Clean Up Your Own Franchise First

The NHL general managers meetings started yesterday and the major issue facing commissioner Gary Bettman, is protecting players from injuries and more importantly from concussions. Head injuries seem to be running rampant this in the NHL with some high profile players playing the part of victim. Some of these players include Capitals' Mike Green, Penguins' Sidney Crosby, and Stars' Brad Richards, just to name a few. One of the most recent was Max Pacioretty.




On of the most outspoken individuals on this topic is Penguins co-owner, and hall of famer, Mario Lemieux. He has a special relationship with the NHL's second best player, Sidney Crosby, and will do anything to protect him. As a mentor, fellow Canadian, housemate, father figure, etc. Mario is obviously concerned with the concussion Crosby suffered at the hands (or shoulder) of David Steckel during the winter classic.



Lemieux's solution to cut down on concussion in the NHL is start fining the team as well as the player who causes the injury. Lemieux, in his letter last week, suggested fine amounts based on the length of suspension to the player:

• 1-2 games--$50,000 fine to team

• 3-4 games--$100,000 fine to team

• 5-8 games--$250,000 fine to team

• 9-10 games--$500,000 fine to team

• 11-15 games--$750,000 fine to team

• More than 15 games--$1 million fine to team

To me, the team(s) in question should internally control their player(s) and deal with the reparation with out fining the team. After all, it is the player who is doing the deed, not the team. So lets take a look at some of the NHL penalty stats for this season so far. Granted only an average of 70 games out of 82 have been played so far this season by each team. But right now as it plays out, Pittsburgh leads the league in the following categories: Minor penalties, major penalties, total penalties, total penalty minuets, and most penalty minuets per game.

For someone who feels "The current system punishes the offending player but does very little to deter such actions in the future. We need to review, upgrade and more clearly define our policies in this regard, so that they can provide a meaningful deterrence and effectively clean up the game." Maybe he should clean up his own franchise, and stop carrying players like Matt Cooke on his team. The only reason why he is complaining so much and pushing so hard for more stringent fines is because Crosby received a concussion this season.

Look, no one wants to see players get concussed. However, in a sport where they legally allow two players to get into fist fights, and glorify it but stopping play and letting everyone watch, injuries are going to happen!

We are all somewhat sad to see Crosby not playing right now, but Mario, seriously, either clean up your team or shut up! And in case you dislike Mario as much as I do, I leave you with this gem brought to you by HTS and Smokin Al Koken; Mario's last NHL fight. I recommend you watch the entire thing for the great commentary and the fact that Mario can't even skate him self off the ice because of a broken face: