NHL alumni avoid concussion talk during Stadium Series weekend

RICHFIELD, Minn. — For at least one weekend former Minnesota North Stars player Brad Maxwell will put aside his feelings towards the NHL and how he believed it handled concussions during his playing days.

Maxwell, who has been an outspoken voice in regards to a lawsuit by over 100 former NHL players against the League, will partake in the Stadium Series alumni game at TCF Bank Stadium on Saturday between the North Stars and Chicago Blackhawks.

Below is the crux of the lawsuit, from its website:

The lawsuit alleges that the NHL was motivated to conceal these risks in order to glorify violence in the sport and generate billions of dollars in revenues, often using extreme violence as a commodity in the sale and promotion of the League.  As a direct consequence of the NHL’s misconduct, thousands of former NHL players have suffered and continue to suffer from serious and often debilitating health problems.

“We didn’t bring that here,” Maxwell said of the concussion lawsuit. “What we’re doing is we’re just bringing the alumni to play the Blackhawks, and that’s a whole separate deal that’s outside of this realm.” 

Maxwell is one of seven total players taking part in the concussion lawsuit that will partake in the alumni game. For the Minnesota team, the list includes Reed Larson, Dennis Maruk, Steve Payne, Jack Carlson and Tom Younghans. For the Blackhawks it’s Dave Christian.

When the Minnesota area players were approached to take part in the game, there was little hesitation to jump at the opportunity – even if they were tied in the lawsuit.

Younghans called being asked to play in the game “an honor.”

Maxwell, the president of the Minnesota NHL Alumni Association, played a big role in rounding up local players to join in. He said his signature was on a letter with Wild owner Craig Leipold about the game itself.

“(The NHL) is not holding any grudges or anything, saying ‘because you’re involved in a lawsuit, we don’t want you playing in this game,’” Maxwell said. “They never said that at all.”

Younghans added he didn’t “feel weird” about taking part in an event involving the NHL, even though he’s suing the league.

Still, the players didn’t hold back on the lawsuit and their thoughts on the concussion culture that surrounded the NHL when they played.

“There are certain things we were up against when we were playing and some of the stuff, how much more of a benefit it would have been for us to know,” Younghans said. “Maybe we would have changed some things, maybe we would have somehow made some changes in how the game was played.”

Said Maruk, “We didn’t know. We didn’t know any better and we weren’t educated.”

The fact the brain of former NHL enforcer Todd Ewen was found to not have CTE, the degenerative brain disease linked to head injuries, hasn’t changed their thoughts on the damage concussions have done to them. They said they feel the pain every day.

“I have a few things going on in my head. A few times I forget things,” Younghans said. “I’m worried about it, I’d say. I’ve had numerous concussions over the years. Where that’s going to lead? I don’t know.”

And what of the NHL effectively dismissing the argument by Dennis Wideman, that a concussion hampered his reasoning when he hit into a linesman, leading to a 20-game suspension? They see it as just part of the pattern of the league trying to defend itself. 

“This is a big business now,” Younghans said. “When I hear Bettman speak sometimes, he’s trying to protect his people.”

Added Younghans, “For the teams or the NHL organization to try to deny this stuff, it’s silly. It’s sometimes frustrating when I hear those things.”

Regardless of the lawsuit, during a local practice at Richfield Ice Arena, the players were giddy at seeing their former teammates and skating with them again. This trumped any ill will over the lawsuit for at least this weekend.

“It’s always a great together to see who’s fat, who’s skinny, who’s got hair, who doesn’t have hair and all that,” Maruk said. “It’s going to be a great time and a great weekend to get together and we thank the Wild and Mr. Maxwell to help get things going for us and get all the guys together.

“It’s going to be a fun weekend and it’s a pleasure being here.”

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper