is shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of three young men in the prime of their lives - they stated that they are "committed to examining, in detail, the factors that may have contributed to these events, and to determining whether concrete steps can be taken to enhance player welfare and minimize the likelihood of such events taking place." The statement goes on to say, "It is important to ensure that every reasonable step and precaution is taken to make NHL Players, and all members of the NHL family, aware of the vast resources available to them when they are in need of assistance. We want individuals to feel comfortable seeking help when they need help."
The recent news that Wade Belak's death was a suicide follows on the heels of the recent deaths of Rick Rypien and Derek Boogaard. The debate about fighting in hockey will now reach a fever pitch that hasn't been seen before. Regarding the link between fighting and issues such as substance abuse and depression, there are more ques
tions than there are answers at this point, but that won't stop everyone from having an opinion on how much blame for these deaths should be placed on the fact that all three players were regarded as NHL enforcers. Does fighting belong in hockey? It's a question without an easy answer. If one answers quickly and without any reservations, then there probably wasn't much thought put into the answer. Some are already calling for an immediate end to the "designated fighter" in hockey. However, that is easier said than done. Reducing the size of the roster by one or two players means a loss of jobs. The NHLPA would fight tooth and nail against any proposal which reduces the number of jobs. I don't think a roster reduction is a feasible solution.
This is going to be a battle for which a compromise will be very elusive. The "traditionalist" camp led by folks such as Don Cherry will argue that fighting is part of the fabric of hockey and that it helps players police themselves from cheap shots against the skilled players who can't defend themselves. The
re is something to be said for that, but after this offseason, it will be more difficult than ever for that camp to counter someone who supports a complete ban on fighting. All that person needs to say is, "Boogaard, Rypien, and Belak, R.I.P." I think the road ahead is going to be very bumpy. The hockey community is heading into a new season with the tragic and preventable deaths of three young men fresh in our minds. Furthermore, there lingers the uncertain future of one of the NHL's premier stars, Sidney Crosby, whose recovery from a concussion is going much more slowly than anyone had anticipated. It just feels more and more as if this road is leading toward the inevitable elimination of fighting in hockey.
For those that argue that the elimination of fighting would be a knee-jerk overr
eaction, I offer the example of the nets that fans look through at every NHL arena in North America. Back in March of 2002, Brittanie Cecil was struck by a puck while watching the Blue Jackets and died 48 hours later. It was the first and, to my knowledge, only fan fatality in the history of the NHL. One fan death through 85 years fits my definition of a random tragedy. Yet, the NHL saw fit to change the way the game would be watched by fans forever in response. Now we have three deaths in a span of weeks, all raising issues of mental health, depression, and substance abuse. These were three young men who all fought a significant amount during their NHL careers.
I'm not arguing that the removal of fighting is the automatic conclusion to be drawn from these recent deaths. Fighting is wildly popular among the majority of hockey fans. There are even entire websites dedicated to watching hockey fights. I must admit that I have stood up and cheered during a fight; I almost never change the channel when a fight is on the television; and I'm even gu
ilty of watching the occasional fight highlight clip on YouTube. However, I am saying that the possibility needs to at least be explored. The backlash against any potential restriction or elimination of fighting in the NHL would be very strong. It would mean a significant number of players in the NHL would no longer have jobs since their fighting prowess would no longer be needed. As a result, the league's enforcers would most likely speak out against it. "I think the league does a good job. They're trying to limit head shots," Tampa Bay Lightning center Nate Thompson said Monday. "I don't think they can (ban fighting entirely). That's part of the game. It's a physical sport and it always has been. If they take that out of the game that takes a part of the history out of the game."
If one good thing comes from these recent tragic events, it will be the increased attention to the mental health not just of hockey players but of everyone. It's clear that there are significant effects from blows to the head not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Football and boxing have also seen similar tragedies which have sparked a demand for additional research about the relationship between head trauma and mental health. "In the past, we didn't make the connection between brain injuries and things like depression, but now we're much more aware of how they're related." said Dr. Alan Hoffer, assistant professor of neurological surgery and neurocritical care at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. One of the scariest aspects of these recent deaths is that even close friends and family were unable to detect any warning signs. This just reinforces the need for more research. It breaks my heart that our tight knit hockey community has lost three members this offseason, but we should let their memories be a reminder of how important it is for us to give more attention to the mental health issues that our society neglects far too often. I just hope the NHL follows through on its promise.
Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak, may you rest in peace.
tions than there are answers at this point, but that won't stop everyone from having an opinion on how much blame for these deaths should be placed on the fact that all three players were regarded as NHL enforcers. Does fighting belong in hockey? It's a question without an easy answer. If one answers quickly and without any reservations, then there probably wasn't much thought put into the answer. Some are already calling for an immediate end to the "designated fighter" in hockey. However, that is easier said than done. Reducing the size of the roster by one or two players means a loss of jobs. The NHLPA would fight tooth and nail against any proposal which reduces the number of jobs. I don't think a roster reduction is a feasible solution.
This is going to be a battle for which a compromise will be very elusive. The "traditionalist" camp led by folks such as Don Cherry will argue that fighting is part of the fabric of hockey and that it helps players police themselves from cheap shots against the skilled players who can't defend themselves. The
re is something to be said for that, but after this offseason, it will be more difficult than ever for that camp to counter someone who supports a complete ban on fighting. All that person needs to say is, "Boogaard, Rypien, and Belak, R.I.P." I think the road ahead is going to be very bumpy. The hockey community is heading into a new season with the tragic and preventable deaths of three young men fresh in our minds. Furthermore, there lingers the uncertain future of one of the NHL's premier stars, Sidney Crosby, whose recovery from a concussion is going much more slowly than anyone had anticipated. It just feels more and more as if this road is leading toward the inevitable elimination of fighting in hockey.
For those that argue that the elimination of fighting would be a knee-jerk overr
eaction, I offer the example of the nets that fans look through at every NHL arena in North America. Back in March of 2002, Brittanie Cecil was struck by a puck while watching the Blue Jackets and died 48 hours later. It was the first and, to my knowledge, only fan fatality in the history of the NHL. One fan death through 85 years fits my definition of a random tragedy. Yet, the NHL saw fit to change the way the game would be watched by fans forever in response. Now we have three deaths in a span of weeks, all raising issues of mental health, depression, and substance abuse. These were three young men who all fought a significant amount during their NHL careers.
I'm not arguing that the removal of fighting is the automatic conclusion to be drawn from these recent deaths. Fighting is wildly popular among the majority of hockey fans. There are even entire websites dedicated to watching hockey fights. I must admit that I have stood up and cheered during a fight; I almost never change the channel when a fight is on the television; and I'm even gu
ilty of watching the occasional fight highlight clip on YouTube. However, I am saying that the possibility needs to at least be explored. The backlash against any potential restriction or elimination of fighting in the NHL would be very strong. It would mean a significant number of players in the NHL would no longer have jobs since their fighting prowess would no longer be needed. As a result, the league's enforcers would most likely speak out against it. "I think the league does a good job. They're trying to limit head shots," Tampa Bay Lightning center Nate Thompson said Monday. "I don't think they can (ban fighting entirely). That's part of the game. It's a physical sport and it always has been. If they take that out of the game that takes a part of the history out of the game."
If one good thing comes from these recent tragic events, it will be the increased attention to the mental health not just of hockey players but of everyone. It's clear that there are significant effects from blows to the head not only physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Football and boxing have also seen similar tragedies which have sparked a demand for additional research about the relationship between head trauma and mental health. "In the past, we didn't make the connection between brain injuries and things like depression, but now we're much more aware of how they're related." said Dr. Alan Hoffer, assistant professor of neurological surgery and neurocritical care at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. One of the scariest aspects of these recent deaths is that even close friends and family were unable to detect any warning signs. This just reinforces the need for more research. It breaks my heart that our tight knit hockey community has lost three members this offseason, but we should let their memories be a reminder of how important it is for us to give more attention to the mental health issues that our society neglects far too often. I just hope the NHL follows through on its promise.
Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak, may you rest in peace.
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