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Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, right, is helped off the ice by head trainer Matthew Sokolowski after Malinski was injured when he was boarded by San Jose Sharks defenseman Jacob MacDonald in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche trainer Matt Sokolowski tends to Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) after he was injured in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Philadelphia Flyers Dave Schultz catches up to Kansas City Scouts Brent Hughes for the start of a fight in Philadelphia in April of 1975. As the Flyers’ best fighter he helped the team earn their nickname “Broad Street Bullies.” (AP Photo)
Colorado Avalanche center Parker Kelly (17) checks Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (23) into the boards Thursday, May 1, 2025, during the third period in game 6 of the first round of the NHL Playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver. The Avalanche won 7-4 to force a game 7 in Dallas Saturday. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Colorado Avalanche left wing Jonathan Drouin (27) prepares for a face off against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, at Ball Arena in Denver. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) is helped off the ice by head trainer Matthew Sokolowski, left, and left wing Joel Kiviranta (94) after being injured in the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski, right, is helped off the ice by head trainer Matthew Sokolowski after Malinski was injured when he was boarded by San Jose Sharks defenseman Jacob MacDonald in the first period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Editor’s note: The Denver Gazette presents a three-part investigative series on health after hockey for NHL players. Part I examined the life and death of Colorado Avalanche enforcer Chris Simon. Part II dug into the support system for retired players. Part III shows how current players view their future.
Parker Kelly apologized for something he could not prevent.
The former Ottawa Senators winger watched NHL medical staff lift an opposing player onto a stretcher in March 2022 at Canadian Tire Centre. Kelly delivered the hit. Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy crumpled on the ice — motionless — after Kelly pushed him from behind and into the glass.
“I’m sitting in the penalty box watching this happen. You feel a little alone there — hurting someone. It’s a pretty weird feeling,” recalled Kelly, acquired last season by the Colorado Avalanche. “You’re like, ‘Oh my gosh. I thought I did my part.’ … I’m going to finish my hit, and he turns (at the) last second. I kind of let up as he was going in, but the way his face hit the boards, it hit his chin.
Colorado Avalanche center Parker Kelly (17) checks Dallas Stars defenseman Esa Lindell (23) into the boards Thursday, May 1, 2025, during the third period in game 6 of the first round of the NHL Playoffs at Ball Arena in Denver. The Avalanche won 7-4 to force a game 7 in Dallas Saturday. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
“Then he’s lifeless on the ground.”
Murphy was placed on long-term injured reserve in the NHL’s concussion protocol. He did not return that season. Kelly sent a text message.
“I would appreciate a guy reaching out and saying sorry,” Kelly told The Denver Gazette. “He was appreciative of that. He watched the play back and was like, ‘It wasn’t anything malicious.’ Guys are pretty understanding.”
NHL players accept the risk as part of the job.
Neurologists interviewed by The Denver Gazette confirmed that repetitive head impacts, both concussive and non-concussive, can lead to progressive brain diseases, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Ex-Avalanche enforcer Chris Simon died by suicide in 2024 and is one of 19 ex-NHL players to be diagnosed with CTE, according to the Boston University CTE Center.
The Avalanche Alumni Association offers resources for players in retirement. They help provide medical physicals for those without NHL-provided health insurance. Ex-Avalanche defenseman Kyle Quincey opened a holistic retreat center to help fill the gaps.
The next question: Do current NHL players think about their health after hockey?
The Denver Gazette surveyed home and visiting locker rooms last season at Ball Arena to find out.
“Absolutely. I think about it all the time,” Dallas Stars forward Matt Duchene said.
“No, I don’t think about it,” Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone said.
“You definitely think about it a little bit,” Avalanche defenseman Ryan Lindgren said.
***
The Broad Street Bullies changed the NHL forever.
It’s the nickname given to the 1970s Flyers who discovered a new tactic to win championships. Load your roster with mean and physical players and intimidate your opponent into submission. It worked. Philadelphia won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975, and their strategy caught on across the league. The age of enforcers continued for decades.
Philadelphia Flyers Dave Schultz catches up to Kansas City Scouts Brent Hughes for the start of a fight in Philadelphia in April of 1975. As the Flyers’ best fighter he helped the team earn their nickname “Broad Street Bullies.” (AP Photo)
The NHL does not list public statistics on fighting. But it recently peaked, according to HockeyFights.com, with 734 total fights during the 2008-09 season. The game has since evolved to value speed and skill over size and power.
