The
purpose of the skull is to protect the brain but it’s not
built to take the impact of a body check from a 200 lbs hockey
player.
Hockey lovers might say a good body check is part of the game,
but these hard hits (cheap shots included), are resulting in
a frightening frequency of concussions that show the brain is
too fragile to stand the increased violence.
In the 1993-94 NHL season, players were sidelined for a combined
60 games with head injuries.
By 1997-98, that number had skyrocketed to 428 games lost due
to concussions and their after-effects known as post-concussion
syndrome.
Why the increase?
Bigger players, small rinks and an inherent lack of respect between
NHL players.
According to a 1998 report in Hockey News, players have grown
an average of three inches and gained 15 lbs since 1972.
While the players have gotten bigger, the size of rinks has remained
the same.
The likelihood of cities pouring millions of dollars into building
bigger rinks is slim.
One solution might be to extend the overtime rule of four-on-four
hockey to the entire game.
Some hockey fans complain the addition of hockey franchises to
the NHL has diluted the skill.
Four-on-four hockey would free up more space, get rid of some
of the goons and give skilled players a better chance to work
their magic — scoring goals.
In the ’80s it seemed as if goal-scoring superstars like
Wayne Gretzky were untouchable. It was about respect as well
as the repercussions if Gretzky was so much as scratched —
a flurry of knuckles delivered by the likes of tough-guy Dave
Semenko who was signed for the purpose of protecting Gretzky.
Now high-calibre players such as Eric Lindros, Paul Kariya, Pat
LaFontaine and, most recently, Mike Modano, are seeing stars
from concussions.
Modano has been the most outspoken about being flattened (by
Anaheim Mighty Ducks’ defenceman Ruslan Salei).
He’s calling for the NHL to give longer suspensions in order
to send a message that gratuitous violence won’t be tolerated.
“Do we have to wait for someone to be paralyzed or killed
before the league, teams and players come together and act?”
asked Modano.
Sadly, Modano might be right.
I guess the thought of a player’s brain being squashed against
the inside of his skull, causing bleeding and possible neurological
damage, doesn’t turn the NHL’s stomach. It’s become
commonplace.
It might just take a top-rated player crumpling to the ice, carried
off on a stretcher and hospitalized for the NHL to take notice.
There will be questions raised about the prospects of him ever
walking again, let alone playing hockey. Maybe then the NHL will
realize it needs to protect its players. |