Puck Possession, Concussions, Protection...

[HeHateMe]

So I get schooled on hockey boards all the time about how the Blackhawks are a puck possession team and they focus more on "brains than brawn"

Which got me thinking...

If that is their true benchmark for success, shouldn't the Hawks equipment people/trainers and coaching staff be more concerned about head injuries?

We got TINY little dudes like Kaner and co. that go up against real men on the ice every other night, who play it SMART and skate/puckhandle amazingly, but they wear EXACTLY the same helmets as the opposition who hit harder and faster than they do. I bet if you put the entire teams on a tractor trailor scale, Hawks would come up short every time.

This has to take its toll.

Just the other day wasn't Carcillo talking about concussions and lamenting that he probably caused a lot of damage with his style of play (before he came to the Blackhawks) and talking about the league needing to be more proactive about brain injuries???

Kinda just spitballing, but thought it would be interesting to bring up, in light the Hawks keep on going back to the playoffs every year, pretty deep, and thusly open themselves up to more brain damaging hits further into the post season....

Thoughts?

 

[xer0h0ur]

I got a concussion reading this thread.

 

[HeHateMe]

I got a concussion reading this thread.

Why would this not explain why it seems teams come back for the next regular season and they play dumber than they did for a while until they get the kinks from a deep playoff run out of their central nervous system?


edit: also disliked for being the first response and being a troll response, dick.

 

[mikita's helmet]

Bigger helmets is the solution!

 

[HeHateMe]

Bigger helmets is the solution!

lol, funny.

at least with a large helmet like that, they could get some pretty big headphones under there for their pump up jams..

 

[Spunky Porkstacker]

Bigger helmets is the solution!

Your helmet needs a visor.

 

[Shantz My Pants]

Smells like kerosine...


Sent from my Texas Instrument Calculator

 

[mikita's helmet]

Your helmet needs a visor.

I DONT NEED NO STINKIN' VISOR!

Rick Moranis is "THE ENFORCER!!!"



...This film has not been rated yet for general audiences.

 

[ClydeLee]

Carcillo also punched people in the face a bunch too which is also a part of that and leading to why you've seen so many goon types suffering later in life. It's a scary situation for many of them, those types of players or physical defensemen as well.

It's just the time where studies are still working on details and that's clashing with old mindsets. I think eventually in a decade or so we will start seeing helmets made of something other than hard set plastic again. Maybe a more flexible material that distributes force in a far better way.

I don't know what you're getting at about saying puck possession, in that these Hawks players take more hits? Well the ones who do wouldn't be really giving out more hits or not getting hits still if they weren't with the puck. Kane still would be hit that way but those guys don't generally get hit that badly. Someone like Shaw who agitates and battlez on the boardz and creaze will get more shots at a higher rate.

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

HeHateMe,

Thank you for yet another great discussion topic on this message board.

Smaller players like Kane have smaller brains to fit under their helmets. As we all know humans only utilize 8.9% of the brain anyways... so in this case, size really doesn't matter. HOWEVER... a concussion is a "brain bruise" and just imagine a small brain like Kane getting rocked and having a bruise the size of a baseball on his brain. This is not the same as a large player like Brian Bickell who has a large head/brain and is really dumb IRL... he can have a bruise the size of a baseball and it doesn't interfere with his hockey playing/other cognitive skills because he's naturally dumb anyways.

I don't mean to call you out/put you on the spot... but not every player wear the same helmet. If Kane gave his helmet to Bickell... I think it would be too small and squeeze his brain into a concussion. That's just an example though... not sure what exactly you meant? Maybe the helmets were all engineered the same way but in different sizes? Don't mean to put words in your mouth.

Again. Thank you for addressing this issue.

 

[biscuit_in_the_basket]

Condoms. Head Condoms.


They will protect from any explosions from within during impact.

 

[HeHateMe]

HeHateMe,

Thank you for yet another great discussion topic on this message board.

Smaller players like Kane have smaller brains to fit under their helmets. As we all know humans only utilize 8.9% of the brain anyways... so in this case, size really doesn't matter. HOWEVER... a concussion is a "brain bruise" and just imagine a small brain like Kane getting rocked and having a bruise the size of a baseball on his brain. This is not the same as a large player like Brian Bickell who has a large head/brain and is really dumb IRL... he can have a bruise the size of a baseball and it doesn't interfere with his hockey playing/other cognitive skills because he's naturally dumb anyways.

I don't mean to call you out/put you on the spot... but not every player wear the same helmet. If Kane gave his helmet to Bickell... I think it would be too small and squeeze his brain into a concussion. That's just an example though... not sure what exactly you meant? Maybe the helmets were all engineered the same way but in different sizes? Don't mean to put words in your mouth.

Again. Thank you for addressing this issue.

Thanks, yeah sometimes people take what I say on internet forums way to literally. As far as helmets go, I meant like materials and design, not that they all wear the same size helmets. I can't imagine how funny it would be to have someone like Pronger try to fit into Kane's super small size hockey hat. But the brain thing seems legit as far as more brains (even if dumb) means less to lose in the case of a huge bruise damaging the tissue. I just worry about these guys year after year trying to maintain the same level of play before their minds turn to mush.

Also, they don't really want to die playing hockey, so it would be good for them to protect their brains for their 60's, 70's and even 80's so at least they can order food at a restaurant by themselves, or sign an autograph without getting really bad shakes...

 

[Chief Walking Stick]

Thanks, yeah sometimes people take what I say on internet forums way to literally. As far as helmets go, I meant like materials and design, not that they all wear the same size helmets. I can't imagine how funny it would be to have someone like Pronger try to fit into Kane's super small size hockey hat. But the brain thing seems legit as far as more brains (even if dumb) means less to lose in the case of a huge bruise damaging the tissue. I just worry about these guys year after year trying to maintain the same level of play before their minds turn to mush.

Also, they don't really want to die playing hockey, so it would be good for them to protect their brains for their 60's, 70's and even 80's so at least they can order food at a restaurant by themselves, or sign an autograph without getting really bad shakes...

Agreed.

Some people that post here seem to have XTRA small hockey helmets on their whole lives reducing their brains to the size of a tennis ball like Variable. One stray open door to the head and he's done (i think it happened at least once).

You will find Variable to have an intelligent posting style until you actually realize what he wrote... I will personally hand you a pencil/ballpoint pen to jab in your eye.

I really hope it doesn't damage your normal sized brain like a concussion... don't use too much force.

 

[NCChiFan]

This issue has lead to a Stanley Cup or two. Can't understand this outcome, it seems so odd with so many potentially injured folks on the ice.

 

[Rex]

[video=youtube;lsiuxim8vsM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsiuxim8vsM[/video]

 

[Novak]

We wouldn't be having this convo if Kane wasn't such a giant pussy. I get you're small, but ffs man, take your skate off and stab someone with it or something. Maybe a dropkick on occasion? :dunno:

Each player has these deadly weapons attached to their feet. Time to start using them for more than just cutting through ice and wizardry IMO.

 

[xer0h0ur]

We wouldn't be having this convo if Kane wasn't such a giant pussy. I get you're small, but ffs man, take your skate off and stab someone with it or something. Maybe a dropkick on occasion? :dunno:

Each player has these deadly weapons attached to their feet. Time to start using them for more than just cutting through ice and wizardry IMO.

I endorse this plan. Dew et!

 

[winos5]

Better mouth guards are the answer......

 

[HeHateMe]

Better mouth guards are the answer......

I agree.