The Anaheim Ducks, The NHL, Nick Boynton and Head Injuries
This is the conclusion of our two-part series in reaction to former Anaheim Ducks player Nick Boynton’s recent criticism of the league, and it’s position of the effects of head injuries. Today Greg Johnson looks at the Ducks position on the issue and what they can do going forward.
Last week we looked at NHL commissioner Gary Bettman’s role in the head injury crisis in the league. In the final part of a two-part series in reaction to former Anaheim Ducks player Nick Boynton’s recent flaming of the league, we’ll look at the Anaheim Ducks, their reaction to head injuries, and their potential benevolence.
Some have speculated that Nick Boynton was taking a shot at the Anaheim Ducks in his Players’ Tribune article a few weeks ago. In it, he mentioned a particularly bitter disappointment. “I got my courage up…and found a way to tell some people with the team I was playing for that I had a problem… Everyone I talked to was so understanding. Every single person said they were there for me, and that they wanted to get me the help I needed.”
Then the hammer dropped: “…less than a month after I’d gone to my team and asked for help, I got traded away to another city… So I took the hint, you know what I mean? From that point on, no matter how bad it got, I kept my damn mouth shut about any problems I was having off the ice. I asked for help, and I got shipped out. Lesson…learned.”
Off the Hook
Although Boynton did play for the Ducks for two seasons, he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in February 2010. That was well before the end of the season. The team in question is either the Boston Bruins, who traded him in June 2006, or the Phoenix Coyotes, who traded him in June 2008. The Ducks are free from Boynton’s written ire…for now.
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”
Why Should the Ducks Be on the Leading Edge Regarding Head Injuries
There is no doubt many players enjoy playing in Anaheim. The team is competitive year after year. Players enjoy anonymity which they just can’t get in traditional hockey markets. Also, who doesn’t want to play golf after morning practice?
More from Pucks of a Feather
- Who could the Anaheim Ducks consider presenting offer sheets to?
- Is Pierre-Luc Dubois on the cards for the rebuilding Anaheim Ducks?
- Making the case for the Anaheim Ducks to trade with the Edmonton Oilers
- Anaheim Ducks might benefit tremendously by trading John Gibson
- How close are the Anaheim Ducks to becoming contenders again?
Imagine if players had another reason to play in Anaheim. Just think what it would look like to free agents if the team was known as being on the leading edge in preventing head injuries. How many players would choose to skate in Orange County if the Ducks dedicated themselves to making sure players were properly protected after suffering a concussion?
They could make their program even better if the team followed up their care with real help for addiction issues the players suffer while playing for the team without repercussions to the player?
How the Ducks Lead
For some reason, the NHL is still burying its head on the issue of repeated head injuries. They still insist that there is no proven link between playing professional hockey and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). They are looking more and more ridiculous by the day.
The league is denying what appears to be obvious to many of us. That doesn’t mean the Ducks are unable to move forward on the issue. Anaheim could set the pace.
What if the Anaheim Ducks hired someone with serious passion about head injuries and player’s long-term welfare? Anaheim could put that person in charge of the team’s concussion prevention and treatment department. Imagine what someone with the stature of Paul Kariya could bring to the team. He could be turned loose on the subject. It’s an issue he has had a sincere passion about for years.
Eventually, when the league decides to admit its part in causing permanent harm to their best employees. At that point, the Ducks could give Kariya up to the NHL. Until then, he could do the most good by protecting members of the Anaheim Ducks organization.
Next: Simon Despres gets a 2nd chance at the NHL
There is serious momentum going against the league regarding chronic head injuries. Fans who are paying attention can see where this is going. The Ducks have the best owners in the league in Henry and Susan Samueli. Let’s hope they have the vision to completely bring number nine back into the fold.