Head Injuries In Hockey. It's All Don Cherry's Fault

Hockey fans, we have a breakthrough. Head injuries in the sport can be blamed on one person who continues to emphasize aggression in Hockey, it's Hockey Night In Canada personality Donald S. Cherry.



That's the finding of Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon who told a Regina, Saskatchewan seminar on concession in Hockey.

"He's a negative influence," Tator told CBC News in reference to Cherry "The aggressive, lack-of-respect hockey that he preaches — we need to get that out of the game."

There are some at the conference that didn’t share the same opinion. You can read the entire article here.

Hello, hockey is an aggressive sport. You take that and some of the violence out and you might as well have ice capades with sticks. What about the helmets? Improve those.

As for blaming Don Cherry for head injuries please. If you watch Grapes' Coaches Corner segment during the first intermission on Hockey Night In Canada, he constantly brings up ways to improve the safety of the game like no hitting from behind when a player is against the boards fighting for the puck. Cherry even would like to see a soft barrier around the rim at the top of the boards. He is also an advocate for youth hockey players wearing neck guards to prevent skate blades from cutting their necks (It does happen.)

Cherry is old school though and will give a shout out to a player that's aggressive on the ice but honors the code of the sport. Heck Cherry played and coached in the NHL when players didn't wear helmets.

To blame Grapes in a concussion conference blows the credibility of Dr. Tator because I'm not sure he has done his homework. Attacking a great ambassador of Hockey, especially north of the border, smells of just getting attention rather than coming to a rational conclusion to help prevent concussions in the sport.

Here's Saturday's Coaches Corner. Thanks CBC Sports/Youtube.com.









Nice Cherry promotes Rockem, Sockem, Hockey. By the way, here's a trailer for the 21st installment of Rockem, Sockem, Hockey.

Photo Courtesy: CBC Sports