The nauseating sight of a concussed Marc Savard being carried off the ice on a stretcher Sunday will add even more controversy to the head shot debate when NHL general managers begin their annual three-day meetings in Florida on Monday.
With head shots already at the top of the GMs’ agenda, incidents involving the Boston Bruins’ Savard and the Toronto Maple Leafs’ John Mitchell this past weekend certainly pours fuel on this heated issue.
Does the NHL need to crack down on hits to the head? Should there be changes in player equipment, removing plastic from shoulder and elbow pads? Have your say in our forum.
As long as Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell operate in the league there will be a two tier system for head shots. Cooke's hit was exactly like Mike Richards and Richards got off with nothing.
Don, 2010-03-08 11:31:15
Yes. Eliminate blind side shots and shots with the shoulder, elbow and sticks to the head. Penalize players that enhance being hit to the head as well. Also, penalize players who retaliate against legal body checks against their team mates. Players should not feel intimidated with the prospect of retaliation when dishing out good clean body checks The NHL should remove the instigator rule as well.
Vince in Ottawa, 2010-03-08 11:00:05
I know I won't have many jumping on my idea, but how about changing the helmets and adding a small mask piece? What I'm suggesting is something very similar to football helmets with the steel guard around the chin/jaw areas. Football is by far, a more head-on-head sport and has less head injuries than hockey. Sure it would take time to get used to, but at least taking a shoulder pad to the face won't mean you're out for months. I seriously think the NHL should look at something like that.
Dave, 2010-03-08 10:42:58
AH, yeah. You're head can't take hits like your body can. It's one thing to get in a fight when you know the other guy is aiming for your head, but the cheap shots should be automatic game suspensions or worse. Players don't have eyes in the back of their head and therefore suseptible to anything that comes at there head even if they are wearing a helmet, it doesn't gurantee anything. especially if you're knocked unconcious and THEN hit the ice.
gerry, 2010-03-08 10:33:25
Does NHL need to crack down on hits to head?
Don, 2010-03-08 11:31:15
Vince in Ottawa, 2010-03-08 11:00:05
Dave, 2010-03-08 10:42:58
gerry, 2010-03-08 10:33:25