Fans of all 30 NHL teams tuned in on Jan. 30 to see the league's elite players come together in Raleigh, N.C. for the annual All-Star Weekend.
The All-Star Game may not be the most competitive matchup — playing defense is all but prohibited — but the spectacle of seeing the league's best playing alongside each other is a thrill for fans of all ages.
Many fans will remember this year's All-Star festivities, though, by who was not in attendance. One of the game's greatest offensive players, and its biggest household name, was absent.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby stayed home, wrestling with the symptoms of his first NHL concussion sustained earlier in the month.
The NHL is not the only professional sports league dealing with the specter of concussions and the short- and long-term safety of its players. The NFL is publicly dealing with the problem as well, as modern sports medicine reveals the extent of the damage suffered by some of its professional athletes.
But this season, an increased incidence of concussions to some of its top athletes has NHL officials, players and fans wondering what to do to protect the long-term viability of the sport. The absence of the league's biggest star from one of its most high-profile events has only amplified those questions.
Crosby's concussion likely stemmed from a combination of two separate hits. The first was an inadvertent open-ice collision with Washington Capitals center David Steckel in the Winter Classic on Jan. 1. The second came just four days later courtesy of Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman.
There is no timetable for Crosby's return. In the meantime, several other big names have been felled by concussions or concussion-like symptoms.
The Boston Bruins announced Monday that center Marc Savard, an All-Star considered one of the game's top passers, will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining his fourth career concussion against Colorado on Jan. 22.
Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green, an All-Star and two-time Norris Trophy candidate, left Sunday's game against Pittsburgh early and is said to be suffering from post-concussion symptoms after being hit in the head by a shot.
To be fair, the league is taking steps to increase the safety of its players. Prior to the season, the NHL changed its equipment regulations, making shoulder pads with softer caps mandatory in an attempt to reduce the impact of head hits.
The league is also now more than halfway through the first season under Rule 48, more commonly known as the blind-side hit rule.
Under Rule 48, a "lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or the principal point of contact is not permitted," according to the NHL rule book.
This rule change is designed to prevent the most dangerous types of hits — the ones most likely to lead to concussions — by outlawing them completely, levying harsh penalties and even suspensions. Players who commit a blind-side hit face automatic ejection and league review of the incident.
The rule change was instituted in March 2010 following a now-infamous hit from Penguins winger Matt Cooke on Savard. Savard sustained a concussion then, too, and he did not return to playing fully until early December.
Savard's teammate Daniel Paille is the latest offender to be penalized under this rule. The Bruins winger received a four-game suspension for a blind-side shot to the head of the Dallas Stars' Raymond Sawada.
Ultimately, the battle over concussions in the NHL is about more than protecting the professional athletes that are in the line of fire every game. It's also about protecting the integrity of the NHL's product.
Taken together, Crosby, Savard, and Green represent a tremendous amount of star power and talent.
When any player misses significant time due to concussion symptoms — especially a player of that caliber — it's a big problem for a league that is trying to put the best possible product on the ice every night. The league has invested millions in marketing dollars behind its top stars, especially Crosby.
Concussions are potentially life-changing injuries to players. They also pose a serious threat to a league that can scarcely afford to see those players' careers jeopardized.
Eric Lindros, Keith Primeau, Adam Deadmarsh, Pat LaFontaine. These four past NHL greats, while certainly not the only ones, are inextricably linked by how their careers ended — cut short by concussion symptoms.
The idea of adding Crosby, Savard, or Green to that list is unthinkable, and no player, owner, GM or fan should be complicit in allowing that to happen.
The NHL may be stronger than it has ever been since the lockout in 2004-5, but it still has too much to lose by going halfway. The league must continue to lead all professional sports in making player safety its top priority.
Otherwise, it will endanger players and put its own long-term viability at risk.
