Players (and owners) are stupid

Since then, Suzuki has missed a few practices, but has been able to play all of his team’s games.

Except he’s not the same, and it shows. He has only four points in eight games since that blocked shot, whereas he had 19 in 13 games before that.

You’ve got to applaud a guy like Nick Suzuki who, despite injuries, insists on playing every game for his team. He hasn’t missed a game since turning pro (476 in the regular season and 37 in the playoffs).

But we also have to ask: why don’t players, who are increasingly called upon to block shots in today’s NHL, wear extra protection on their skates(skate fenders)? Kirby Dach wouldn’t be on the injured list right now, if he were..

It’s not just athletes’ feet that could do with more protection; Charlie McAvoy suffered a badly broken jaw when he took a deflected shot to the face. A full grille, full visor or visor stocking would have prevented him from going under the knife and possibly missing the Olympics. McAvoy will have to eat soft food for two to three months..

And I haven’t even mentioned the names of Saku Koivu or David-Alexandre Beauregard..

Add kevlar socks, which are too little used. Kaiden Guhle, Erik Karlsson… many of them have suffered severe cuts to their legs during a match.

Why do so few players wear neck protectors? Hasn’t Adam Johnson’s death two years ago in Europe awakened some guys’ zest for life?

And what about players who wear gloves with as little protection as possible, in order to be more comfortable with their stick and the puck? It seems to me that Brendan Gallagher’s fingers should be enough to convince anyone of the wisdom of wearing the right gloves…

All about looks, efficiency and acceptance
I asked a former player why the guys weren’t protecting themselves more yesterday. His answer?

“Guys think it’s a small risk. There aren’t that many injured on the sequences you’re talking about. They also want to be like everyone else, and not be called names on the ice because they’re scared. That’s just hockey culture. They also claim – rightly or wrongly – that these pieces of equipment make them less good. And less beautiful! Because yes, it can make them lose sponsorship revenue, the grilles and visors.”

That conversation confirmed one thing for me: it’s not the players who are going to turn on the lights themselves. And no, the Players’ Association isn’t going to step in and force its members to do something they don’t want to do.

The solution will have to come from the owners, who one day will be fed up with losing money on investments that don’t pay off. It’s up to them to say, “Okay, I’m going to do everything I can to protect my investment.”

Don’t you think Geoff Molson is happy to see Kirby Dach miss a month and a half when a piece of equipment would have kept him healthy?

Or Kaiden Guhle missing several months (last year) when a Kevlar stocking could have kept him out?

Or the Bruins owner watching Charlie McAvoy keep his jaw wired shut on the TD Garden catwalk?

We’re going through exactly what the field hockey players of the ’80s went through with helmets, and yet, today, no one will tell you that helmets aren’t useful and necessary.

The NHL is going to have to put its pants on and force players to protect themselves, because history has taught us that no, you can’t count on players to protect themselves.

After that, we read tweets from agents repeating ad nauseam that the NHL is putting their players’ safety at risk… when it would be so easy to have players protect themselves in the first place.

overtime

– Here are the American hockey jerseys for the upcoming Olympics.

– Logical.

– His return to the NHL is approaching.