Dryden on the NHL's need to address concussions.

Well written article. I pretty much agree.

Wow. Just, wow.

Concussions: apparently they make you grow a wispy child molester mustache.

No time to read it right now, but now I know that banner ads are getting more and more aggressive.

Josh '99
Concussions: apparently they make you grow a wispy child molester mustache.

We've finally reached a point where our sports heroes actually aspire to be Jeff Kent.

RichH

Josh '99
Concussions: apparently they make you grow a wispy child molester mustache.

We've finally reached a point where our sports heroes actually aspire to be Jeff Kent.

As for mustaches, I saw Matt Moulson's last night. I didn't think it was very attractive.

It is December, Movember is over.

Rita
As for mustaches, I saw Matt Moulson's last night. I didn't think it was very attractive.

It is Decembeard, Movember is over.

FYP.

RichH

Rita
As for mustaches, I saw Matt Moulson's last night. I didn't think it was very attractive.

It is Decembeard, Movember is over.

FYP.

I'm saving myself for Fepubary.

To get back on topic, hair growth discussion in December ugh, another well written article about this topic by Dryden. He had started this last year, if I remember correctly. It is a serious problem and I only wish that Greenings penalty meant the hockey world was starting to take this seriously. The only hope the game has is to institute no fighting, as per NCAA, and game misconduct for any, even incidental, hit to the head. Subsequent hits, longer time out. Eventually they treat it like drugs and if someone keeps doing it he's out for weeks. Otherwise we may never see full careers from players like Crosby ever again.

Jim Hyla
To get back on topic, hair growth discussion in December ugh, another well written article about this topic by Dryden. He had started this last year, if I remember correctly. It is a serious problem and I only wish that Greenings penalty meant the hockey world was starting to take this seriously. The only hope the game has is to institute no fighting, as per NCAA, and game misconduct for any, even incidental, hit to the head. Subsequent hits, longer time out. Eventually they treat it like drugs and if someone keeps doing it he's out for weeks. Otherwise we may never see full careers from players like Crosby ever again.

The one difficult thing to address though is that its pretty difficult for some players to hit small players below the head. It basically means Zdeno Chara can only hip check St. Louis. Eric Lindros suggested that perhaps the game became too fast with the changes to increase offense and suggested reinstating the two line pass, and widening the rinks to Olympic sized rinks so there's more space to work with. Maybe the Big E's right?

css228

Jim Hyla
To get back on topic, hair growth discussion in December ugh, another well written article about this topic by Dryden. He had started this last year, if I remember correctly. It is a serious problem and I only wish that Greenings penalty meant the hockey world was starting to take this seriously. The only hope the game has is to institute no fighting, as per NCAA, and game misconduct for any, even incidental, hit to the head. Subsequent hits, longer time out. Eventually they treat it like drugs and if someone keeps doing it he's out for weeks. Otherwise we may never see full careers from players like Crosby ever again.

The one difficult thing to address though is that its pretty difficult for some players to hit small players below the head. It basically means Zdeno Chara can only hip check St. Louis. Eric Lindros suggested that perhaps the game became too fast with the changes to increase offense and suggested reinstating the two line pass, and widening the rinks to Olympic sized rinks so there's more space to work with. Maybe the Big E's right?

During the Rangers-Blues game last Thursday evening, John Davidson was in the MSG broadcast booth and concussions were one of the topics discussed. He suggested that the NHL could use a 200x92 ice surface (the size used in Finland, which the KHL is also switching to) if they wanted to add more room without going all the way to 200x100.

Josh '99

css228

Jim Hyla
To get back on topic, hair growth discussion in December ugh, another well written article about this topic by Dryden. He had started this last year, if I remember correctly. It is a serious problem and I only wish that Greenings penalty meant the hockey world was starting to take this seriously. The only hope the game has is to institute no fighting, as per NCAA, and game misconduct for any, even incidental, hit to the head. Subsequent hits, longer time out. Eventually they treat it like drugs and if someone keeps doing it he's out for weeks. Otherwise we may never see full careers from players like Crosby ever again.

The one difficult thing to address though is that its pretty difficult for some players to hit small players below the head. It basically means Zdeno Chara can only hip check St. Louis. Eric Lindros suggested that perhaps the game became too fast with the changes to increase offense and suggested reinstating the two line pass, and widening the rinks to Olympic sized rinks so there's more space to work with. Maybe the Big E's right?

During the Rangers-Blues game last Thursday evening, John Davidson was in the MSG broadcast booth and concussions were one of the topics discussed. He suggested that the NHL could use a 200x92 ice surface (the size used in Finland, which the KHL is also switching to) if they wanted to add more room without going all the way to 200x100.

