[News] Zetterberg could miss the entire season

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I remember a lot of talk about the Quick thing at the time (unavoidable when it happens in a game against the Leafs), and one of the more popular theories was that he was buying time by faking an injury. Obviously you don't want that to get out, but you also don't want to be pulled from the game in the final minutes, so they tried to play it off like it was a legitimate injury and then put him back in quickly.

Of course, that then leads to the question, what if a player is legitimately concussed, but doesn't want to be taken out because competitive spirit and tough-guy culture and all that, so he just lies and says he was selling it? Better to just treat them all as legitimate, removes all doubt and has the double effect of punishing those guys who are trying to play it up to get a call or a break.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I remember a lot of talk about the Quick thing at the time (unavoidable when it happens in a game against the Leafs), and one of the more popular theories was that he was buying time by faking an injury. Obviously you don't want that to get out, but you also don't want to be pulled from the game in the final minutes, so they tried to play it off like it was a legitimate injury and then put him back in quickly.

This is at the very heart of the issue I have with the NHL's Concussion Protocol. I am unable to find any video of the collision, but as soon as Quick's head was hit there should not have been any discussion AT ALL that involved the player. Players cannot be left to determine the state of their own health in the event of a head injury—even a minor one. At that point it wouldn't matter in the slightest whether Quick was attempting to get the benefit of a call: if he was hit in the head, he should have immediately come out of the game and evaluated. Full stop.

Of course, that then leads to the question, what if a player is legitimately concussed, but doesn't want to be taken out because competitive spirit and tough-guy culture and all that, so he just lies and says he was selling it? Better to just treat them all as legitimate, removes all doubt and has the double effect of punishing those guys who are trying to play it up to get a call or a break.

Exactly right. But moreover the determination needs also to be stripped entirely from the discretion of coaches and players. Ideally, a third party within oversight from the NHL ought to be making these decisions in real time.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

You still aren't answering the question of how they can conclude in August he can't play in February or March.

Presumably because of the severity of the injury or condition one might know well in advance the expected timeline for recovery.

With some injuries and conditions, it would be well known in advance that a recovery to playing condition isn't going to occur ever.

[dobbles]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Not sure what Prongering means but if there is any question about the seriousness of Mule's concussion just read this:

http://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/n...910rdl1rrz5i5i

So I have no idea how this could be considered a blemish on the Wings.

I wasn't making any reference to the legitimacy of the injury, more the fact that the player has went through multiple seasons with no expectation of playing but hasn't retired simply because of cap penalties. With Pronger, didn't he take a job with the league or a team while he was still 'playing'?

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by dobbles

I wasn't making any reference to the legitimacy of the injury, more the fact that the player has went through multiple seasons with no expectation of playing but hasn't retired simply because of cap penalties. With Pronger, didn't he take a job with the league or a team while he was still 'playing'?

Pronger's contract ended after the 2016-2017 season. His last game was in 2011. By 2014 he had accepted as position in the NHL's department of player safety.

Again though, when Pronger was shutdown due to concussion he still had $25,000,000.00 left on his contract that he was entitled to. Despite the two obvious 'retirement' years at the end of his contract, he was clearly unable to play before that and you can't fault him for not retiring. It was beneficial to him and his team, a bit of a consolation prize to a devastating injury.

[Itse]

There's a potential problem if players start getting pulled from the game after big hits; it creates a massive incentive for players to throw those big hits to remove opposing players from the game.

It could also create a perfect mental excuse for the players doing it: "I don't actually want to hurt him, I want to just rock him hard enough so they'll pull him as a precaution..."

You might have to install a rule where if a player gets pulled because of a hit you threw, you get pulled too.

[CaptainCrunch]

Messier - "Hey Looch, hey Looch, hey looch!!"
Lucic - "What!!!"
Messier hits him in the back with a crowbar
Messier - "Chip?"

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Itse

You might have to install a rule where if a player gets pulled because of a hit you threw, you get pulled too.

Even if it’s a legal hit.




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[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

Even if it’s a legal hit.




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And that’s how you get 31 NHL owners tired of having their players pulled and checking becomes illegal.

The slope is more slippery than some may believe.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Back was okay when he was making $7 million. Now he's making half that salary his back condition is now chronic. Where have we heard this before? In other words he's retiring (unofficially) as there's no way he comes back to play next season for $1 million. Such an embarrassment for the league how big market teams have been allowed to circumvent the salary cap.

I think it's actually more embarrassing that the league added a rule after all these contracts were signed to try and punish teams for doing it - even though it was 100% legal at the time.

If they didn't have that ridiculous "cap recapture" rule that was only implemented after these contracts were all signed then all these players would have just retired, went about their day, and it wouldn't have been a big deal.

Instead the NHL tried to retroactively make it illegal and now this is the outcome.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I think it's actually more embarrassing that the league added a rule after all these contracts were signed to try and punish teams for doing it - even though it was 100% legal at the time.

If they didn't have that ridiculous "cap recapture" rule that was only implemented after these contracts were all signed then all these players would have just retired, went about their day, and it wouldn't have been a big deal.

Instead the NHL tried to retroactively make it illegal and now this is the outcome.

There's no doubt the league has issues getting out of it's own way. Even after implementing the recapture penalty they have been pretty relaxed in letting teams like the Kings and Hawks get away with circumventing it. As you say it's made the whole recapture thing more ridiculous because while it exists a team needs only to come up with very weak reasoning to get out of paying the cap penalties. I'm still not exactly sure how the Kings managed to be able to terminate Mike Richards contract through "material breach" and get a cut-rate buyout for a player who's charges were withdrawn.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

And that’s how you get 31 NHL owners tired of having their players pulled and checking becomes illegal.

The slope is more slippery than some may believe.

I agree that's how that might go.

I think it's also possible that it would lead to players (and coaches) figuring out ways to be physical and throw hits with significantly less danger to the head. Because there would be a real incentive to do that.

In any case, I think the risk that tightening concussion protocols might backfire is something that should be taken into account when figuring out how to improve player safety.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Agreed

Zetterberg was 2nd in team scoring last season and an outstanding leader. im sure there would even be appetite from other teams to trade for him for his last season if he was healthy.

The problem is that contending teams would be the only ones interested in Zetterberg and they wouldn't want the three seasons he has left.

The Red Wings can't afford to trade him and get stuck with the massive recapture penalty either.

On one hand it would be neat to see Zetterberg go for ones last playoff run or two with a top team. On the other hand, he cheated the system so it's fitting he goes out in an anti-climatic way on a garbage team.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Oling_Roachinen

Pronger's contract ended after the 2016-2017 season. His last game was in 2011. By 2014 he had accepted as position in the NHL's department of player safety.

Again though, when Pronger was shutdown due to concussion he still had $25,000,000.00 left on his contract that he was entitled to. Despite the two obvious 'retirement' years at the end of his contract, he was clearly unable to play before that and you can't fault him for not retiring. It was beneficial to him and his team, a bit of a consolation prize to a devastating injury.

Pronger also couldn't be in lit rooms for more than a year after he retired.

He was a guy who probably would've been effective and worth his money every year had he not scrambled his eggs.