The lawsuit, filed in a U.S. District Court in New York, is the
second filed against the National Hockey League in less than five
months to claim the league did not do enough to prevent concussions.
The latest complaint alleges that, "the NHL has failed and continues
to fail to warn its players of these risks and consequences of head
trauma."
The suit also claims the NHL concealed material scientific and
anecdotal information from players.
"The NHL has failed to institute policies and protocols that could
have and will protect its players from suffering or exacerbating
head trauma sustained during practice or in games," read the
complaint.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Apr/11/images/ads/current/farmersbank_sda_031714.png)
Among the plaintiffs, Dan LaCouture, Jack Carlson, Mike Peluso and
Tom Younghans spent their careers as enforcers and piled up more
minutes in fighting penalties than points.
The other players named in the lawsuit were Dan Keczmer, Richard
Brennan, Brad Maxwell, Allan Rourke and Scott Bailey.
"Through enclosed rink designs and lax rules for fighting, the NHL
vectored a culture of extreme violence and packaged the spoils to
adoring fans." continued the suit.
The NHL did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A lawsuit filed last year that started with 10 plaintiffs but has
since grown to over 200, said it was time for the NHL to elevate
player safety over profit and tradition.
Concussions have been in the NHL spotlight for years.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/ads/current/logan_lanes_lda_030714.png)
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, the game's most popular
player and face of the NHL, missed large chunks of two seasons as he
slowly recovered from concussion symptoms.
Several other players, including former All-Stars Eric Lindros, Pat
LaFontaine and Keith Primeau, were all forced to prematurely end
their careers due to concussion issues.
In 2011, three former NHL enforcers, Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and
Wade Belak died tragically raising concerns about a possible link
between the deaths and the players' tough guy roles and concussions.
Last year the National Football League paid $765 million to settle a
similar lawsuit brought by thousands of former players, many
suffering from dementia and health problems.
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto;
editing by Frank Pingue)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Apr/11/images/ads/current/class_display_sda.png) |