Hockey continues to make headlines for the wrong reason.

Prelude- You may be hearing about some serious injuries in hockey as of late. Let's review the situation and give you some head-up about what is happening.

Sport - Hockey

Event - Serious Injuries to the Head in Professional Hockey

Issue -
This weekend, a Boston Bruin, Patrice Bergeron, was hit from behind into the boards resulting in him being carried off the ice on a stretcher. See story here. This event follows a number of other hits to the head that started right in preseason hockey with Philadelphia Flyers forward Steve Downie's hit on Ottawa Senator forward Dean McAmmond. McAmmond has yet to return to the Sens. Since then, there have been two more serious injuries that were caused by hits from behind.

NHL loves to have its fights reviewed during the nightly highlight packages. This however, creates the wrong image about this sport.

Point to Say - "Do you think the NHL should finally do something serious in order to stop all the hits from behind?"

Follow up point - "Isn't hitting someone when they are vulnerable shameful? Shouldn't players have respect for each other?

Backgrounder
Serious injuries in such a high collision sport is not new, what is up this year, is the amount of hitting from behind that has left player being carried off on a stretcher.

Concussions have always been part of the sport. It just wasn't tackled about much in the past. Like any good surveillance system, numbers are rising over recent years because of better detection methods and, finally, more open discussion on the matter and long term damage. Eric Lindros, and his younger brother, Brett, are the contemporary case and point. Brett retired from hockey at age 20 due to concussions.

There are LOTS of different views on this topic. Some blame the player (e.g. Don Cherry) who says the player hit from behind should never have put himself in that position in the first place. Others will add that hitting and such is all part of the game so nothing done by the league will ever stop this. "Finish your check" is ground into the player from day 1, for example.

A counter view says players need to recognize when someone is vulnerable. They are highly trained athletes able to react in a split second. A new way of thinking should be taught that doesn't install a vicious mentality.

The NHL is starting to increase the level of suspensions for these types of hits. Downie was suspended 20 games for his hit on McAmmond's head in an exhibition game. Then on Oct. 10 in Vancouver, Jesse Boulerice cross-checked Ryan Kesler in the mouth, resulting in a 25-game suspension.

It will depend on what the market wishes to watch when it tunes that will ultimately decide which way the leagues goes with its preventing of future such hits.

Links
Update - Boston Bruins centre Patrice Bergeron was released from hospital Sunday after suffering a concussion and a broken nose in a 2-1 loss to Philadelphia a day earlier.

The situation is reviewed very well by the hockey columnist Allan Maki from the Globe and Mail here.This situation is not unique to just NHL. No matter the league, hockey is suffering from these types of hits. This article reviews a situation that recently happened in the American Hockey League (farm teams for the NHL).

What is next for Eric? Find out here.