I could be totally off-base, but wouldn't making the rinks bigger also allow players to go faster?

Ben

Josh '99

css228

Jim Hyla
To get back on topic, hair growth discussion in December ugh, another well written article about this topic by Dryden. He had started this last year, if I remember correctly. It is a serious problem and I only wish that Greenings penalty meant the hockey world was starting to take this seriously. The only hope the game has is to institute no fighting, as per NCAA, and game misconduct for any, even incidental, hit to the head. Subsequent hits, longer time out. Eventually they treat it like drugs and if someone keeps doing it he's out for weeks. Otherwise we may never see full careers from players like Crosby ever again.

The one difficult thing to address though is that its pretty difficult for some players to hit small players below the head. It basically means Zdeno Chara can only hip check St. Louis. Eric Lindros suggested that perhaps the game became too fast with the changes to increase offense and suggested reinstating the two line pass, and widening the rinks to Olympic sized rinks so there's more space to work with. Maybe the Big E's right?

During the Rangers-Blues game last Thursday evening, John Davidson was in the MSG broadcast booth and concussions were one of the topics discussed. He suggested that the NHL could use a 200x92 ice surface (the size used in Finland, which the KHL is also switching to) if they wanted to add more room without going all the way to 200x100.

I could be totally off-base, but wouldn't making the rinks bigger also allow players to go faster?

The speed is more of a north-south issue whereas having extra room going east-west creates more space to move and dodge... they don't want to make the game longer... just wider. The Olympic 200x100 is a tad large but I like the idea of 200x92. The game is better then ever as far as excitement and player skill. Maybe it's time to make it bigger as well.

Another thing to consider is the last Olympics in Vancouver. They played those games on NHL surfaces for the first time ever and the product was incredible and the pace was outstanding. There were no fights and the focus was solely on HOCKEY. The best in the game playing it to its capabilities... on smaller rinks. The sport at all levels needs to take the goonish behavior and disrespect out of the game. Fighting needs to go away and the skills of more talented players who are stuck in the AHL or below who can play at the elite level will be far better for the game then giving a roster spot to enforcers who might only see a few minutes every other game. Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Yes. Sean Avery is a somewhat different kind of asshole than Donald Brashear. His mom should be proud.

css228
Well written article. I pretty much agree.

Please move this to Alumni in the prose.

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

ftyuv

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

Maybe so. But it's a sideshow that a large number of the paying fans like to see. (Ever been to a minor league hockey game?)

KeithK

ftyuv

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

Maybe so. But it's a sideshow that a large number of the paying fans like to see. (Ever been to a minor league hockey game?)

Not many, but do we know they wouldn't like a well played, fast game. Just because someone gets excited about a fight doesn't mean they wouldn't come to a real game. We should give them the chance.

Jim Hyla

KeithK

ftyuv

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

Maybe so. But it's a sideshow that a large number of the paying fans like to see. (Ever been to a minor league hockey game?)

Not many, but do we know they wouldn't like a well played, fast game. Just because someone gets excited about a fight doesn't mean they wouldn't come to a real game. We should give them the chance.

And I care a lot more for the health of the skilled players than for the happiness of the cretins who enjoy seeing heads bashed in.

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla

KeithK

ftyuv

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

Maybe so. But it's a sideshow that a large number of the paying fans like to see. (Ever been to a minor league hockey game?)

Not many, but do we know they wouldn't like a well played, fast game. Just because someone gets excited about a fight doesn't mean they wouldn't come to a real game. We should give them the chance.

And I care a lot more for the health of the skilled players than for the happiness of the cretins who enjoy seeing heads bashed in.

I enjoy good physical hockey as much as the next guy, but you can't tell me it is good for the game when Giroux, Crosby, Pronger, and Mike Richards are out with concussions(just to name the stars, a much more complete list here). I don't like Crosby in the least, but I think the game is better with him on the ice than off the ice. I think the system of agitators and enforcers leads to a bit of a macho code where guys like Crosby and Giroux may no be able to have full NHL careers anymore, which is a shame. Hockey is a physical sport and that should never be taken away from the game if possible, but its hard to watch guys suffer lifelong consequences purely because they're our entertainment.

Al DeFlorio

Jim Hyla

KeithK

ftyuv

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

Maybe so. But it's a sideshow that a large number of the paying fans like to see. (Ever been to a minor league hockey game?)

Not many, but do we know they wouldn't like a well played, fast game. Just because someone gets excited about a fight doesn't mean they wouldn't come to a real game. We should give them the chance.

And I care a lot more for the health of the skilled players than for the happiness of the cretins who enjoy seeing heads bashed in.

don't get me wrong. I'm not a fan of fights. I like the no-fighting rule in college and would love to see it in the NHL. But you're preaching to the choir here. People who spend their time reading hockey internet forums are not necessarily reflective of the general viewing public.

If the majority of fans (or a large enough minority) enjoy seeing fights at hockey games then the owners are not going to be eager to make rule changes that eliminate them. Sure there's a cost benefit analysis involved (star out with a concussion vs. losing some part of the fan base) but since it's hard to put numbers on such things the status quo will be favored, inevitably.

The one thing that would quickly change things is concerted action on the part of the players. But I've heard plenty of anecdotal evidence to think that many players like the way things are now.

Jim Hyla

KeithK

ftyuv

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

Maybe so. But it's a sideshow that a large number of the paying fans like to see. (Ever been to a minor league hockey game?)

Not many, but do we know they wouldn't like a well played, fast game. Just because someone gets excited about a fight doesn't mean they wouldn't come to a real game. We should give them the chance.

As someone who lives near Elmira, NY and has been to a fair number of Elmira Jackals' (ECHL) games, I can say that it's very rare to find a fan who is not there to see fights in the game. That is what gets the fan base excited in Elmira. I find the same thing when talking hockey with the locals. It's all about fighting. When I try to preach the merits of a good hockey game, they look at me like I just arrived from another planet. So sad.... Let's relegate the sideshows to the local county fair!!

redice

Jim Hyla

KeithK

ftyuv

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

Maybe so. But it's a sideshow that a large number of the paying fans like to see. (Ever been to a minor league hockey game?)

Not many, but do we know they wouldn't like a well played, fast game. Just because someone gets excited about a fight doesn't mean they wouldn't come to a real game. We should give them the chance.

As someone who lives near Elmira, NY and has been to a fair number of Elmira Jackals' (ECHL) games, I can say that it's very rare to find a fan who is not there to see fights in the game. That is what gets the fan base excited in Elmira. I find the same thing when talking hockey with the locals. It's all about fighting. When I try to preach the merits of a good hockey game, they look at me like I just arrived from another planet. So sad.... Let's relegate the sideshows to the local county fair!!

Unfortunately, in a lot of NHL cities, it's the same. The loudest I've heard a Flyers game get during a non-playoff situation was during a fight. Sad.

Jeff Hopkins '82

redice

Jim Hyla

KeithK

ftyuv

css228

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Agitators are just as much of a problem as the enforcers. Enforcers exist to enforce respect in the game and Sean Avery respects no one on the ice. The game would be better without both.

Amen. The commonality between enforcers and agitators is that they're not there to play the game -- they're a sideshow.

Maybe so. But it's a sideshow that a large number of the paying fans like to see. (Ever been to a minor league hockey game?)

Not many, but do we know they wouldn't like a well played, fast game. Just because someone gets excited about a fight doesn't mean they wouldn't come to a real game. We should give them the chance.

As someone who lives near Elmira, NY and has been to a fair number of Elmira Jackals' (ECHL) games, I can say that it's very rare to find a fan who is not there to see fights in the game. That is what gets the fan base excited in Elmira. I find the same thing when talking hockey with the locals. It's all about fighting. When I try to preach the merits of a good hockey game, they look at me like I just arrived from another planet. So sad.... Let's relegate the sideshows to the local county fair!!

Unfortunately, in a lot of NHL cities, it's the same. The loudest I've heard a Flyers game get during a non-playoff situation was during a fight. Sad.

Hate to admit it, but I got into hockey because of the Legion of Doom line.

Jeff Hopkins '82

redice
As someone who lives near Elmira, NY and has been to a fair number of Elmira Jackals' (ECHL) games, I can say that it's very rare to find a fan who is not there to see fights in the game. That is what gets the fan base excited in Elmira. I find the same thing when talking hockey with the locals. It's all about fighting. When I try to preach the merits of a good hockey game, they look at me like I just arrived from another planet. So sad.... Let's relegate the sideshows to the local county fair!!

Unfortunately, in a lot of NHL cities, it's the same. The loudest I've heard a Flyers game get during a non-playoff situation was during a fight. Sad.

Think how often you see hockey fights highlighted on Sportscenter.

Trotsky

Josh '99

MotherPucker
Imagine going to an NHL game and seeing teams with four excellent lines all running at full tilt... 60 minutes of great hockey not marred by fights and senseless Sean Avery type stupidity. The bottom 5% of players in The NHL only serve one purpose and it isn't their skills with a puck

Sean Avery has never been suspended for an on-ice incident. He's an agitator, sure, but not a dangerous player. Can we stop lumping him in with the Donald Brashears and Marty McSorleys and Dale Hunters of the world?

Yes. Sean Avery is a somewhat different kind of asshole than Donald Brashear. His mom should be proud.

I never said he isn't an asshole, but I feel like a fan of the team that employed Billy Smith should understand that there's a place for assholes in hockey.

Dryden wrote another interesting article yesterday on hockey fights and Canadian hockey players' fighting spirit.
[www.grantland.com]

Another article on the topic in today's NY Times, with one hockey official defending fighting and one calling for its abolition from the game.

dbilmes
Another article on the topic in today's NY Times, with one hockey official defending fighting and one calling for its abolition from the game.

I think the rampant fighting is pathetic. Since getting back into watching NHL, I enjoy the quality of the hockey much more than I did a decade ago, but I find myself rolling my eyes whenever a fight starts. College players seem to have as much—if not more—passion for the game yet fights are rare at that level. I think it continues at the professional level simply because the league tolerates it as they need to attract the same type of rednecks who sit through the tedium of NASCAR races to see the occasional car crash.

Kyle Rose

dbilmes
Another article on the topic in today's NY Times, with one hockey official defending fighting and one calling for its abolition from the game.

I think the rampant fighting is pathetic. Since getting back into watching NHL, I enjoy the quality of the hockey much more than I did a decade ago, but I find myself rolling my eyes whenever a fight starts. College players seem to have as much—if not more—passion for the game yet fights are rare at that level. I think it continues at the professional level simply because the league tolerates it as they need to attract the same type of rednecks who sit through the tedium of NASCAR races to see the occasional car crash.

I'm torn. I'm really starting to wince when I see guys get whacked in the head in fights, but on the other hand, there's something to be said for players policing the game. That being said, I don't really see how my big goon fighting your big goon helps protect my star after he gets slashed by your small goon.

Dafatone
I'm torn. I'm really starting to wince when I see guys get whacked in the head in fights, but on the other hand, there's something to be said for players policing the game. That being said, I don't really see how my big goon fighting your big goon helps protect my star after he gets slashed by your small goon.

I think the root of the problem is the moral hazard of too much protective equipment allowing bigger, stronger players to go faster and hit harder with less concern for damaging themselves. I don't know how you solve that problem, though: who's going to advocate for a return to the days of tiny pads, no helmets, and smoking on the bench?

Kyle Rose

Dafatone
I'm torn. I'm really starting to wince when I see guys get whacked in the head in fights, but on the other hand, there's something to be said for players policing the game. That being said, I don't really see how my big goon fighting your big goon helps protect my star after he gets slashed by your small goon.

I think the root of the problem is the moral hazard of too much protective equipment allowing bigger, stronger players to go faster and hit harder with less concern for damaging themselves. I don't know how you solve that problem, though: who's going to advocate for a return to the days of tiny pads, no helmets, and smoking on the bench?

I don't even know if that would solve anything anymore. It's like the idea of removing helmets from football. You'd think that the players would slow down, but they'd probably just continue to go full speed and get that much more injured. I really don't know a good solution. Wider ice, maybe?

Dafatone

Kyle Rose

Dafatone
I'm torn. I'm really starting to wince when I see guys get whacked in the head in fights, but on the other hand, there's something to be said for players policing the game. That being said, I don't really see how my big goon fighting your big goon helps protect my star after he gets slashed by your small goon.

I think the root of the problem is the moral hazard of too much protective equipment allowing bigger, stronger players to go faster and hit harder with less concern for damaging themselves. I don't know how you solve that problem, though: who's going to advocate for a return to the days of tiny pads, no helmets, and smoking on the bench?

I don't even know if that would solve anything anymore. It's like the idea of removing helmets from football. You'd think that the players would slow down, but they'd probably just continue to go full speed and get that much more injured. I really don't know a good solution. Wider ice, maybe?

There are plenty of hits that are designed to separate the man from the puck, but there are also lots of hits that are designed to make the man "pay" for making a play. A lot of that isn't malicious, but just part of the culture that you should be prepared to take the hit so you can make the pass, take the shot, etc. I'd like to see those sorts of hits reduced, since that's where a lot of injuries come from, and those hits don't add much to the game (other than satisfying the bloodlust).

Part of that will come from shifting more responsibility to the hitting player. The league seems to have made a shift that it's no longer enough to not try to hurt the opponent -- you have to try to not hurt him. That raises the cost of those "make him pay" hits, hopefully to the point that they'll be reduced in frequency or strength.

they need to make it a strong enough penalty to the team to make it costly to do it. If every hit to the head were a 5 minute major (i.e. non-releasable) and the refs called it, you might make a den't in the injury rate.

