LetsGoDU

NCAA Hockey - The Injury Game

Firstly and most important, best wishes and a speedy recovery to CC's Scott Thauwald who was injuried on Saturday night with a few seconds left in the game against Wisconsin. Wisconsin was comfortably leading 3-0 at the time. I think about all these kids who get hurt and the more I follow the sport the more it pains me when these injuries occur.

Within the last eight months there have been three devestating injuries in the WCHA to Thauwald, Robbie Bina and Brock Trotter. All three injuries share a few striking similiarities. All three injuries were caused by crushing hits. All three injuries were season ending and potentially career ending. The UND fans may not agree with me, but all three hits were borderline legal and it could certainly be argued that there was no malicious intent to injure. The people who delivered the hits were 6'0" 190, 6'4" 215 & 6'5" 200 and the guys injuried were 5'11" 185, 5'8" 180 & 5'10" 170. Add the tremendous weight training all these kids do and then factor in the speed of the game and how much its increased in the past several years.

The problem is that steps were taken after Bina's injury to tighten up the rules and it has seemingly (but not surprisingly) had no effect in reducing injuries. No extra rules or higher penalties seem to prevent this stuff...unless...hitting is eliminated from the college game. The Europeans appear to play this style of hockey and it doesn't hurt their attendance. Whether or not you agree with me (I suspect that 97-99% of you won't) the day is coming when this debate will be aired. Unfortunately, it will probably take a death or a tragedy, but sooner or later someone needs to at least consider the concept.

I guess what I'm getting at is that when I watch a college hockey game, I don't want to see a kid bleeding on the ice, being carried off on a stretcher or worse, if it can be prevented. But enough of that, now back to the "Blame Game" for the posters, the NCAA can tackle weightier issues like mascots and logos and I can try and figure out organized crime's links to the Dinkytown Drinking Disaster...