Last season, there reportedly were 300 fights in the NHL.
“It’s physical out there. Fighting shouldn’t be outlawed. I think that’s a big part of the game,” Lindgren said. “There are guys who make their career from being the guy who goes out there and fights and sticks up for their teammates.”
Modern NHL players are better protected by technology.
The equipment brand CCM partnered with the University of Ottawa to perform thousands of real-world head impacts on their NHL helmets to capture, reconstruct and analyze the data. Audrey Malka, the head and face manager for CCM, said their most popular model is called the Super Tacks X Total Custom. It uses 3D scanning to fit each head shape.
“NHL helmets have evolved dramatically since the 1990s,” Malka told The Denver Gazette. “Back then, players had to choose from standard foam options, and helmet designs were relatively generic. Today, thanks to technologies like 3D scanning and printing, helmets can be fully customized to each player’s head. The internal structures are no longer simple foam pads but engineered lattice systems tailored for specific impact responses.”
The NHL Players’ Association shows a concussion education video to players every year at training camp. More resources are provided at their annual player orientation program. The NHLPA’s chief neurologist, Dr. Jeff Kutcher, is available to answer questions about brain health.
NHL concussion protocol is designed to eliminate returning to play with a suspected head injury. It starts in the preseason with baseline testing.
Colorado Avalanche trainer Matt Sokolowski tends to Colorado Avalanche left wing Artturi Lehkonen (62) after he was injured in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
“Lots of memory stuff,” said Kelly, a fifth-year NHL forward. “There’s usually a list of words that get read to you, and then you’ll have to repeat them, or as many as you can. … You’ve got to read numbers backwards. The date.”
The NHL mandates concussion spotters pull any player who displays possible in-game symptoms. Players removed from the ice are tested again using the same baseline methods. For example, Avalanche forward Jonathan Drouin was denied a return to play after being pulled by a concussion spotter.
“It happened to me once,” Drouin said. “It goes with your testing and the scores you get in training camp and during the year. Sometimes you think you’re fine, but your scores aren’t.”
The NHL is a safer game in comparison to previous eras.
Critics suggest the league still falls short of protecting its players.
“You can certainly play a dangerous sport if you’d like to, but you should at least know what you’re getting into and what you might put your family through,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. “Right now, the NHL is not telling the truth to players about CTE, and they don’t have informed consent.”
***
Watch closely for signs of a possible concussion.
On May 5, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoff semifinals, a puck hit Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz in the facemask on a Florida Panthers shot attempt. His mask fell to the ice. He reacted seconds later by quickly shaking his head back and forth.
The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF), a nonprofit supporting anyone affected by CTE, calls the motion a “Spontaneous Headshake After a Kinematic Event” or a SHAAKE. A CLF study determined it is a strong indicator of concussion.
Stolarz finished the game in net for Toronto.
Update: here is a new angle showing an immediate SHAAKE by Stolarz after the puck to the face. We can't keep ignoring this possible #concussion sign that we all recognize. His severe symptoms may not be random, but in fact missing the first of two potential concussions. https://t.co/5ewFODvrFr pic.twitter.com/YbkitYn6pj
“The NHL still struggles to properly identify concussions and remove athletes,” said Nowinski, a neuroscientist and former professional WWE wrestler. “Their protocol, by choice, is somewhat loose. That’s why the Maple Leafs goalie was left in despite showing concussions signs twice. With a more strict protocol, he’s removed and assessed. … It also sets a very poor example to every other level of hockey — that you can be hit in the head like that, go down, be left in and not assessed.”
The NHL lacks public transparency on injuries in comparison to other professional sports leagues.
NFL policy mandates that “all players who have reportable injuries must be listed on the practice report” and “must be identified with a reasonable degree of specificity in terms that are meaningful to coaches, other club officials, the media, and the public.”
The NBA requires teams to submit an injury report by 5 p.m. local time the day before each game. It must “designate a participation status and identify a specific injury, illness” or when a healthy player is resting.
Meanwhile, NHL head coaches have discretion to provide as much, or as little, information about player health. Injuries are labeled in the simplest terms. Concussions can also be described as just “head” or “upper-body.” There are no practice or game reports with detailed health status. It is common for teams to withhold that information until the season is over.
The NHL does not publish league-wide concussion data. Conversely, the NFL reported 182 concussions for the 2024 season.
