So, Max Pacioretty skates into a bar...

All this talk about head shots in the NHL is giving me post-concussion symptoms. Hits targeting the head have been an issue in the league for a while, last year Marc Savard and David Booth both were victims of blindsided hits to the head that lead to significant time missed, but when Sidney Crosby went down with a concussion, and then the sporting world watched in horror as Zdeno Chara ran Max Pacioretty into the stantion between the benches the issue of concussions and headshots went to the top of the list of topics to be discussed at the annual NHL GM meetings in Florida last week. The trouble is, what can they do about it?

There has been much research and development into safer equipment, such as more padding in helmets and less hard plastic on shoulder and elbow pads. These developments are important, but their effectiveness is limited. A better padded helmet or softer elbow pads can help in preventative measures for impact from the outside in, but often times it is the impact of the brain smashing into the inside of the skull that is most detrimental. Concussions are an inevitable occurrence in violent sports like hockey and football with the sudden stopping of a player on impact doing the brunt of the damage and the only way to impede this problem is to slow down the game or eliminate the contact, something leagues are rightfully unwilling to do.

One way the NHL has chosen to handle the concussion issue is through stiffer penalties and suspensions for headshots. Prior to this season headshots were not an illegal hit in the NHL, something I find remarkable. The rulebook has been amended to include five-minute major penalties for a headshot, which is determined by referee discretion.

Despite the amendments, fans and league officials continue to call for more. Some suggestions that have been made are including a two-minute minor for less violent hits to the head, others have suggested excessive suspensions up 20+ games. It is clear the NHL is in a tough position, they can’t jeopardize the game by slowing it down, but they also need to do something to address the growing number of casualties in their league.

The end of concussions is nowhere near, and as players continue to get bigger and stronger, there is a probability they will simply continue to increase in numbers. I support the notion of adding two-minute minors for less violent and coincidental headshots. It may not seem like much, but I believe it will be a deterrent for eliminating headshots as the referees begin to call the penalty more. Players will be more aware as these penalties become commonplace and will finally begin to be more conscious of the way they are hitting an opponent. The minor penalty will not completely eliminate the headshot, and will likely do little to avoid concussions (again, most concussions in hockey are cause by sudden impact that causes the brain to crush against the skull, often from perfectly legal hits), but it will certainly help the game move forward. Coupled with severe disciplinary punishment in the form of long suspensions for intentional, malicious headshots, the NHL could make some significant progress in protecting their players.