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By Doug Collins

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Safety protocols in sports still have a long way to go

Jan 20, 2023 | 4:40 AM

IT WAS IRONIC that I was just about finished reading a book on concussions in the NHL when I got the news notification that Gino Odjick had passed away at 52. He died of a heart attack brought on by a long fight against a rare heart ailment, but concussions definitely had an effect on his quality of life.

Odjick was a journeyman, a lunch bucket kind of player who gave everything he had every time he stepped on the ice. He was beloved in Vancouver, where he spent most of his career.

He was the Canucks “enforcer”. The guy who came on the ice to protect the “star” players, prepared to drop his gloves any time it was necessary. These players, including players like Bob Probert, were players you wanted on your side.

But being that kind of player took its toll. And it’s a devastating toll.

The book I was reading was called Game Change and the future of hockey. It was written by Hall of Famer Ken Dryden. The story is about a journeyman player named Steve Montador.

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Montador was like Odjick, a player who gave everything he had to the game. He suffered a number of severe concussions, which eventually created so much damage in his brain that he could not function any more.

There are many former players suffering the same problem. And it’s only going to get worse.

Dryden convincingly makes the case that hockey is more dangerous than ever, and the league is not addressing the problem.

Oh, we have concussion protocols and player safety committees but they don’t provide enough of a safety net. The game, according to Dryden, has become so fast, and collisions are happening at a much higher speed. And doing a lot more damage.

Fans love to see the big hit, where a player has his head down and doesn’t see the hit coming. Or the players who are allowed to “finish their checks”, smashing their opponents into the boards, literally rattling their brains around.

The science surrounding the effects of concussions is evolving, but not to the level it needs to be. And the baseline tests used to determine if a player has a concussion are not strong.

And because the players want so badly to play, and the teams want them to play and the fans want them to play, they are often back in the action too quickly, and over time, those decisions literally erode a player’s quality of life.

I look at a player like Sidney Crosby, arguably the best of his generation. He has suffered some severe concussions during his career. I believe he should be retiring in order that he has some quality of life in his 40s, 50s and 60s. But he is such a competitor I don’t see that happening any time soon.

Read Dryden’s book. It’s scary in its portrayal of the effects of concussions and even more scary in its analysis of how far we still have to go to provide a true safety net for players at all ages. It can’t come soon enough.

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.