Remember meeting Ken Dryden, my sole idol, during the Habs parade in front of City Hall in Montrea in 79. I had just purchased a colorful autograph booklet and kindly asked him for one. To my astonishment, he just wouldn't give me one. I just stood there in awe, a 16 year old, heartbroken
Having grown up in Minnesota and having played the game beginning at age 5 all the way through high school, this stuff is scary. By today's concussion protocols, I had more concussions than I can accurately estimate. Hitting was was very much encouraged and accepted. If they held a hand in front of your face and you could guess the number of fingers being held up within five, and you knew your own name, you were back out on the ice next shift. You bet I worry about cognitive issues as I age. Depression has been a problem my whole post hockey life and I worry that things will only get worse. I can't imagine absorbing that kind of punishment into my late 30's like the pro players do. Very scary. God only issues you one brain.
I think it's important to recognize that 99% of pro hockey players all started taking hits at 5 years old. That has to change. At the very least, an effort should be made to eliminate the body check until at least the high school level. I believe it would make a HUGE difference for cognitive issues further down the road.
One of his suggestions is to eliminate the ability to "finishing a check" ie., hitting a player after he's relinquished the puck. I think this is a good idea. Fighting, which he also appears to want to eliminate, is more complicated it being such an integral part of the sport. I think a lot can be done without destroying the sport. It's a matter of degree I suppose.
Concussions are not always due to a hit to the head. A better helmet is not the total solution. If hockey players wore football helmets, concussions would not end. Concussions, is also from a collision, body on body, whereby the head receives a whiplash. The increased speed of the hockey today, is a contributing factor in the increasing rate of injuries.
I am so enthused about the emphasis on skill rather than being a brute. Being a thug, to the detriment of the beauty of hockey skill, it should be forever frowned upon in hockey.
