Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada Committee on May 1st, 2019

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

We're going to move over to Ms. Hardcastle from the NDP for three minutes.

[Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Do you really believe there's going to be this organic reduction in fighting and this is going to be okay without any rule changes? At what point do you think that some rule changes are going to have to be established, like a new framework?

[Gary Bettman]

We're constantly monitoring and evolving. We meet with the general managers on a regular basis to go over what's taking place in the game. We're looking at trends because we're watching every game.

The organic change that we've seen is that you don't see staged fights anymore. A number of years ago, we actually proposed the rule to get rid of staged fights and the players' association said no. It evolved out of the game because as we moved the game to skill, teams decided it was more important to have four skilled lines than to have a designated tough guy and the amount of fighting came down.

The type of fighting you see now for the most part is an emotional, in-the-moment act. Somebody's upset and aggravated about something. We have a very fast-paced, emotional game with a lot of physical contact. That is an outlet that is probably better than some other outlets. Again, it has increasingly become a less important part of the game.

[Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

How often do you review the science, the research and concussion protocol?

[Gary Bettman]

Constantly.

[Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

I noticed you referenced the Berlin consensus, but the research is actually there and more understood. I think the protocol that you're using isn't as up-to-date as the Berlin protocol.

Do you have a committee?

[Gary Bettman]

We have a concussion subcommittee that meets four times a year. We retain outside experts. I think 36 medical and scientific experts signed on to the Berlin consensus statement. We probably have three, four or five people involved in that. Obviously, we don't control it, but we're involved, and we're constantly evaluating and re-evaulating how it's all working.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

Thank you.

This moves us to our last questioner, MP Maloney, for the Liberals.

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'll try to be quick again.

This fighting debate, from where I sit, is an evolution. It's part fan interest and part medical. There are fans who still like fighting in the game. Players agree with what you've said: It's a mechanism to control other issues on the ice. Doug Gilmour once said if fighting were banned, he'd be the toughest guy in the NHL. That's the mentality of the players. But let's move on from that. I want to pick up on the equipment issue.

Do you think further changes could be made to improve the equipment that would reduce the number of head injuries? Forget about collective bargaining. If the two of you get to decide what happens, what changes would you make to the game to improve it in a way that would reduce the number of concussions and related head injuries?

[Gary Bettman]

We also have a subcommittee on protective equipment that meets on a regular basis. We're constantly evaluating.

I know a lot of people talk about helmets. Concussions and helmets are two different things. The concussion is what happens inside; the helmet keeps you from getting a cracked skull, but it doesn't necessarily stop a concussion. But we have subcommittees that meet on a regular basis to deal with and look at equipment and what changes are appropriate, and we continue that.

All these things that relate to the game are not one-offs. This is a constant effort where we put personnel. Time, energy and money is spent to continuously evaluate what's going on in the game and to make the best judgments for the game.

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

What would you and the deputy commissioner do if you had carte blanche to make any changes to the game right now—

[Gary Bettman]

I like the way the game is being played right now.

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

—that would improve it in a way that would reduce the number of head injuries?

[Gary Bettman]

Right now I don't believe there's much we could do. To give you an indication of this, I was on a campaign to get visors. They also reduce the incidence of fighting. Eyes don't heal particularly well. It took me 20 years to get the players' association to agree to put on visors.

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Yes, and they were grandfathered in when they were.

[Gary Bettman]

But now virtually 95% of our players are wearing them.

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

I see the lights are going.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

On behalf of the committee, I want to thank Commissioner Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Daly. You've been good sports about all of this. We understand that you're in the midst of playoff season. We had hoped some Canadian teams would be a part of that playoff mix as we work toward to the Stanley Cup.

This subcommittee on sport-related concussions is going to put a report together with our analysts and our clerk, and that report will be tabled in Parliament before the end of this session.

We thank you for your input, for your testimony and for the materials you've provided us on behalf of the NHL.

[Gary Bettman]

Thank you for having us. It's been an honour to be here.

[The Chair, Liberal, Peter Fonseca]

That concludes our meeting.