibit after receiving repeated hits to the head.
A new rule may even be in place next season that would prohibit contact with the head – even with a shoulder.
The general managers will gather against a backdrop of America’s most popular professional league, the NFL, making several new moves to study head injuries and protect players in the wake of new studies and congressional pressure.
Several NHL players have been sidelined this season by concussions or related symptoms. Chicago captain Jonathan Toews, New York’s Chris Drury, Edmonton’s Sheldon Souray, Steve Staios and Robert Nilsson, and Florida’s David Booth, have been knocked out from blows to the head.
Some have argued against a head shot ban because of the judgment call that would be placed in referees’ hands. Some call for any head contact being a foul, whether or not it’s determined to be intentional.
The biggest argument against a total ban is the difference in size of players. If a 6-foot-4 defenseman crashes into a 5-foot-11 forward, his otherwise legal shoulder hit might land at head level.
Even the most optimistic observers know this would only be a small step in the attempt to limit concussions in a sport that involves violent contact at tremendous speed. Rules and equipment only go so far, and injuries will always be part of the game.
Contact to the head is unavoidable, but the league needs to handle the situation accordingly. A hockey referee should be able to tell whether a hit is malicious or not. The league can fix the problem by just dolling out harsher suspensions for violators.
Nevertheless, an in-depth study is long overdue.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
