NHL VP/Player Safety & Hockey Operations Brendan Shanahan would not disclose his concussion figures but indicated that head injuries are “tracking right on the same pace as they were last season,” according to James Mirtle of the GLOBE & MAIL. What has changed is that “the number of man-games lost to those concussions is on the rise.” Still, the numbers are “viewed as a positive by those in attendance" at the NHL GM meetings, who for the "most part seemed to agree with Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke that the issue is not quite the ‘epidemic’ it's often made out to be.” Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman said, “Guys maybe came back too soon in the past. Now we're doing a better job of making sure players are ready to play” (GLOBE & MAIL, 3/13). In Montreal, Pat Hickey notes the GMs are meeting to discuss safety issues and rule changes but, if the first day “was an indication, there will be no serious moves toward preventing concussions.” While there are those who “believe there has been an epidemic of concussions,” that opinion “is not shared by the general managers.” Burke yesterday said that hockey “is a contact sport and, while the league is looking at ways to limit head injuries, the number of such injuries ‘will never be zero’" (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 3/13). NHL Network's Barry Melrose said league officials are "going to find ways to decrease injuries, and they are going to find ways to protect the players more." Melrose: "I have already seen a change in hits from behind and I have already seen a change in hits to the boards. ... The players are listening and they are taking that into account” (“NHL Live,” NHL Network, 3/12).
MOOT POINT? YAHOO SPORTS’ Nicholas Cotsonika noted the GMs “seem to have reached the point where they are past making major changes and are down to making tweaks.” Though they “want concussions to decrease, they feel if they go much further hockey won’t be hockey anymore.” Burke said hockey is “a full-contact sport.” Burke: “We’re never going to get it to zero. It wouldn’t be worth watching if it were at zero.” Still, Hurricanes President & GM Jim Rutherford “remains among the minority who would ban all contact to the head.” Rutherford said, “I don’t think this is something that’s getting worse.” NHL Senior VP/Hockey Operations Kris King said that “compared to this point last season, the rate of concussions is flat and the man games lost to concussions is up.” Cotsonika wrote, “Shouldn’t the rate of concussions be lower after everything the league has done? Yes, of course. Ideally. But the diagnosis of concussions has become more aggressive while the treatment of them has become more conservative.” Red Wings Senior VP & GM Ken Holland said, “It’s supposed to be a hard game. That’s why players play it” (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 3/12). Panthers RW Krys Barch said, “I don’t know why you try to correct what’s working. The hits are always part of the game.” He added, “That’s part of the sport. We get paid huge money to do it and most of the time you get paid big money it comes with a lot of risks involved and we’re compensated. We know that risk when we step on the ice so you go along with it, so everybody just shut up!” (SUN-SENTINEL.com, 3/12).
