If ever there was a warning being sounded it’s the fact that Sidney Crosby still hasn’t fully recovered from the concussion he received during 2 games in early January, including the New Year’s Classic. What’s also obvious is that the NHL either doesn’t care that the league’s best player still isn’t ready to play hockey 7 ½ months later or has absolutely no idea what to do about it. The NHL reviewed both plays, but neither player was handed any fine or suspension. Both were deemed to be not punishable given the league’s existing head shot rules.
Clearly there is a problem but the NHL doesn’t know what it is. They have made attempts to address hitting opponents to the head and to hitting from behind. Both are contributing factors, but they fail to address what I believe is the main problem, which is the equipment the players use today.
Back in the day equipment consisted of fabric containing padding with some bits of molded plastic. Today they are made primarily from composite materials that provide much better protection but also are a great deal harder than what the players used to wear. As a result, today’s players are almost entirely fearless since they know just how well protected they are. Once upon a time, players would slow up before delivering a hit, particularly into the boards. Nowadays it’s common to see a guy running into an opponent full tilt, creating a far more serious collision that’s more likely to cause a concussion. Players are also much bigger than they were even 25 years ago, compounding the problem.
Any professional sports league hoping to grow in popularity needs its best players to be active. Sidney Crosby being on the shelf is not helping the NHL’s profile. Not being able or willing to protect its best players won’t help their reputation either.
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