Lindros advocates elimination of body contact

[Noldo]

Ken Dryden has earlier talked for a blanket elimination of head shots and introduction of automatic penalty for hit to the head, no excuses, no exceptions.

Eric Lindros took even more drastic view arguing that hockey may retain its nature even if all body contact is eliminated.

https://www.nationalpost.com/sports/hockey/nhl/eric-lindros-drastic-rule-change-nhl-concussions-body-contact/amp

Interesting note from Dryden in article:

I timed shifts of the players and in 50s the average shift was over two minutes. [...] Last year it was 38 seconds

Click to read more...

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Of course Lindros would be ok with that. His whole thing was skating in a straight line and bowling over people. The other scenario was him skating in a straight line and people not getting the way because they were afraid he was going to bowl them over. If it wasn't for those pesky physical dangers getting the way, he could have played for a long time.

 

[Slap]

That's a pretty f***ing dumb opinion.

 

[DDRhockey]

let's see how hfs sweetheart will fare in this thread.

 

[Wo Yorfat]

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

Of course Lindros would be ok with that. His whole thing was skating in a straight line and bowling over people. The other scenario was him skating in a straight line and people not getting the way because they were afraid he was going to bowl them over. If it wasn't for those pesky physical dangers getting the way, he could have played for a long time.

And the last scenario is Scott Stevens ending his career because he couldn't keep his head up.

 

[Colin226]

Well that’s just stupid..

 

[Boxer Courage]

So then can we just change the name to ice soccer?

 

[Man Bear Pig]

I'm all for getting head shots out of hockey but this is a contact sport. Nobody is forcing you to play. You don't like It? Go play in a seniors beer league.

 

[IceBjoern]

Let’s make the puck out of foam while we’re at it.. that thing is dangerous!

 

[Ducks in a row]

Eliminating body contact is stupid.

 

[Kamiccolo]

If the NHL wants to further alienate it's core fanbase in pursuit of a potential "Casual market" that might not even be there, then this move will happen. However, I and many others would lose a lot of interest in the sport if this is done. Imagine going from being known as one of the toughest sports to one without hitting or fighting within a 25 year period?

 

[topshelf15]

let's see how hfs sweetheart will fare in this thread.

Terrible hit,such a douche play

 

[Saltcreek]

And the last scenario is Scott Stevens ending his career because he couldn't keep his head up.

I cannot see hockey ever removing contact and I do not want to see that but Scott Stevens played to hurt people and I can understand why so many people hate him. Someone should not be punished for life because they did not have their head up.

 

[Henkka]

So then can we just change the name to ice soccer?

Let's go straight to Ringette so the pucks and shots wont cause concussions for goalies.

 

[LeafGrief]

The league eventually is going to have to figure out where those huge open ice hits land. Catching a guy crossing the blue line with his head down makes for fantastic highlights and it's prime "hockey", but it is a huge injury liability. The league will need to figure out what level of concussion risk is acceptable and those big body checks are a huge injury risk. Even on supposedly clean plays, shoulder to the chest and feet on the ice, the risk of injury is still substantial due to the forces involved. The NHL and NHLPA will need to recognize this and come to terms with the levels of risk they are willing to accept.

But getting rid of body contact entirely? Depends what he means by body contact. No body checking rules enforced like women's hockey? I'd vote no, but hockey would still be hockey. No body contact at all, like no bumping in the corners? That would be a terrible product, there's body separation allowed in soccer ffs.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Guess the NFL, should revise it's rules too. Because the National Flag League.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I cannot see hockey ever removing contact and I do not want to see that but Scott Stevens played to hurt people and I can understand why so many people hate him. Someone should not be punished for life because they did not have their head up.

For sure but banning hitting is excessive. Ken Dryden has it right, the league just needs to have stricter rules for headshots.

 

[tarheelhockey]

If the NHL wants to further alienate it's core fanbase in pursuit of a potential "Casual market" that might not even be there, then this move will happen.

You’ve got it backwards there. The Casual Fan is the market for a more physical game. People who know nothing else about the sport can appreciate huge hits and fights.

This isn’t about appealing to fans. This is about a brewing legal war between the players/alumni and the league.

 

[Kamiccolo]

You’ve got it backwards there. The Casual Fan is the market for a more physical game. People who know nothing else about the sport can appreciate huge hits and fights.

This isn’t about appealing to fans. This is about a brewing legal war between the players/alumni and the league.

It's ridiculous and you're right I do have it backwards. They grew up playing the sport. They knew it was a rough sport and there might be consequences. That is why they make the big bucks.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Can't open the link for some reason, is he talking about eliminating checking or all body contact? The latter is impossible IMO with a game this fast.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

The NHL and NFL should soon stop trying to make their sports safe by continuing to reduce hard body on body contact/hitting. The lawsuits against the leagues are based on players believing the leagues had knowledge that hitting was causing CTE and kept it from the players and did nothing to protect them. Once those lawsuits are settled the leagues should be at square one, if you want to play the sport you assume the risks, it's out in the open now. Boxing still exists, MMA/UFC is huge and I can't even watch it it's so violent, watching both women and men knee each other in the face is barbaric but it's their choice to take part in it.

If the evidence of damage keeps growing then I'm sure we'll see a lot less kids involved in hockey and football. In the US it's incredible what I'm seeing, tons of high schools shutting down their football programs, not for insurance or moral reasons, but because there's so few kids signing up to play. I don't think safety/health concerns are the only factor, there's also changes to how teenagers are living their lives, they're on their phones and tablets all the time, video gaming, socializing.

 

[LordNeverLose]

So then can we just change the name to ice soccer?

Even soccer allows body contact

 

[K Fleur]

What about body slams?

 

[David Bruce Banner]

That would kill the NHL as a viable sport. And eventually, someone would start a league with hitting and fighting (and contracts acknowledging the sport is "dangerous") and we'd be back right where we are.