First of all, I would love to thank Adam Proteau for today's Media Corner. If there is a topic that really bothers me, it is the head shots. Saying I have a lot of anger towards them is an understatement. I just don't get the players' mentality over this. I have heard a lot of discussion one way or the other whether the NHL has gone far enough to discourage it. I feel the rule was too vague. So I went to Adam and asked him.
Has the NHL done enough to discourage head shots?
No, not in my opinion. When I hear quotes coming out of GM meetings like "we need to continue to study this before we act on it" or "we don't want to change the game", I know the League isn't doing all it can. There are all sorts of medical experts crying out for an aggressive approach to dealing with concussions and head injuries, and the hockey establishment still holds tight to a romanticized notion of what it means to play the game (and by extension, to be injured playing it).
Ask players who have been through multiple concussions whether they would go through it all again if it meant suffering the same fate. I think you'd be surprised at how many are exactly like Pat LaFontaine – a guy who recognizes the NHL has come a ways in dealing with head injuries, but who is pushing for more education, prevention, and, yes, punishment.
Let's put it this way – the old saying is "nobody's bigger than the game". I disagree. I think the game is bigger than nobody, and I think we need to alter it (a) to ensure people will still enroll their kids in the sport, and (b) to keep people healthy after they've risen through the ranks to play it at a high level.
I have heard the same comments from the General Managers. What really bothers me is it is all talk and no action. I am sure if you ask the players who have had the concussions, that something could have been done to prevent it. The players also have to take some of the blame here. I completely agree; yet the League seems to continue to protect its violators.
Everyone has an opinion on whether the NHL has reverted back to the pre-lockout days; that the clutching and grabbing has not changed. Adam, you have seen the League for some time (although I have shoes older than you!) What is your opinion on whether the game has reverted to the old NHL?
I don't think we're back in the Dead Puck, clutch-and-grab Era, thankfully. You can't scrum up guys forever along the boards as you once did, and teams actually can recover from giving up a lead to an opponent.
That said, there's no doubt scoring numbers aren't where they should be – and that much of the scoring that's done in the League is more about chaos (i.e. traffic in front of the net for screened shots from the point) than the type of skill Guy Lafleur used to display as he charged down the wing and picked the top corner.
Rarely do we have players rushing end to end. I really miss the end to days of Guy Lafleur. Whether we ever will is the question.
I still think the goalie equipment (and player equipment in general) can be whittled down, but my biggest issue is the overcoaching of the sport. Assistant coaches, video coaches, goaltending coaches – they're all great for former players looking to stay within the game, but it has led to a symmetry of style that doesn't always make for great entertainment.
I am all for whittled down equipment as long as it is still safe. Safety for the players first.
How you change? That is the real question, as coaches are almost always going to act in self-preservation mode when drawing up their tactics. Oh, and I'm not dead set against the idea of bigger nets. When cities needed new NHL rinks to replace their old ones, the seats were made bigger to acknowledge the, er, "growth" of the population, so why should hockey be any different?
I strongly agree the coaches are not going to change their coaching ways. They will do what it takes to win. I really wished the refs would be come more consistent, or else the bigger nets may very well be the only option.
The last question is a fun question. Which major superstar, if any, do you see could be traded at the deadline? Or do you feel there will be no major deals done?
I do feel like Brad Richards will be traded at or before the deadline. With nobody stepping up to buy the Stars, I can't imagine an executive placed in temporary charge of Dallas' finances giving the green light to a multi-year contract extension. Other than that, it's hard to say what teams will be in a seller's mindset by that time.
I see Richards leaving Dallas, especially if Dallas falls out of the playoff race. I also see the Flames considering trading Iggy if the Flames fall out of the hunt like most of the experts are predicting. Richards would be a real stud for a team down the playoffs.
I would like to thank Adam for his time. He is a real friend for giving up his time and helping a small time blogger. Thanks again, Adam.
Randy
Has the NHL done enough to discourage head shots?
No, not in my opinion. When I hear quotes coming out of GM meetings like "we need to continue to study this before we act on it" or "we don't want to change the game", I know the League isn't doing all it can. There are all sorts of medical experts crying out for an aggressive approach to dealing with concussions and head injuries, and the hockey establishment still holds tight to a romanticized notion of what it means to play the game (and by extension, to be injured playing it).
Ask players who have been through multiple concussions whether they would go through it all again if it meant suffering the same fate. I think you'd be surprised at how many are exactly like Pat LaFontaine – a guy who recognizes the NHL has come a ways in dealing with head injuries, but who is pushing for more education, prevention, and, yes, punishment.
Let's put it this way – the old saying is "nobody's bigger than the game". I disagree. I think the game is bigger than nobody, and I think we need to alter it (a) to ensure people will still enroll their kids in the sport, and (b) to keep people healthy after they've risen through the ranks to play it at a high level.
I have heard the same comments from the General Managers. What really bothers me is it is all talk and no action. I am sure if you ask the players who have had the concussions, that something could have been done to prevent it. The players also have to take some of the blame here. I completely agree; yet the League seems to continue to protect its violators.
Everyone has an opinion on whether the NHL has reverted back to the pre-lockout days; that the clutching and grabbing has not changed. Adam, you have seen the League for some time (although I have shoes older than you!) What is your opinion on whether the game has reverted to the old NHL?
I don't think we're back in the Dead Puck, clutch-and-grab Era, thankfully. You can't scrum up guys forever along the boards as you once did, and teams actually can recover from giving up a lead to an opponent.
That said, there's no doubt scoring numbers aren't where they should be – and that much of the scoring that's done in the League is more about chaos (i.e. traffic in front of the net for screened shots from the point) than the type of skill Guy Lafleur used to display as he charged down the wing and picked the top corner.
Rarely do we have players rushing end to end. I really miss the end to days of Guy Lafleur. Whether we ever will is the question.
I still think the goalie equipment (and player equipment in general) can be whittled down, but my biggest issue is the overcoaching of the sport. Assistant coaches, video coaches, goaltending coaches – they're all great for former players looking to stay within the game, but it has led to a symmetry of style that doesn't always make for great entertainment.
I am all for whittled down equipment as long as it is still safe. Safety for the players first.
How you change? That is the real question, as coaches are almost always going to act in self-preservation mode when drawing up their tactics. Oh, and I'm not dead set against the idea of bigger nets. When cities needed new NHL rinks to replace their old ones, the seats were made bigger to acknowledge the, er, "growth" of the population, so why should hockey be any different?
I strongly agree the coaches are not going to change their coaching ways. They will do what it takes to win. I really wished the refs would be come more consistent, or else the bigger nets may very well be the only option.
The last question is a fun question. Which major superstar, if any, do you see could be traded at the deadline? Or do you feel there will be no major deals done?
I do feel like Brad Richards will be traded at or before the deadline. With nobody stepping up to buy the Stars, I can't imagine an executive placed in temporary charge of Dallas' finances giving the green light to a multi-year contract extension. Other than that, it's hard to say what teams will be in a seller's mindset by that time.
I see Richards leaving Dallas, especially if Dallas falls out of the playoff race. I also see the Flames considering trading Iggy if the Flames fall out of the hunt like most of the experts are predicting. Richards would be a real stud for a team down the playoffs.
I would like to thank Adam for his time. He is a real friend for giving up his time and helping a small time blogger. Thanks again, Adam.
Randy