However, a website called NHL Injury Viz has compiled publicly available injury data from all 32 hockey teams. The website listed 21 concussions and five head injuries for the 2024-25 season. It is unclear how many upper-body injuries — with more than 200 reported — might be concussion related. Teams can also classify injuries as “undisclosed.”
“There are a lot of changes that could be made to the game of hockey to reduce the risk of CTE,” Nowinski told The Denver Gazette. “There are no discussions about that right now, in part because perhaps the players believe what the NHL is telling them, and the NHL has no incentive to change the game if they can’t acknowledge what can happen.”
***
The Golden Knights captain endured back surgery and a lacerated spleen in recent years.
“I’m probably going to be pretty sore when I’m done, yeah,” Stone said with a laugh in the visitors’ locker room at Ball Arena. “I’m not too worried about that right now. But I’m probably going to feel better, I guess, physically, when you’re not playing 82 games and skating every single day. But that’s not something I think about too closely.”
Stone, 33, is satisfied with the NHL concussion protocol.
“There are definitely more guys getting pulled from games without their permission, right? Knock on wood, but I haven’t been through a ton of that stuff,” Stone said. “I’ve played with teammates that have been forced to retire early. I always feel like that’s an injury where you do think about more closely post-career, right? You want to have a good, healthy life going forward when you’re done playing.
“But that’s a tough one to answer.”
Colorado Avalanche left wing Jonathan Drouin (27) prepares for a face off against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, at Ball Arena in Denver. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Avalanche defenseman Keaton Middleton said, “You could be in a car accident on the way home. Stuff happens. You never know.”
Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno shared a different perspective. He’s been diagnosed with at least two concussions over 18 years in the NHL. He used the word “scary” to describe them.
“What puts it in perspective is when you have a family,” Foligno said. “You start to think about life after hockey and understand there is a lot more time after hockey than during it. For guys to understand that it doesn’t take you out of the day-to-day. I think it just makes you appreciate it when you’re in it and taking care of your body. … You can push through a sore muscle or a broken bone here or there.
“But something as important as your brain?”
Other players, like Drouin in Colorado, won’t dwell on the potential for long-term health consequences playing hockey.
“I’m one of those guys that never really thinks about it. When it’s all over, it’s all over, and my body is going to be how it is,” Drouin told The Denver Gazette. “I’m trying to figure out what that is. But yeah, for me, I’m just playing hockey. Yes, it’s a physical sport. But it’s a little different than football where guys have the head-on-head hitting.”
***
The conversation is starting to shift.
In March 2016, the NFL acknowledged a link between CTE and football. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, told The Denver Gazette there are between “700 and 800 cases of American football players” diagnosed with CTE. McKee said the number for hockey players is “about an eighth” of the NFL’s.
The NHLPA in November took its first step toward addressing CTE.
“The long-term health of NHL players is of paramount importance to our membership,” the NHLPA said in a statement. “To this end, the NHLPA is in the process of forming a player committee that will be focused on learning more about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The committee will be guided by leading medical experts in this field to help players better understand CTE.”
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood (41) is helped off the ice by head trainer Matthew Sokolowski, left, and left wing Joel Kiviranta (94) after being injured in the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
There will be a presentation on CTE at the NHLPA’s Executive Board meetings this summer.
“I expect a lot to come from that committee,” Nowinski said. “The players need to get better educated. … Too many athletes I meet say they’ve only had one concussion; therefore, they aren’t concerned. They don’t understand that the number of concussions does not predict CTE as much as years of play.”
NHL players like Foligno are preparing for what comes next.
“It’s just educating guys, and making guys realize there’s a lot more time after hockey, whether you want to admit it or not,” Foligno said. “You deserve to have a great life.”
Duchene, formerly with the Avalanche, is hopeful that a past generation of NHL enforcers — lacking knowledge of traumatic brain injuries — will not struggle in vain.
“You definitely feel for guys that didn’t have that and didn’t know. I think it was an education thing more than anything,” Duchene said. “It’s great that we’ve learned from the past. There’s nothing that could have been done for those guys at that time. No one knew enough. Now, people do.
“It’s up to us to learn from the mistakes, the knowledge that we have, and move forward.”
Editor’s note: The Denver Gazette presents a three-part investigative series on health after hockey for NHL players. Part I examined the life …
The Denver Gazette’s Tyler King and Vinny Benedetto break down the Nuggets’ season-saving win in Game 6 of a second round NBA playoffs series against the No. 1 seed OKC Thunder. They talk Jamal Murray battling through an illness to spark the Denver offense, Julian Strawther’s big impact off …
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