Hockey Canada’s annual general meeting is being held in Calgary this weekend.
Bob Nicholson, the organization’s president, addressed delegates on Friday and, as outlined by Allan Maki of the Globe and Mail, he “made an impassioned speech . . . outlining the need for a rule amendment to address all head contact” in minor and female hockey.
Maki’s piece is right here but, in essence, Nicholson has called for penalties for any contact, intentional or accidental, with an opponent’s head.
What this is is a start, although Hockey Canada has had a rule dealing with headshots since 2004. A more thorough rule, as proposed by Nicholson, would be firmer and give referees more latitude in terms of handing out penalties.
This also might be the first step towards zero tolerance and that, more than anything, is what is needed.
Understand that this is all about eliminating head injuries in hockey — not finding better ways to treat them. There always will be head and facial injuries in hockey, witness the puck to the face that was absorbed by Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.
But the concussions that are a result of hits to the head or hits from behind or checks on unsuspecting opponents have to be eliminated. Which, of course, means fighting has to go.
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I wrote a column that appeared in the Kamloops Daily News and on this blog on Thursday (May 26). It dealt with concussions and some of the potential after-effects.
Early on Thursday I received a note from the parent of a minor hockey player.
“Great article on concussions,” it read. “My 13-year-old is going to play house next season for that reason. Too many injuries in rep.”
I also heard from someone who holds two season tickets with the Kamloops Blazers:
“A quick note to tell you how much I appreciate the series you have been doing on head injuries related to some of the violent aspects of hockey. I'm encouraged by your criticism of the stay-put attitude of the WHL regarding their lack of initiative to institute any rules to mitigate the possibilities of players suffering concussive-type injuries.
“My wife and I have been Blazers season-ticket holders for more than 15 years. We enjoy the games and we delight in watching the young men who play develop their skills both on and off the ice. As former educators we are aware of the social building skills the WHL experience offers them.
“The aspect of Blazers games that is our greatest concern is the needless violence associated with fighting and the sometimes brutal punishment that is meted out in attempts to ‘stop’ opposition players. We cannot watch young men flailing away at each other while so-called fans stand and scream encouragement, only to have the whole debacle replayed on the jumbo screen immediately following.
“We can only think that these boys are somebody's children who seem to be duking it out solely for the satisfaction of an encouraging crowd who, in all likelihood, wouldn't want their kids to be out there running the same risks of debilitating injuries.
“I long for the day that fighting and undisciplined, injurious plays are eliminated from the game.”
This is an issue that simply isn’t going to go away.
You can bet that the WHL’s board of governors and its general managers will be discussing headshots at the league’s annual meeting in Calgary in mid-June.
As much as the neanderthals among us call for fighting and extreme physicality to be left in the game, changes are going to have to be made.
Only time will tell how far the WHL will go. But here’s hoping it is paying attention to what is going on at Hockey Canada’s AGM in Calgary this week.
Because all this talk on concussions isn’t going to go away. In fact, it only will pick up steam as more and more stories are heard and more and more evidence comes out.
If you haven’t already, make sure to read the piece by Toronto Star reporters Rob Cribb and Randy Starkman. The headline is: What killed NHL’s Bill Masterton?
If anything, it shows that concussions aren’t a new problem to the sport of ice hockey.
That piece is right here.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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What really killed Bill Masterton?

Let’s start off with today’s good read.
It’s from the Toronto Star and written by Rob Cribb and Randy Starkman, who try to answer the question: What really killed Bill Masterton?
Masterton is the only player in NHL history whose death has been linked to an on-ice incident during a game.
Here is one paragraph from the story:
“A Star investigation has uncovered evidence that an earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Masterton’s death at the age of 29.”
If you read one story today, make it this one. It is riveting. And given the prominence of concussions in today’s dialogue, it is terribly relevant.
It’s right here.
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During the 17 years I spent in Regina, I always looked forward to running into Ed Staniowski, who was the goaltender when the Regina Pats won the 1974 Memorial Cup. He always had a smile on his face and a story to tell, usually from his latest military-based trip. No one has a better understanding of the history of the Memorial Cup than does Staniowski. Bob Duff of the Windsor Star caught up with Staniowski and filed this column.
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THE COACHING GAME: Ron Choules is the new head coach of the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. GM Pierre Roux made the announcement on Friday. Choules replaces Mario Durocher, who was fired as GM/head coach early in April. Choules is no stranger to the QMJHL, having served as head coach of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. He was an assistant coach with the Canadian team that won the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial U-18 tournament. . . . The BCHL’s Merritt Centennials have signed Joe Martin to a two-year deal as assistant GM/assistant coach. Martin, who will work under Luke Pierce, the GM and head coach, had been GM/head coach of the junior B Creston Valley Thundercats, who play in the Kootenay International junior league.
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In case you missed it, it would seem that the Everett Silvertips might soon be in the market for a head coach.
The rather well-connected Bob McKenzie of TSN tweeted Friday afternoon: “Lots of talk out there that Craig Hartsburg will be leaving Everett of WHL to return to NHL bench, likely alongside Brent Sutter in CGY.”
Earlier in the month, Hartsburg’s name came up with regards to the head-coaching vacancy with the Minnesota Wild.
Should Hartsburg leave — he has been the head coach for two seasons — it would leave three WHL teams with head-coaching vacancies. The Moose Jaw Warriors and Seattle Thunderbirds are both in the process of making changes.
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JUST NOTES: F Kris Foucault of the Calgary Hitmen has signed a three-year contract with the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. Foucault played out his junior eligibility this season, earning 48 points in 65 games. He was a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NHL draft. . . . There were reports Friday evening that the QMJHL’s Lewiston Maineiacs’ franchise will be dissolved next week as the league holds its annual draft. The franchise would then be relocated to Sherbrooke, Que.
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Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun sums up this year’s Memorial Cup with one word — “whacked.” Read about it right here.
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The carriage turned into a pumpkin for the Kootenay Ice on Friday as its Memorial Cup dream ended with a 3-1 loss to the host team, the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.
The Majors got their first goal, via the PP, in the game’s first two minutes and never trailed. F Devante Smith-Pelly scored the Majors’ first two goals.
The CHL will hand out its awards today.
The tournament final, featuring the QMJHL-champion Saint John Sea Dogs and the Majors will be played Sunday. Game times if 7 p.m. ET.
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In Houston, the host Houston Aeros scored three third-period goals and beat the Binghamton Senators in Game 1 of the AHL’s best-of-seven Calder Cup final. F Colton Gillies (Saskatoon, 2004-08) had two assists, with F Warren Peters (Saskatoon, 1997-2003) putting it away with the empty-netter. . . . Binghamton went into the game having won eight straight on the road. . . . Game 2 is tonight in Houston.
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In the Central league, the host Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs got a goal  from former WHLer Steven Crampton and beat the Colorado Eagles 2-1 in Game 7 of the final. . . . That gave the Mudbugs the CHL championship and the Presidents’ Cup. . . . The Eagles have been in five of the last seven finals, winning in 2005 and 2007, but losing in 2008 and 2009. . . . Crampton opened the scoring at 2:58 of the first period. . . . Adam Chorneyko, another former WHLer, scored for the Eagles with 1:04 left in the third period. . . . Scott Muscutt, the Mudbugs' coach for 11 seasons, said after the game that he won't return for a 12th season.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
     
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