Puck 'N Hockey

I usually try to take a pretty even keeled approach to my articles. I try to remain neutral, and encourage critique, criticism or counter-point. In this modern society, every word that is said can be just as easily documented, shared, and broadcast through electronic means in various formats. The subject can run from anything from the inane to the most personal. The subject really doesn’t matter in this illustration, as what means a great deal to some, means nothing to another. So regardless of subject, the formula and result usually goes something like: Original topic stimulates conversation, creating other opinions, based on ones own views. Then the debate may turn personal, as ones own views and experiences start to color the original point of what’s being said, which in turn starts to feel like personal attacks which gets people on the defensive. Until emotions rule over thoughts then, it can become a pretty messy debacle. Does this happen in every instance? Certainly not, however I’d wager almost anyone who has ever been on-line and gave or read opinions on articles, has seen this in action.

Funny I use the phrase “connected society”, for as wired we are with communication, it seems it creates distances and voids between actual human interactions. Anonymity of words on a page, remove restraints we would otherwise have talking to someone face to face, and so all those opinions and thoughts become magnified, blunt and in your face.

So, with that long-winded opening, how does that relate to our topics and purposes of this site and the entries in it? How does this pertain to the main focus of this site, the subject of hockey?

Well, an ongoing issue being addressed by the NHL is the subject of concussions. I will share my metamorphose on this very issue, to illustrate a point that people should listen to those whom may have more experience and knowledge on any given subject, and that no one is above or beyond learning something, regardless of age or experience.

I’m pretty old school in my own personal beliefs like raising kids, to jobs and work, and to my own personal tastes in aesthetics. Having played hockey since I was a kid, getting away from it for a decade, and coming back to it in my 30′s, I am confounded by some rules, stylistic changes, and the over concern on head injuries, that took place in my absence away from the game and culture. Since I’m all about the “old school hackey, coach!” some of those things I found distasteful to my palette.

Of course, my hockey opinions mirror that of my opinions and viewpoints in matters of societal issues. The root of my opinions on those matters is based in a simple premise, in that I feel we’re becoming a nation of wimps.

On the matter of concussions, my opinion was that no one can take a decent cranking to the head like they used to. Everyone is made of glass now? Current players are a bunch of sissy young kids and haughty European types pinking up my beloved game. Take the hit, get up, and quit crying. A 100 MPH’er to the cage, shake your eyes back to center and get the rebound, pansy.

Neuvy's new mask. (via DAVEART DESIGNS)

Armed with that opinion, I took things offline to talk face to face with someone far more knowledgeable and experienced than I on the subject. It was a matter of happenstance, as the main purpose of my journey was to go purchase some new goalie equipment. About a month ago, I drove up to a goaltenders Mecca, Planet Goalie in Harrisburg, PA. I spoke with the owner, Mike Sherman. And in the midst of my goalie-gasm experience, I learned something.

Mr. Sherman, while being the most approachable business owner, and non-pushy salesman I’ve ever met in my life, he simply has a passion for hockey and goaltending. He wants his customers to make the best choice of product to suit their needs. He provides the information to do just that. I was looking for a new mask, and of course, the discussion drifted to the current status of the NHL’s issues with concussions and head injury. I spoke my position on it, more democratically than I have here. We were after all, in person! Mr. Sherman, disagreed, and educated to me as to why he felt so.

In paraphrasing and summation: The fact is, concussion and head-injury research, or exploring, diagnosing and corrective action, is in a fairly infantile stage right now. Research into the best suited materials, the most appropriate structural properties head-gear should have, the effect to the brain after repeated head and face shots, and the physical effects to the materials in the mask itself, how they fare after repeated shots, all of that, not much is known. We simply haven’t addressed it much up until this point in history.

Sure we know by pain factor, that masks are a pretty good idea. Pain is a sensory alarm system, meant to let you know something is going on that shouldn’t be. But with modern protection doing its job as well as it has, perhaps there’s something going on, ever so slowly, and over time, that has an effect. That’s not to say a boomer off the head doesn’t hurt, it can. But you clear out the cobwebs and move on for the most part. We haven’t really paid much attention to what happens long-term, when those shots happen time and time again.

My Cro-Magnon side says, “eh, well that is the price you pay for the game.” My logical side says, “Should someone have to, to play a game? We can split atoms, but cannot protect athletes brains?”  (As a note: ask my wife how pleasant this conflicting duality of my nature is to live with! Fun!)

