The Anaheim Ducks, The NHL, Nick Boynton and Head Injuries
By Greg Johnson
Busy Week
More than 100 former players were trying to get their concussion lawsuit against the NHL certified as a class-action lawsuit. Last week, the federal judge in charge of the case denied class-action status. That was a victory for the league, and a defeat for everyone else, including fans in the long run.
The battle over head injuries and their long-term effects aren’t over yet. While the players’ suit wasn’t certified as class-action, each player can proceed individually. You can bet former players like Dan Carrillo and Nick Boynton, who have been very public in their disdain for the league’s stance on the issue, will press forward on their own.
The Washington Post has recently gotten in on the anti-NHL action. They published Ken Dryden’s opinion piece on the subject a few weeks ago. Whether the league and the NHLPA like it or not, the pressure is mounting on them.
Where Have the Ducks Been on Head Injuries?
Given the trashing either Boston or Phoenix got from Boynton, the question for Ducks fans is this: How do the Ducks treat players with head injuries?
That’s a difficult question to answer.
If you go way back to original Mighty Duck superstar Paul Kariya, you might think the team wasn’t very helpful to players with concussions. After all, Kariya retired because of repeated concussions that left him permanently damaged. He harbored bitterness toward the league, if not the team, for years. Luckily for Ducks fans, he has relented in his refusal to have his number retired.
Related Story: Former Ducks player Nick Boynton takes serious shot at NHL over head injuries
More recently, Ducks general manager Bob Murray sounded much more sympathetic toward defenseman Simon Despres. After his potentially career-ending concussion, Murray said, “The Despres situation is one that is a very sensitive issue and it’s one that my whole goal hopefully is make it that Simon at the end of all this lives a happy, healthy, normal life”