A lot of concussions early on in NHL.

[Deuce]

Unreal. Seems like a ton so early on. What is the cause?

[jjgold]

Cheap shots and suspensions not tough enough.

[PuckOff]

It's not just cheap shots at all. There is a lack of respect in the league these days, but cheap shots have been part of the game since it was invented in NS, Canada eons ago.

The main reason for injuries is because the league has approved shoulder and elbow pads made of kevlar type of material.

Hockey is a violent sport period. I love it, but the league needs to go back to making the players play with gear that was used in the 60's and 70's. The players are also huge now with better conditioning and who work out all year long.

Here is a pic of current "gladiator" type of shoulder pads that hockey players wear

Here is a pic of current "old school" type of shoulder pads that hockey players wore in the 70's and 80's

I actually still wear the old school pads whenever I get out for a pickup game which is rare these days.

Also look at the sticks players use. These are 1 piece sticks made of composite materials which increases the speed at which the puck leaves the blade of the stick. Sadly technology plays an important part of the game.

[keyboarding]

Instigator rule means guys can **** around without consequence. The space on the ice is getting smaller as players are getting bigger. It's inevitable, really.

[Deuce]

It's not just cheap shots at all. There is a lack of respect in the league these days, but cheap shots have been part of the game since it was invented in NS, Canada eons ago. The main reason for injuries is because the league has approved shoulder and elbow pads made of kevlar type of material. Hockey is a violent sport period. I love it, but the league needs to go back to making the players play with gear that was used in the 60's and 70's. The players are also huge now with better conditioning and who work out all year long. Here is a pic of current "gladiator" type of shoulder pads that hockey players wear Here is a pic of current "old school" type of shoulder pads that hockey players wore in the 70's and 80's I actually still wear the old school pads whenever I get out for a pickup game which is rare these days. Also look at the sticks players use. These are 1 piece sticks made of composite materials which increases the speed at which the puck leaves the blade of the stick. Sadly technology plays an important part of the game.

So true. Shanny still wears his old pair. Cheli did too. I still rep the old Probert pads, Coopers with blue trim. Could be worse though, could be Lilja and decide to fight Weber and take an upper cut to the noggin and never be right for the rest of your life. A fight you instigate and get hammered, unreal.

[lakerboy]

nhl HAS NO BALLS TO GET BULLSHIT OUT OF THE GAME. tHEY NEED TO HAND OUT REAL SUSPENSIONS. when guys sit for 10-15 games on a regular basis they will learn. no other major sport tolerates bullshit to that extent. but then again thats what you get when you have a bunch of uneducated kids coming from places like newfoundland and northern ontario.

[keyboarding]

nhl HAS NO BALLS TO GET BULLSHIT OUT OF THE GAME. tHEY NEED TO HAND OUT REAL SUSPENSIONS. when guys sit for 10-15 games on a regular basis they will learn. no other major sport tolerates bullshit to that extent. but then again thats what you get when you have a bunch of uneducated kids coming from places like newfoundland and northern ontario.

Mmhmm.

Then again, I still prefer the NHL's violence and lack of discipline to the "foul" calls and flopping in NBA and soccer.

[DwightShrute]

Instigator rule means guys can **** around without consequence.

rid the rule

and the elbow pads are harder than ever.

[pavyracer]

Get rid of helmets and pads. Most concussions are caused by helmet to helmet collisions.

[Deuce]

Get rid of helmets and pads. Most concussions are caused by helmet to helmet collisions.

We're talking NHL not NFL.

[keyboarding]

Get rid of helmets and pads. Most concussions are caused by helmet to helmet collisions.

What are you talking about?

[tullamore]

Well said PuckOff.

[pavyracer]

What are you talking about?

If you compare the number of concussions on sports not requiring helmet protection to the number of concussions on sports requiring a helmet you will find out that there are much more concussions in sports wearing helmets. Wearing a helmet gives you a false sense of security and you tend to do stupid things with your head which you shouldn't have done if not wearing a helmet knowing what the consequences of your actions would cause.

