Shots to the Head

[Straight Shooter]

For the life of me I can't understand why NHL players continue to wrecklessly try to hurt opposing players by targeting the head? Last nights game between the Penguins and the Caps where Kris Letang leveling an elbow to the head of Marcus Johansson was a prime example of players not getting the message about the danger of concussions. Granted Johansson returned to the game but the League will no doubt have to suspend Letang for at least a minimum three games. Ever since the infamous hit on Marc Savard by Matt Cooke a few years back that ended Savard's playing career, there has been an endless amount of players taking the liberty of intentionly trying to hurt players. When will it all end?

[GordonH]

For the life of me I can't understand why NHL players continue to wrecklessly try to hurt opposing players by targeting the head? Last nights game between the Penguins and the Caps where Kris Letang leveling an elbow to the head of Marcus Johansson was a prime example of players not getting the message about the danger of concussions. Granted Johansson returned to the game but the League will no doubt have to suspend Letang for at least a minimum three games. Ever since the infamous hit on Marc Savard by Matt Cooke a few years back that ended Savard's playing career, there has been an endless amount of players taking the liberty of intentionly trying to hurt players. When will it all end?

This crap needs to be taking out of the game, clearly the players don't get so, playoffs or regular season does not matter. I don't care if player that gets hit is able to stay in the game or not..... headshot you are gone and its up to league when you can return.
On this one Kris should gets the very same as Brooks Orpik.

This off season NHLPA needs to gets the message out head shots ends now. League needs to increase suspension time + huge fines to player & team.
This crap needs to go now

[Straight Shooter]

GordonH, don't know if you had a chance to watch "Concussion" with Will Smith but what the NFL was trying hide under the carpet the NHL was doing the same thing. Role of the enforcer has pretty well been taken out of the game and replaced by stupid players who somehow haven't gotten the message. I'm like most hokey purist that really enjoy a hard hitting hockey game but a intentional shot to the head has no part in this game. I truly believe that hockey as we know it will no longer exist in around five to ten years if not sooner.

[GordonH]

GordonH, don't know if you had a chance to watch "Concussion" with Will Smith but what the NFL was trying hide under the carpet the NHL was doing the same thing. Role of the enforcer has pretty well been taken out of the game and replaced by stupid players who somehow haven't gotten the message. I'm like most hokey purist that really enjoy a hard hitting hockey game but a intentional shot to the head has no part in this game. I truly believe that hockey as we know it will no longer exist in around five to ten years if not sooner.

Hockey equipment today is almost like body armour, the amount of hard plastic on those elbow pads would be considered a weapon. It's no wonder players are being knocked silly, only 1 player on the ice that needs that heavy duty equipment thats goaltender.

Go back to equipment were both checker and one being check feels impact, bringing back the enforcer is not the answer either.

[Bsuds]

There should be a heavy fine, suspension and if the hit player is injured and can't return then the hittee can not return until the injured player can + his suspension.

For example if the injured player is out for a month then the one who hit him is out for a month plus his suspension tacked onto the end.

[GordonH]

There should be a heavy fine, suspension and if the hit player is injured and can't return then the hittee can not return until the injured player can + his suspension.

For example if the injured player is out for a month then the one who hit him is out for a month plus his suspension tacked onto the end.

Repeat (repeat means: second time, no third time even possible) offenders should be removed from the league.... no ifs.... no buts...... or maybes. That includes playing at any of farm clubs as well.
If Europe or KHL wants him so be it, can never return to NHL or play at any IIHF/Olympic's tournaments.

If a players career in on the line for getting a headshot then the player giving the headshot as well. Only difference being those giving only get 1 chance.
This will/should get every players attention

[dieseluphammerdown]

, bringing back the enforcer is not the answer either.

Sorry Gordon but I have to respectfully disagree.
Enforcers play a valuable roll in the game and one that should have never been eliminated all in the name of Europeanising the game.
Since the enforcers have been eliminated head shots have increased, stick work has increased , questionable hits from behind or blind side hits have increased.
The NHL so far hasn't eliminated this stuff through suspensions and fines , so the elimination of the enforcer has been a huge failure all imo of course.
Sometimes a few shots to the head with someone else's fist is the best deterrent for the opportunists of the league, and sometimes without this happening but the thought of it happening is enough to deter players.

There was a reason enforcers were brought into the league by teams and that reason was to protect smaller skilled players.
I believe it worked better than the current system, it wasn't perfect but was more effective than what we have now.

Millionaire players certainly don't fear losing a few thousand bucks or even suspension but most of them fear taking a physical beat down for their actions.

[GordonH]

, bringing back the enforcer is not the answer either.

