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The Chronicle
Sports
October 29, 2013
Heads shots killing hockey Dangerous head hits ruin Canada’s sport
Lords basketball blown out
Dan Cearns
Luke Callebert
the chronicle At one time it was the issue in the National Hockey League. But now it is dwarfed by the ongoing debate about ighting in the game. The issue is hits to the head, and it is something the NHL should be looking to prevent before it even thinks about handling ighting. Rule 48 of the NHL rulebook deines an illegal check to the head as “a hit resulting in contact with an opponents head where the head is targeted and the principal point of contact is not permitted.” Under that deinition, the NHL has had several, constant suspensions. The latest incident forced San Jose Sharks defenceman Dan Boyle to be taken off on a stretcher. On Oct. 15, in a game between San Jose and St. Louis, Maxime Lapierre shoved Dan Boyle hard into the boards, which caused him to black out. Lapierre was suspended ive games for the hit. On the same day, Patrick Kaleta of the Buffalo Sabres
was given a ten game suspen- pensions for hits to the head. sion for a similar play where These suspensions totaled 18 Jack Johnson had contact to games, the highest being a six his head. The result was less game suspension to repeat ofdisastrous for the victim, but it fender Rafi Torres for his hit still represents a growing cul- on Jarret Stoll on May 14, 2013. ture of violence in hockey. In the 2011-12 season, fourCanucks deteen players were fenceman Alexsuspended totalander Edler was A hit resulting in ing 74 games. also given a three highest that contact with an oppo- The game suspension season was yet on Oct. 11 for his nent’s head where the again Rafi Torhit to the head on head is targeted and res on a hit to the Sharks forward the principal point of head of Marian Tomas Hertl. in the irst contact is not permit- Hossa There have round of the playalso been two ted offs. suspensions in These types NHL Rule 48 the pre season toof hits can ruin a taling six games player’s career or for illegal checks to the head. at least sideline them for a long To those who say that Rule time. 48 has made the NHL better, In Sidney Crosby’s case he it has only truly acted as a bet- was the victim of two hits to the ter deinition of the issue so the head, one at the Winter Classic NHL disciplinarian can do his in Jan. 2011 by then Capitals job better. It has not deterred forward David Steckel and the head targeters, and it has not second came four days later on stopped the number of hits to a hit by Victor Hedman. Crosby the head from increasing. would not come back under NoLast season, in a 48 game vember 2011, when he played season, the NHL issued six sus- just eight full games. He made
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a full recovery by March 2012, a year and two months later. Fixing this issue will not be easy. It has already been proven that suspensions are not working. Large ines against the accused’s team would be an option. It would not only put the player on the hook for the other player’s injury, but teams would lose a chunk of cap space because of it. There is one major thing that needs to be done: a culture change must be made in the game so that hits to the head become a faux pas. The NHL must partner with the players union and the CHL, OHL and other junior leagues to educate players on how to handle situations when players are in vulnerable positions and to set a new unwritten rule in hockey where hits to player’s heads are a taboo. Targeting ighting will not end this kind of out of control violent culture in hockey. The NHL needs to focus on the main issue, head hits, before another star is left lying unconscious on the ice.
the chronicle
The Lords men’s varsity basketball team was blown out in their home opener, losing 97-67 to the defending east region champion Seneca Sting on Oct. 22. Saliym Cadogan led Durham in scoring with 18 points. Curtis Johnson added 13 points and Ajahmo Clarke scored 11, but it was not nearly enough to out-duel the 2012-13 CCAA All-Canadian Felix Adjei, who netted 30 points. The Lords did nothing to help their own cause, turning the ball over 39 times, allowing 26 steals and getting out rebounded 43-38. Eric Smith sat out the game with the shoulder injury that occurred at the Tip Off tournament. Durham will travel to Kingston to play St. Lawrence College on Oct. 30.