Concussions

[Third Man In 2,091]

The Arnott situation is just the most recent instance of a very scary trend in the league. No, I'm not referring to teammate-on-teammate violence (looking your way here Emery), but rather the way concussions are handled in the league. This is something the NHL and the NHLPA need to take a hard look.

Arnott sustains a concussion at the end of game 3, plays game 4, feels "sick" after the morning skate before game 5 and is scratched with "flu" or "food-poisoning"; it is only before game 6 that the Predators admit he has a concussion.

I realize there is something embarrassing about admitting that Arnott suffered a concussion because of Radulov's stupidity, and Arnott is important to the Predator's chances. But concussions are not something to be messed around with. It is not about playing through pain, as if one had broken ribs. A concussion is a brain injury; the dizziness is experienced because one is doing further damage to your brain. That is not something to trifle with.

The league policy on this is terrible: if a player is diagnosed with a concussion they are required to sit out for (I believe) at least a week. The result, of course, is that teams avoid diagnosing players like Arnott (and perhaps Lidstrom earlier this season) with a concussion until it is unavoidable. In the interim, the player is skating in practice and perhaps playing games, doing further and perhaps permanent damage in the process.

The real tragedy, though, is that players don't seem to be informed what's going on. Neither doctors nor organizations tell them they are doing permanent damage. But as this article says, Geoff Courtnall, who was hospitalized in 2005 with concussion-related symptoms years after he left the ice, claims that there are former players who have to "sleep in the middle of the day" because they're exhausted all the time, and others who are so debilitated that they "can't find their way home".

Edited April 21, 2008 by Third Man In

[CopenhagenWing 38]

I realize there is something embarrassing about admitting that Arnott suffered a concussion because of Radulov's stupidity...

It was a freak accident.

Shanny broke Yzerman's nose celebrating the clinching goal in '02.

[Third Man In 2,091]

It was a freak accident.

Shanny broke Yzerman's nose celebrating the clinching goal in '02.

Yes. But stupidity often leads to accidents, freak or otherwise. That's not the point of the thread. The point is, does anyone else think the NHL's handling of concussions is an issue and, if so, what would you like to see done about it?

[lfd250 1]

Have to remember that these are grown men as well. Nothing to me is more important than Family. So if I THINK something is wrong, I'd take care of it. If hockey is more important than say talking, then play on.

[Reds4Life 51]

I don't think NHL or NHLPA are to blame.

Clubs should take care of their players and let them rest (totally, no practices etc.) even if there's only slight possibility of concussion.

[seeinred 1,488]

I really think this is more on the players. Hockey players are freakin' tough, and want to play through just about anything including a concussion. I don't think it's a problem, either. If that's a risk you want to take, far be it from anyone else to say you can't.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

You have to remember that a trainer can mostly only diagnose based on what the player tells him. This is the playoffs and no player wants to sit out unless they 100% are physically unable to. Ive had multiple concussions from soccer and if I would do whatever I could to continue playing. Arnott goes to the bench and says "I got my bell rung but I'll be ok" the trainer is going to take his word for it. The issue is not so much the league handling it its the players reporting proper symptoms.

[Third Man In 2,091]

You have to remember that a trainer can mostly only diagnose based on what the player tells him. This is the playoffs and no player wants to sit out unless they 100% are physically unable to. Ive had multiple concussions from soccer and if I would do whatever I could to continue playing. Arnott goes to the bench and says "I got my bell rung but I'll be ok" the trainer is going to take his word for it. The issue is not so much the league handling it its the players reporting proper symptoms.

You and others have a point in that the players do have a responsibility here. But part of my point is that many players don't understand the severity of a concussion, so they want to try to shrug it off. And I don't think teams should be so lax either when a player says "I got my bell rung but I'll be ok". The trainer and the team medical staff, after all, are the medical experts, not the player. And a player who has just suffered a concussion is literally not in his right mind and isn't qualified to make this decision. With the first sign of trouble team doctors need to intervene; as Keith Primeau himself told Simon Gagne, "If it doesn't feel right, then it's not right."

But players are often pressured to play through it when it doesn't feel right. Only the most atrocious example of which is Bobby Clarke questioning the severity of Lindros’ concussions. Clarke helped finish off Lindros' career when he did so.

[Opie 308]

It was a freak accident.

Shanny broke Yzerman's nose celebrating the clinching goal in '02.

Yeah he broke his nose celebrating winning the cup, it is not like there were games left to be played after that. Had Shanny broken his nose after winning the WCF than you have a point. But the point here is that Shanny did tackle Yzerman, and he could have injured his back, but he did it AFTER THE DEAL WAS SEALED!!!

[CenterIce 83]

The league already has a policy in place that if a player gets a concussion they are supposed to be tested, and the results are compared to there baseline set at the beginning of the season. If they are below their baseline results, they can't play. I cannot speak directly about Arnott, because I don't know how severe his concussion was and if Nashville diagnosed it quickly enough.

Edited April 21, 2008 by CenterIce

[akustyk 84]

concussions or even just injuries are weapon in playoff series. if your team has players who

have something injured you'll put all the effort to not let the other team learn what it could

target. by a simple rule: you let'em know your player X has injured finger - they'll go for his

hands and do "innocent" slashes by every chance.

NHL teams are pretty pathetic about the issue of injuries and concussions. I understand

it requires confidentiality during and shortly before playoffs. but I can recall i.e. Wings

last year when they had multiple "lower body" and "upper body" injuries in the middle

of regular season. when every fan basically knew they're just giving rest to key players

and putting Griffs youth on NHL ice for tryout.

I understand a broken nail (just to name an example) already qualifies as "upper body

injury" but it really is dumb. and quite unfair to fans who come to the game to see

team's stars not AHL pick-ups.

[RedStormRising 7]

Arnott sustains a concussion at the end of game 3, plays game 4, feels "sick" after the morning skate before game 5 and is scratched with "flu" or "food-poisoning"; it is only before game 6 that the Predators admit he has a concussion.

Apparently he did have the flu or a food illness, but the concussion amplified Arnott's symptoms such as nausea and what not. It all comes down to whether a player wants to play or not regardless of their own situation. If they are set on playing then they will find a way to play.

Edited April 21, 2008 by RedStormRising