Sorry Gordon but I have to respectfully disagree.

Enforcers play a valuable roll in the game and one that should have never been eliminated all in the name of Europeanising the game.
Since the enforcers have been eliminated head shots have increased, stick work has increased , questionable hits from behind or blind side hits have increased.
The NHL so far hasn't eliminated this stuff through suspensions and fines , so the elimination of the enforcer has been a huge failure all imo of course.
Sometimes a few shots to the head with someone else's fist is the best deterrent for the opportunists of the league, and sometimes without this happening but the thought of it happening is enough to deter players.

There was a reason enforcers were brought into the league by teams and that reason was to protect smaller skilled players.
I believe it worked better than the current system, it wasn't perfect but was more effective than what we have now.

Millionaire players certainly don't fear losing a few thousand bucks or even suspension but most of them fear taking a physical beat down for their actions.

Hmm... getting into a small fight on the ice (by other teams enforcer) or being kicked out of the NHL without pay contact nil & void. Which sends a stronger message.

[dieseluphammerdown]

Hmm... getting into a small fight on the ice (by other teams enforcer) or being kicked out of the NHL without pay contact nil & void. Which sends a stronger message.

The NHL would never ever under any circumstance kick guys out for dirty hits no matter how tough the NHL talks.
Simply it will not happen.

[GordonH]

The NHL would never ever under any circumstance kick guys out for dirty hits no matter how tough the NHL talks.
Simply it will not happen.

Just as league will not be bring the enforcer back.

This will come down to NHLPA actual standing up and somehow getting the message across to its membership. That headshot or any cheap shots needs to stop.

[dieseluphammerdown]

Just as league will not be bring the enforcer back.

This will come down to NHLPA actual standing up and somehow getting the message across to its membership. That headshot or any cheap shots needs to stop.

Hockey is an emotional game with body contact and huge adrenalin flowing.
Simply wanting things to stop is not enough, unless you want to eliminate hitting and the emotional part of the game.
Hockey like it or not is a violent game and players are going to from time to time cross the line by being caught up in the heat of battle.

[GordonH]

Just as league will not be bring the enforcer back.
This will come down to NHLPA actual standing up and somehow getting the message across to its membership. That headshot or any cheap shots needs to stop.

Hockey is an emotional game with body contact and huge adrenalin flowing.
Simply wanting things to stop is not enough, unless you want to eliminate hitting and the emotional part of the game.
Hockey like it or not is a violent game and players are going to from time to time cross the line by being caught up in the heat of battle.

So what you are saying is players are unable to stop hitting other players in the head.

I'm not saying clean hits be removed, only headshots & those stupid cheap shots.

[HP]

Hockey equipment today is almost like body armour

Really the situation comes down to player safety. I have considerable experience in this matter and I can say with absolute authority that the above observation has more to do with the situation than most people realize.

Some facts:

1) helmets were never designed to protect against brain injury - they were designed to protect against skull injury. The brain rattles around in your skull protected by a pretty thin membrane. The brain itself is kind of squishy and malleable so it can take an amount of jostling but helmet or no helmet, going from full speed skating to "0" is going to be bad

2) the body armour that players today wear basically mean that there is significantly reduced consequences to the person laying the hit. That is to say, if it hurt me as much to lay the hit as it did to receive it I might think twice about what I was doing.

3) Comments like "the league will never" are misguided. The NHL is a commercial enterprise like any other and they will respond to their customers. If people don't watch it and advertisers don't support it, things will change. So why people are watching and what really needs to change first?


I'm going to jump back on the helmet thing again for a second because 'better helmets' is NOT the answer. In a collision there is a certain amount of energy that needs to be expelled. Look at a player's helmet, where is it attached? His head. There is nowhere else for the energy to go. As long as the only point of attachment is the player's head, all the energy from impact will go into the player's head. There is some neat technology like crushable helmets that help reduce the speed of impact but they don't significantly slow the momentum inside the skull. Better equipment only gives the perception that one is 'safer' but that's not the case.

Anyway, fans who try to make head shots and unsafe player activity the league's problem to solve are actually just removing themselves from responsibility. Stop watching if it offends you. Write letters. The league will respond. This isn't me being crass of heartless but me saying that change is only driven when everyone is talking the same language and currency is a common language.

[Woodenhead]

The don cherry mentality of hockey is antiquated, misguided, and outright wrong. The NHL will be much better off after it eventually & inevitably moves away from it.

[Straight Shooter]

The don cherry mentality of hockey is antiquated, misguided, and outright wrong. The NHL will be much better off after it eventually & inevitably moves away from it.

Uh?