Similarly, I think a high stick with blood or intent to injure should go back to a 5 minute major instead of a double minor.

I know all the rule changes designed to eliminate the trap and "open up play," are popular, but perhaps when defenders were allowed to play tighter to the puck-carrier, there was less room to gain speed before hits. Just a thought that this is a side-effect of the more open style of game.

RichH
I know all the rule changes designed to eliminate the trap and "open up play," are popular, but perhaps when defenders were allowed to play tighter to the puck-carrier, there was less room to gain speed before hits. Just a thought that this is a side-effect of the more open style of game.

Actually Eric Lindros suggested something similar in an interview before the Winter Classic. He suggested putting the red line back in might slow down some of the rushes through the neutral zone and might reduce injuries.

Mind you, in his case skating with your head up would have done a whole lot more good. That and not letting Scott Stevens be a head-hunter.

Jeff Hopkins '82

RichH
I know all the rule changes designed to eliminate the trap and "open up play," are popular, but perhaps when defenders were allowed to play tighter to the puck-carrier, there was less room to gain speed before hits. Just a thought that this is a side-effect of the more open style of game.

Actually Eric Lindros suggested something similar in an interview before the Winter Classic. He suggested putting the red line back in might slow down some of the rushes through the neutral zone and might reduce injuries.

Mind you, in his case skating with your head up would have done a whole lot more good. That and not letting Scott Stevens be a head-hunter.

True, he also suggested widening the rink to a KHL or even Olympic (I think KHL would be a much better idea as Olympic rinks basically take any and all physical aspect out of the game). If only he kept his head up instead of trying to force a play to LeClair.

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Jeff Hopkins '82

RichH
I know all the rule changes designed to eliminate the trap and "open up play," are popular, but perhaps when defenders were allowed to play tighter to the puck-carrier, there was less room to gain speed before hits. Just a thought that this is a side-effect of the more open style of game.

Actually Eric Lindros suggested something similar in an interview before the Winter Classic. He suggested putting the red line back in might slow down some of the rushes through the neutral zone and might reduce injuries.

Mind you, in his case skating with your head up would have done a whole lot more good. That and not letting Scott Stevens be a head-hunter.

True, he also suggested widening the rink to a KHL or even Olympic (I think KHL would be a much better idea as Olympic rinks basically take any and all physical aspect out of the game). If only he kept his head up instead of trying to force a play to LeClair.

That'll never happen. It'll cost about a million dollars per year in revenue per team to remove those seats. And that's just in the regular season.

Jeff Hopkins '82

css228
True, [Lindros] also suggested widening the rink to a KHL or even Olympic (I think KHL would be a much better idea as Olympic rinks basically take any and all physical aspect out of the game). If only he kept his head up instead of trying to force a play to LeClair.

That'll never happen. It'll cost about a million dollars per year in revenue per team to remove those seats. And that's just in the regular season.

Jeff's got the financial angle right. The teams just won't go for that. For which I am glad. This weekend was the first time in years I'd been to a game played on wide ice. And it was frustrating. Oh, Cornell adapted quite well to the larger playing surface. But there were so many times where a player skated in along the boards and with the natural flow of the game I would have expected the defender to challenge him physically. but with the added space the defender had to hang back. Logical but it makes for a very different game that is less enjoyable, IMO.

KeithK

Jeff Hopkins '82

css228
True, [Lindros] also suggested widening the rink to a KHL or even Olympic (I think KHL would be a much better idea as Olympic rinks basically take any and all physical aspect out of the game). If only he kept his head up instead of trying to force a play to LeClair.

That'll never happen. It'll cost about a million dollars per year in revenue per team to remove those seats. And that's just in the regular season.

Jeff's got the financial angle right. The teams just won't go for that. For which I am glad. This weekend was the first time in years I'd been to a game played on wide ice. And it was frustrating. Oh, Cornell adapted quite well to the larger playing surface. But there were so many times where a player skated in along the boards and with the natural flow of the game I would have expected the defender to challenge him physically. but with the added space the defender had to hang back. Logical but it makes for a very different game that is less enjoyable, IMO.

Agreed they'd never go for it on a purely financial motivation. I just think if concussions become even more major an issue, you may see teams willing to use drastic measures to address the problem. After all, a lot of people no longer watch boxing because of how brutal they find the sport. And I agree the Olympic ice is way too wide. KHL is 92.5x200 instead of 100x200 like Olympic (I think I have those figures right).

CHN on hits from behind.