[keyboarding]

If you compare the number of concussions on sports not requiring helmet protection to the number of concussions on sports requiring a helmet you will find out that there are much more concussions in sports wearing helmets. Wearing a helmet gives you a false sense of security and you tend to do stupid things with your head which you shouldn't have done if not wearing a helmet knowing what the consequences of your actions would cause.

This is a strange argument. Excuse my ignorance but what sports are team contact sports that don't require a helmet? Rugby?

[pavyracer]

This is a strange argument. Excuse my ignorance but what sports are team contact sports that don't require a helmet? Rugby?

Rugby, aussie football, soccer, basketball etc

[bruceBRUCEbruce]

Instigator rule means guys can **** around without consequence.

worst rule in all of sport.

you can't just outlaw hits to the head in the NHL without taking hitting out of the game. keep your head up, kids. heard it literally a 1000 times playing as a kid.

and I'm not saying that hitting someone up high on purpose isn't cheap/dirty/suspendable.

but the hits on booth and toews recently were good hits. lovely hits actually.

[keyboarding]

You're putting basketball and soccer in the same contact class as hockey and football?

[pavyracer]

You're putting basketball and soccer in the same contact class as hockey and football?

Having played both games in college I can assure you get equal amount of body shots as in hockey and football. You think hockey is tough but I can break your leg with one kick or break your nose with one elbow playing either soccer or basketball. And there is no padding or helmet to absorb the hit.

[keyboarding]

Having played both games in college I can assure you get equal amount of body shots as in hockey and football. You think hockey is tough but I can break your leg with one kick or break your nose with one elbow playing either soccer or basketball. And there is no padding or helmet to absorb the hit.

Sure, but shots to the leg won't cause concussions. Frankly, basketball and soccer at the professional level are flop sports nowadays. To compare them to football and hockey is kind of ridiculous.

As for rugby, that's a valid point. I did a quick Google search and found this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC155428/

Seventeen concussions were recorded, accounting for 25% of all reported injuries. The incidence rate for concussion was 3.8 per 1000 athlete-exposures (95% confidence interval, 2.0–5.7) or 11.3 per 100 player-seasons (95% confidence interval, 5.9–16.7). Of the 17 concussions, 14 were Cantu grade 1, 2 were grade 2, and 1 was grade 3. Concussions accounted for 25% of all days lost from rugby participation due to injury.

The incidence of concussion in this study was higher than previously reported in other studies. Methodologic limitations and administrative rules that required suspension for injured players may have suppressed reporting in previous epidemiologic studies. The incidence of concussion in rugby is probably much higher than previously suggested.

Now, maybe this study is ****ed, I don't know, but it doesn't sound like rugby should be in the low concussion category.

[Richkas]

A lot of concussions early on in NHL.

Let them kill each other.

[element1286]

Too many guys using hitting as a way of sending a message, and not to separate a player from the puck. So we see a ton of hits on guys who have just released the puck, but are in a vulnerable position. Yes, the Mike Richards hit recently was legal per the rulebook, but his intention was to hurt Booth, not separate him from the puck. These type of hits occur way to often, and many players look for them. And are the type of hits that almost always result in a concussion.

[pavyracer]

Sure, but shots to the leg won't cause concussions. Frankly, basketball and soccer at the professional level are flop sports nowadays. To compare them to football and hockey is kind of ridiculous.

As for rugby, that's a valid point. I did a quick Google search and found this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC155428/



Now, maybe this study is ****ed, I don't know, but it doesn't sound like rugby should be in the low concussion category.

Half the penalties is both hockey and football are flops. I'm tired of watching umpires throw flags when a QB is barely touched or a WR is "interfered". Hockey players are notorious for exaggerating mild hits to get a penalty called.

[keyboarding]

Half the penalties is both hockey and football are flops. I'm tired of watching umpires throw flags when a QB is barely touched or a WR is "interfered". Hockey players are notorious for exaggerating mild hits to get a penalty called.

