Re. your headline, Crosby remains sidelined
It’s a sad state of affairs when our national sport is killing its players. Hockey is supposed to be a game of skill and speed, not smash and bash.
There are around 30-plus players suffering from brain damage alone from concussions, not counting other serious injuries.
Parents don’t bring their children up to be busted up so the millionaires can make a lot of money.
Young ladies don’t marry these young men to raise a family hoping for a good life only to have the breadwinner smashed up, his career destroyed, life shortened and their finances destroyed and their lives in upheaval.
We always say we don’t want government in our business but it may be time to get government involved.
It’s time some legislation was installed levying some horrendous fines against the league, the executives and the coaching staff to put a stop to this crime. The smashers should have very long suspension and possibly banned from playing hockey and should also be paying a substantial sum of money to the injured and his destroyed career.
The last point is the players themselves. They have the NHLPA and as an organization they should tell the NHL that the smash and bash days of playing is over. Stick to speed and skill.
The best games that I have seen of playing hockey, I believe, was the 1972 Canada/Russia hockey game and the 2010 Olympics’ gold medal game. The players were afraid to smash and bash and draw a penalty as it could cost a goal and the game. That gold medal game was an exciting game to watch and I felt a bit sad for the loser.
Now we are watching the world junior tournament and it’s much more entertaining hockey than what our precious NHL delivers.
Finally, I think it’s time to get rid of Don Cherry. All he has ever spouted over the years is smash and bash.
Pardon my choice of words but “smash and bash” is what I feel the NHL is delivering.
E.T. (Tom) Skoreyko
Red Deer