Many activities can cause physical damage to a human body. Not the least of these are so-called “contact” sports. For sure, sports with contact, hard contact, have a way of leading to broken bones.
Having grown up in an ice hockey culture, I have taken the idea of physical injury for granted. Indeed, when I was a youth playing my first hockey, we had flimsy gear and no head protection. We seemed to survive, with a few stitches and bruises. But now that I observe the dramatic impact of body checks and fast flying pucks on players, it gives me pause. Each of the injuries, especially with a fracture, hairline or more prominent, takes 6-8 weeks to fully heal. And, it usually means a player cannot train during the rehabilitation period like he or she normally would.
The Vancouver Canucks began this season with a surprisingly good performance, based on good coaching, good young players and good execution by a few seasoned veterans. The team was exceeding expectations by quite a margin. The team was fun to watch…..fast, productive and successful many nights.
But, with the jamming of Bo Horvat’s ankle, with fracture, the puck in the face shot on Sven Baertschi, with fractured jaw, with a good slam into the boards of Eric Gudbranson and probably broken ribs, and now Brock Boeser’s blocked shot attempt leading to severe ankle injury, the Canucks are in big trouble. Not to mention Chris Tanev being out with strained groin and Derek Dorsett being permanently sidelined with a dangerous neck injury…….
The game of ice hockey is not unique in its physicality of course. Sports like Aussie Rules Football, North American Football, Soccer, Rugby and other less highlighted sports like Lacrosse, put many players out of action for parts or all of seasons.
There does not seem to be a way to prevent these injuries when the inherent nature of the game is quite violent. The players accept it. We as spectators support it. But is changes lives, changes seasons, and changes the comfort one feels while sitting in a chair watching the modern-day gladiators battle. We are more civilized than in days gone by, but not without the conundrum of societal endorsement of violent sport as an outlet for human aggression.