Darren Dreger

3/22/2007 11:37:40 PM

Injuries in hockey have always been protected by team management in a "cloak and dagger" fashion. "Upper body, or lower body" have become the most oft used descriptive terms by team representatives in an effort to elude the prying media.

But, that's about the change.

NHL general managers agreed to a policy change last month at the GM meetings in Florida and this week a memo has been distributed league-wide, outlining the new initiative to enforce teams be more forthcoming. Teams are now being told to identify the approximate location, nature and severity of the injury. So, if a player injures his right arm, the team will have to report it as such, being mindful no specifics have to be divulged if the player may risk additional physical harm upon his return, in which case a more general means of describing the ailment will be accepted. It's this grey area that may provide the traditionalists in this group a loophole to resume business as usual. As one NHL manager puts it, ''exception swallows the rule.'' Plus, the NHL is now just days away from the start of the playoffs, a time of year when teams clamp down on dispensing injury reports.

Is that going to change?

The NHL insists it will scrutinize. The league warns any false or misleading information won't be tolerated, going as far as to threaten discipline for the clubs who violate or abuse this newly implemented policy.

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I'm interested to see if anything changes because almost any injury can be targeted thus exposing a player to additional risk.

This is a step in the right direction....The fans pay the players salaries...We need to know whats going on...

The team owners pay the players' salaries.

If there was no fans...there would be no salaries...


you know what i meant

But fans don't stay away because they don't know the details of a player's injury.

True but as a fantasy hockey owner, I cant make a decision if my player has an upper body injury...It could be a brain tumour, or a tootache...



The playoffs are the worst.

The Mustangs only have 6 guys worth starting anyway.

I think it's foolish and ridiculous to force teams to let people know too much about a players injury. Who is this for? Sports bettors? Fantasy hockey junkies like us? What, aside from gambling, makes this anyone's business but the player and his team? It's mind boggling to me, seriously.

Exactly! Not disclosing the exact nature of an injury is protecting assets. Anyone who thinks other teams won't target an injury is ignorant.

Kaberle has a sore shoulder...make sure when you dump it in it goes in his corner.

Daniel I think you are missing the point...Its not just for the gambling aspect. As a money paying fan of a team or a certain player I have a right to know if that player will play, or even play at a lesser extent due to his injury...Every other major sport does it , why cant hockey?

So let them target it...its part of the game...If he isnt 100% he shouldnt be playing...What is hockey different than any other sport when it comes to this issue.?

You are arguing a different point now. Wanting to know whether he will play or not and wanting to know the specifics of an injury are two very different things.

It's also part of the game not to reveal your weaknesses to your opponent.

Let him target it? Did you just say that? Oh my word Serge!


As a fan, you should actually PREFER it if the coach kept that information private. You mean to tell me that if Kyle Wellwood was having problems with his left knee, you'd be ok with letting the other team know that so a goon could side step him and take him out for 4-6 months?

Come on Serge, think about what you are saying here. You mean to tell me you'd be happy if Sundin and McCabe were at 90% but decided to not play in the playoffs because according to you, if they aren't 100% they shouldn't be playing?

Of all the things you've said on these boards, re-read this one a few times. Ask yourself honestly is this what you want?

Ok you make a good point..However why does it work in other sports?...

Does it work in other sports? Does a baseball manager try to steal more if the catcher has a sore shoulder, does a third base coach send a runner when certain players make a catch? (Luis Gonzalez?) Baseball is weak though, cause a player could have a bruised elbow and they just put a bullet proof plate on there and he has nothing to worry about. Also, in football defensive players try to twist an ankle here or there if they see one taped up more than the other one.