Concussion vs The NHL
When the NFL settled its concussion case for $765 million in august, it was only a matter of time until the NHL's lawyers would be facing the same suit.
Concussion is a very real part of hockey with heads hitting ice, boards and fists in pretty much every game. NHL poster boy Sidney Crosby has missed a lot of games through concussion related injury. Chris Pronger hasn't played a game of hockey since 2011 for the same reason.
What started as a 10 man lawsuit now has over 200 names and is expected to get bigger, although whether or not it reaches the almost 5000 names that the NFL suit did remains to be seen.
The original 10 players were enforcers in the 70s, 80s and 90s, a role that by design is going to attract the most punches. Former Avalanche enforcer Scott Parker recently told the Denver Post about his daily struggles due to concussion issues. Although he says that he knew the risks and isn't part of the suit.
A number of allegations have been made, the gist being that despite being aware of the dangers of head trauma, the NHL took no steps to protect players until 2010.
This is because it was in 2010 that Rule 48: Illegal check to the Head was introduced. This rule made targeted hits to head specifically illegal and punishable by a five minute major and game misconduct. In addition to this, the rule comes with the threat of supplementary action. A lot of which we've seen recently.
Jeremy Roenick, who suffered several concussions throughout his career has also spoken out against the suit, speaking to the AP he said: "I've always lived in the fact that I played the game of hockey knowing there was a lot of risk to be taken". The ex-Flyer went on to say: "I went on the ice knowing that my health and my life could be altered in a split second, and I did it because I loved the game." His most telling comment about the players named being: "They can put themselves in public. They can go after the league that they craved to be in since they were little kids and paid their salary."
Former NFL player and lead lawyer in the NFL case Mel Owens has taken up the NHL case saying "They knew it was a problem when you saw guys knocked out on the ice, and they sold it,"
NHL Commissioner (and lawyer) Gary Bettman has referred to the suit as being "a lawsuit without merit".
To be continued...
The original 10 players were enforcers in the 70s, 80s and 90s, a role that by design is going to attract the most punches. Former Avalanche enforcer Scott Parker recently told the Denver Post about his daily struggles due to concussion issues. Although he says that he knew the risks and isn't part of the suit.
A number of allegations have been made, the gist being that despite being aware of the dangers of head trauma, the NHL took no steps to protect players until 2010.
This is because it was in 2010 that Rule 48: Illegal check to the Head was introduced. This rule made targeted hits to head specifically illegal and punishable by a five minute major and game misconduct. In addition to this, the rule comes with the threat of supplementary action. A lot of which we've seen recently.
Jeremy Roenick, who suffered several concussions throughout his career has also spoken out against the suit, speaking to the AP he said: "I've always lived in the fact that I played the game of hockey knowing there was a lot of risk to be taken". The ex-Flyer went on to say: "I went on the ice knowing that my health and my life could be altered in a split second, and I did it because I loved the game." His most telling comment about the players named being: "They can put themselves in public. They can go after the league that they craved to be in since they were little kids and paid their salary."
Former NFL player and lead lawyer in the NFL case Mel Owens has taken up the NHL case saying "They knew it was a problem when you saw guys knocked out on the ice, and they sold it,"
NHL Commissioner (and lawyer) Gary Bettman has referred to the suit as being "a lawsuit without merit".
To be continued...
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