Have Hope for Hockey

Now that our girls won Gold in Hockey at the Olympics and everyone is noticing the sport, it is time that we take notice of the concussion crisis permanently injuring hockey players. The problem with concussions in sports is not a new idea for most other sports. Hockey is one of the fastest and most violent sports but yet no one seems to be concerned with the player’s overall health. The issue with head injuries have escaped the focus in the sport. Why is the National Hockey League the only league that is still denying what most consider established science?

Steve Montador was a hockey player that people witnessed his mental state slowly deteriorating before his death and called upon the NHL community to establish a formal exit-procedure for players suffering from post-concussion syndrome. He died at just 35 years old and was recently retired from the NHL. Steve had a 10 year NHL career that included 19 concussions. Steve went from a fun loving guy to a severe recluse with memory loss. At the time of his death he was diagnosed with CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, that is a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in people with a history of repetitive brain trauma (often athletes), including symptomatic concussions as well as asymptomatic subcussive hits to the head that do not cause symptoms.

So can hockey kill you? The NHL doesn’t think so. The NHL said,” We do not agree that there is any link between Steve’s death and his NHL career.” Commissioner for the NHL Gary Bettman insists that there is no proof that hockey can lead to CTE.  Shouldn’t the league be taking precautions anyway to protect their most valued players? There is a mountain of scientific evidence that getting hit in the head is very destructive. When inaction happens when action is possible then that is when this League is inexcusable!

Dead hockey players who have been reported to have suffered from CTE are adding up in numbers. There is a Class Action lawsuit pending in Minnesota against the NHL now on behalf of the sick players. Depression, anxiety and memory loss is big among hockey players. Something should be done about this mounting problem other than just put them in the penalty box for a while when the League benefits financially greatly from their fighting drama on the ice rink. The NHL is not the first League to deny long term brain damage. For years the NFL, The National Football League denied that their sport could cause long term brain damage. We have these Leagues of denial.

Eventually the NFL finally linked the sport to concussions before Congress. The NHL refuses to follow suit. The fact remains that trauma to the brain doesn’t matter whether it comes from Football or Hockey or any other sport. Trauma to the brain is damaging. Period! Scientists have proven that stress and hits to the brain causes the destruction of brain neurons. Anytime you damage a neuron, it is permanent! Neurons don’t grow back. So elbow to the head, stick to the head, head to the head, head to the floor, fist to the head WILL kill your neurons in the brain. It is all traumatic impacts to your brain.

Read the book called Game Change by Ken Dryden who was considered one of the greatest players of his generation, that is all about the destruction of hockey player Steve Montador’s life and death.  Why are hits to the head and fighting still   legal in Hockey? Yes, the players get penalized but most regard it all as just part of the game. We need to impose rules in hockey that just concentrates on the passing of the puck for success and cut out all the destructive drama on the ice. The NHL is a $4 billion dollar League and can put some resources into player’s safety. At least get a player off the ice immediately after they received an hard hit by another player. The NHL owners have to stop being sociopaths and have some compassion for the players they benefit financially from.

Now that our amazing women won Gold at the Olympics in Hockey my fear is that it will bring more young girls and men to the sport but without any protection from the league for their health and well-being.