Quote:
Originally Posted by Fidatelo
It's really scary, and quite frankly I don't know what to make of it. Star players are dropping like flies, which just cannot go on. The Crosby situation is terribly sad, but if something good can come out of it hopefully it's that this epidemic is dealt with faster than it otherwise would be.
As for solutions, that's where it gets tough. I was discussing it with some co-workers the other day and we all kind of agreed that the first place to start is likely equipment. Get rid of the hard-plastic upper-body gear. I'd also get rid of composite sticks to lower the speed of pucks (and get rid of all the breaking sticks, but that's not a safety issue), although I don't see that one actually happening.
After equipment, I guess you look at lengthening suspensions even more. Make guys not just think twice, but about 5 times, before they make any kind of hit that might be questionable. Give Malkin 5 games for trying to chicken-wing Giroux even though he didn't connect (see video above). Make a blatant hit from behind worth 20 games, 30 games, heck 40 games. Hit these guys' pockets super hard.
And of course, get rid of fighting.
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I definitely think equipment has a lot to do with things...harder and lighter that essentially turns players in to well protected missiles. Without fear of injuring yourself then there is no fear when it comes to making contact with somebody else.
But, along with that is the speed that everybody is flying at when these collisions take place. Whether it be at center ice or along the glass (which is intentionally "soft" so hitting it is not painful at all...like it used to be when there was no flex what so ever) brain matter is getting jumbled that much quicker because of the speed of the game. Same goes for football, actually.
Now, are concussions really "up" nowadays or is the league (and the medical community) paying more attention to them? I find it hard to believe that suddenly it's an issue when a few years ago it wasn't. The game hasn't changed in 5 years...heck, a lot of these suspendable hits we're talking about today weren't even looked at twice five years ago.
So I'm guessing the problem has been there for quite some time but was swept under the rug. If you can skate and want to be out there, then get out there is what most players would say happens after getting their bell rung. I know I got my bell rung plenty of times and maybe I sat for a shift or two but the only time I didn't finish a game or practice was when I busted my wrist...and even then the coach asked if I could still play or if I needed my "daddy" to take me to the hospital.
Times have changed...and probably for the better. Sure, to most of us who grew up being told to "walk it off" or "suck it up" the research is telling us that doing just that could put your life in jeopardy in the future. Had we known that stuff 20, 30, etc...years ago, would we have walked it off and gone back out there? Would they have let us?