Nicholls on suing NHL: I can't remember games
Bernie Nicholls is part of a concussion lawsuit against the NHL. (USATSI)
Bernie Nicholls, a veteran of 18 seasons in the NHL between 1982 and 1999 and a three-time All-Star, has been one of the main players involved in the concussion lawsuit that was filed against the NHL back in 2013. The former players allege that the league failed to warn them about the long-term dangers of head injuries.
On Saturday, Nicholls had a piece published in the New York Daily News that explained his position, his post-career health, and his reasons for suing the league.
Here is Nicholls, via the New York Daily News (the entire article can be read here):
When I broke a bone or sprained a muscle, I always knew exactly how I was going to feel afterwards. But when I got a blow to the head, I never had anyone tell me that if I continued to play, I might sustain permanent brain damage.
If the NHL had told me about the risks of continued head trauma, I would have never gone back onto the ice as quickly as I usually did. When I joined the NHL, I knew I would be injured, but at the end of the day, I did not expect to have problems, that would last a lifetime. The NHL did not just wake up recently and say, “these guys are going to have long-term problems.”
They knew then — they had to — and didn’t do anything about it. They never even told us what the long-term costs of these hard hits might be, and how our lives might be altered forever.
In the piece Nicholls explains that even though his concussions took place 20 to 30 years ago, he still gets extremely dizzy and is plagued by headaches, while also adding, “I have a hard time remembering games I played in and even the names of people I played with for many years.” He also added encouraged more players to support their efforts.
The NHL is a brotherhood; we protected each other on and off the ice. I joined the NHL concussion lawsuit for myself and for those who I know are hurting even more than I am. I have encouraged all those I played with and against to support this effort — if not for yourself, for your former teammates who protected you. I had a tremendous hockey career, but it was extremely detrimental to my health and mental well-being. Ultimately, the league only seemed to care about marketing and promoting the game, and the hard hits we all took fueled the game’s success and tremendous growth it is experiencing today.
Back in March a federal judge denied a motion by the NHL to have the case dismissed while commissioner Gary Bettman has also been ordered to testify in the lawsuit.
During his NHL career, Nicholls scored 475 goals in 1,127 career games with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks.
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