That’s where goalie head injuries are involved. What of player head injuries? Of course my stance was that, the free and open dangly style is done by a new generation of wimps, so when they get licked, they whine and cry. There’s your reason in a nutshell. No, not so. Having it illustrated to me, allowed me to see something I already knew, but couldn’t put together as how it contributed to head injuries. Respect. Or lack of it rather. Hockey is by in large, a pretty self-policing sport. Like all sports, there are unwritten rules. Things you just do and do not do by tradition, protocol and respect. So while it’s not necessarily the fancy movers and non-grinders not being tough enough, it could be just the league itself, rather its players that play in it, have less respect for their peers than in years past. Taking runs at people not looking may be becoming commonplace. Sure, that’s always been a part of the game- but I think in fewer instances. Chances were, if you didn’t start anything, there wouldn’t be anything. Not so in the current state. There is an overall lack of respect league-wide.

I won’t speculate too much as to why that may or may not be, that’s another subject. Perhaps it’s a mirror of modern society? The main point is, there just are plain brutal, trying to hurt someone, shots being done nowadays. Perhaps it could very well be the equipment working too much, creating a feeling of invincibility, and the belief that your opponent can’t feel too much what you’re putting down on them, so give ‘em a good one to let them know you’re there. Like with the goalie masks, perhaps it’s this safety net feeling that is to blame for even more injuries. I cannot speak for player equipment, but I can say at least where goal tending gear is concerned, I used to wince at shots headed to the torso and arms. 1/4 thick felt and foam didn’t do much in the way of protection. It was a 2 piece arm and chest protection, and shots did, with quite frequency find ways through.

In comparison to a modern C/A unit, even the lowest modern entry-level unit protects far more by area of coverage of the wearer’s body, thickness of material used, and blocking area than any set-up offered 25 years ago. It stands to reason, its called progress. But as stated, could be a contributing factor.

I don’t want to confuse things here, so I should state, yes, equipment should be protective, and we should strive for the best available and seek new technologies and designs to that end. I just think that perhaps the psychological aspect the protection brings, induces a more free-wheeling and in turn, physical game, thus opening up more chance of brutal impacts. It’s just a thought. But I am digressing a bit.

I began to see how I may have been in error in my opinion. I needed to look a bit deeper than just my own belief system on the subject. Mr. Sherman imparted his knowledge, just for that very reason. To share what he knew, so others could learn from it.

Glenn Healy and his old school, combo mask. (via The Goalies Archive)

Then another timely, opinionated mouth opened up on the ongoing head injury debate. Glenn Healy, former goaltender of the NY Islanders, amongst others, is now a broadcaster for CBC. Mr. Healy is known to have quite an opinion on most anything and usually will share freely. Given his age and experience, he should know with the wisdom of age, that there is always something to learn. And he should have taken the time to learn the applicable information before spouting off about it. Glenn Healy ranted and trashed modern goalie masks currently being used in the NHL in a recent broadcast. While he admittedly said his combo (helmet and cage) set-up he played with was about as bad as you can get, he blathered on about a subject, he didn’t know much about. The masks of the goalies he called out in his diatribe, all are custom-made pro-level head-gear. Most goaltenders will go through a few masks a year, so even though they are made of Kevlar, Aramid, fiberglass and other composites, they are getting replaced, eliminating any deterioration brought on by repeated impact. They are also custom molded for each goaltender, with each manufacturer using their own preferred method and way of doing it. Rest assured however, know matter the maker or brand, the headgear being used in today’s NHL is the best available. This is of course eliminating the fact that the goalie or equipment manager of the team may try to “customize” or tweak the mask to try to gain an edge in regards to vision and weight. It is minimal and probably more than a bit of a psychological advantage at best. These actions would, and rightfully so, void any claim the manufacturer may make. You change what they’ve designed and tested, and by that, cannot be held to what the claim stated. If interested in this observation and theory, look into Mike Richter’s career shortening skull fracture due to an altered mask.

Yet Healy wrongly attacked the masks, and in turn the craftsman that make them.  You would think he’d get tired of the taste of shoe leather. In any regard, perhaps he is right in his passion, and has a valid point with wanting better head protection, but he executed it poorly. But a short month ago, I would’ve made the same ass of myself on the subject, given a public forum about it, dismissing the importance of head injury because players are too “soft”. Perhaps ol’ Glen and me can have a shoe eating party.

This instance just shows how truly young this field of knowledge is- not many know about it. Less even care. But, if you know a hockey player, are married to one, or a parent of one, this is an area you should imperatively give thought to. Accidents and injuries happen, it’s the ones that aren’t readily seen, are the ones we need to start paying attention to. It isn’t old school hockey or tough to die for a game. It’s just old school dumb.