[sureLoss]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl-doctor-slams-s...ments-1.708729

The National Hockey League team doctor had seen enough.
Hours earlier, he watched Chicago Blackhawks forward Martin Havlat return to the ice for Game 4 of the 2009 NHL Western Conference final, just two days after Havlat had been knocked unconscious during Game 3 by a ferocious bodycheck. In Game 4, Havlat was hit again and was forced to leave the game early.
The team doctor – one of at least 30 physicians charged with safeguarding the health of the NHL’s players – couldn’t understand why Havlat had been allowed back into the Blackhawks lineup for Game 4.
“I am once again disappointed in my colleagues in the [National Hockey League Team Physicians Society],” the doctor wrote in an email to Dr. Willem Meeuwisse, a Calgary-based member of the NHL’s Concussion Working Group. “We all sit around and talk and talk about concussion management. Then it’s the playoffs, someone suffers an obvious loss of consciousness and is back playing in less than 48 hours.
“This same Chicago player was hit hard again today and was unable to continue in the game. Another example of situational ethics. Our only job is to protect the players from harm including when the player is ‘clearing’ himself to play. We must be their advocate regardless of what the coach or general manager thinks.”
A week later, Dr. Meeuwisse forwarded the doctor’s email – after removing his identity – to Dr. Ruben Echemendia, a neuropsychologist in Pennsylvania and the co-chair of the NHL Concussion Working Group, NHL lawyer Julie Grand and Ottawa Senators doctor Mark Aubry.
“I chose to remove his name, and have not circulated to everyone on the concussion committee because it could be taken as quite inflammatory,” Dr. Meeuwisse wrote in his May 31, 2009, email. “However, I think he is verbalizing what many people think, so I thought I should pass along the sentiment.”
Grand forwarded the email the same day to NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly. There is no record of a response from Daly in the documents.

When Kerry Fraser critizied the league:

The NHL fined but did not suspend New York Rangers player Derek Stepan for elbowing Mike Green, then of the Washington Capitals, during a game. Days later, former NHL referee Kerry Fraser appeared on TSN and criticized the league’s discipline.
Fraser sent an email to a group of 39 medical researchers on March 1, 2011, including Dr. Echemendia. Fraser included a link to a video of the incident on TSN’s website.
“You will see the hit and then you can judge as to whether a ‘fine’ was warranted? You make the call,” Fraser wrote.
Dr. Echemendia forwarded Fraser’s email to Grand and Daly.
“FYI see below the kinds of emails that Kerry Fraser is circulating,” Dr. Echemendia wrote.
Daly forwarded the email string to commissioner Gary Bettman.
“I’m not sure there is anything we can or should be doing, but I wanted you to be aware,” Daly wrote.
“Are we still paying him anything?” Bettman asked in reply.
“Yes, his severance,” Daly answered. “But I’m not sure we can stop paying him for expressing views critical of the League.”
“It wouldn’t be nice but maybe he should understand it’s not nice to bite the hand that feeds you,” Bettman wrote. “Please have someone check to see if there are any grounds to withhold. Don’t want to hurt him – maybe just get his attention. This campaign, his book – somewhat delusional.”