Sure, but when was the last time there was a big hit where a guy got carted off in the NBA? And how much time passed between the one before that? Same with soccer, though they bring the cart out all the time, but you know what I mean.

[pavyracer]

Sure, but when was the last time there was a big hit where a guy got carted off in the NBA? And how much time passed between the one before that? Same with soccer, though they bring the cart out all the time, but you know what I mean.

I don't know what you mean. I see elbows flying in NBA and vicious hits in soccer with players breaking legs, ankles or cut at the eyebrows from head butts.

[Deuce]

Paver, soccer has the biggest creed of flopping pussies in all of sports. Basketball next followed by hockey.

[bruceBRUCEbruce]

Too many guys using hitting as a way of sending a message, and not to separate a player from the puck. So we see a ton of hits on guys who have just released the puck, but are in a vulnerable position. Yes, the Mike Richards hit recently was legal per the rulebook, but his intention was to hurt Booth, not separate him from the puck. These type of hits occur way to often, and many players look for them. And are the type of hits that almost always result in a concussion.

why am I not surprised that a pens fan wrote this?

[pavyracer]

Paver, soccer has the biggest creed of flopping pussies in all of sports. Basketball next followed by hockey.

Hockey and football have more floppers and half the players playing these sports are pussies.

[Deuce]

Hockey and football have more floppers and half the players playing these sports are pussies.

Paver, I have a lot of respect for futbol players but they are by far the largest group of pussies. It's part of the game Paver it's so common.

[pavyracer]

Deuce back off now!

[PuckOff]

but the hits on booth and toews recently were good hits. lovely hits actually.

both hits were 100% legal hits. And yes they were lovely hits. It amazes me that players still skate across the blue line with either their heads down or not paying attention.

In Toews case, he should have been playing the box more wisely and keeping track of the time left on the penalty. He should have known that a player was going to be coming out of the penalty box while skating through the neutral zone.

[PuckOff]

So we see a ton of hits on guys who have just released the puck, but are in a vulnerable position. Yes, the Mike Richards hit recently was legal per the rulebook, but his intention was to hurt Booth, not separate him from the puck. These type of hits occur way to often, and many players look for them. And are the type of hits that almost always result in a concussion.

The last player to touch the puck is fair game and I doubt Richards intention was to hurt anyone. It's a contact sport so players need to keep their heads up. This silliness (player scrums/fights) after a player gets hit is ridiculous. You can't take the physical element out of the game, but players who engage in "after hit" scrums should be given a 5 minute unsportsmanlike conduct. That or take out the instigator penalty.

[Deuce]

both hits were 100% legal hits. And yes they were lovely hits. It amazes me that players still skate across the blue line with either their heads down or not paying attention. In Toews case, he should have been playing the box more wisely and keeping track of the time left on the penalty. He should have known that a player was going to be coming out of the penalty box while skating through the neutral zone.

Wee bit late and usually I wouldn't condone a shoulder to the face. Even if he had a mask on it wouldn't and saved him.

I played back in the day with David, solid kid, shame to see him get hammered like that.

[PuckOff]

Hockey players are notorious for exaggerating mild hits to get a penalty called.

I have to disagree with the "notorious" part. There are maybe a handful of players who embellish a hit to try to draw a penalty. Those who get caught diving actually have their name placed on a list and the list is sent to all teams to embarrass the player.

[PuckOff]

I played back in the day with David, solid kid, shame to see him get hammered like that.

Here we go again folks. Deuce I thought we agreed that you would stop telling BS stories on here. And isn't it wrong for a kid to call another person a kid?

[Deuce]

Here we go again folks. Deuce I thought we agreed that you would stop telling BS stories on here. And isn't it wrong for a kid to call another person a kid?

1984-85 Honeybaked. Look it up you Dunce.

Here I will save you the time.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.ngin.com/attachments/document/0003/4798/Honeybaked_Alum.pdf