With the recent class action lawsuit brought against the NHL, now seems like a crossroads for the future of the sport. As more and more damning evidence comes out about the dangers of concussions sustained while playing contact sports, it seems ever more likely that the future of contact sports is finite. While they are not changes fans, players, nor executives involved with the sport want to make, the necessity of it seems rapidly approaching.
The NHL is, in my opinion, better suited to deal with the concussion issue than a sport such as football. The NFL has an almost hopeless future, as there is little the sport can do to prevent the repeated blows to the head suffered by linemen, running backs, and defensive players. As pressure mounts and public high schools are forced to abandon the sport due to liability concerns - something I personally could see happening within the next ten years - many young players will be priced out of expensive private options. This combined with concerned parents that prevent their children from playing the sport will ultimately constrict the NFL's stream of athletes and result in a dying sport. Hockey, however, can avoid this fate, and with just a few simple rule changes.
Change 1: More stringent fighting rules
The current penalty for fighting is a five-minute major that doesn't even put the offender's team down one man because of the coincidental nature of the penalties. Other leagues and international play have more strict penalties for fighting, and as a result have less of it. Throughout all professional and amateur hockey leagues, it should become the policy that a player that engages in a fight should be ejected from the game and face further suspension after that. This rule is in line with the policies of most other professional sports, and while yes fighting is an exciting part of the game, more stringent penalties would reduce the needless fighting after clean hits, while not being so strict that it would prevent the occasional fights that are actually called for.
Change 2: Eliminate open-ice hits
There are few things in hockey as exciting as a jarring hit in the middle of the ice. However there are also few things as dangerous for both players involved. The NHL has already suspended twenty different players this season, with many of those being for players that initiated open-ice hits. These hits are punishing and dangerous and are one of the least effective methods of defending. While body checking in front of the net and along the boards are integral parts of the game and cannot be legislated out, checks in the open ice should be an automatic penalty. Hockey Canada has already taken steps to encourage safer checking practices and other methods of defense, such as stick checking. Other amateur leagues have also taken steps, for instance, Devils prospect Steve Santini was suspended for a hit in college that many believe wouldn't have even been a penalty in the NHL. The removal of open-ice checking would not only make the game safer, but it would also open up more space for creativity. Like banning fighting, it isn't a change most fans want to make, but it is a change that must be made to preserve the game
Change 3: More consistent officiating and discipline
This isn't really a rule change, but there is already much complaining among hockey fans on the varying length of suspensions and non-suspensions on similar plays as it is. If the NHL is to become more strict on physicality, they will have to come up with a less arbitrary and subjective system for determining punishment.
Again, I don't want fighting and hitting to be taken out of the game, but it may just be a necessity if the league is to continue.
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