Does the NHL have a painkiller problem?

Image via WikipediaI don’t know if the blog post needs a lot of narration but the article is worth a read and the revelations from this article are jaw dropping. One has to wonder if the NHL needs to do a review of it’s chemical dependency protocols.

Stu Hackel, Sports Illustrated --- “Today the biggest problem, which isn’t talked about…is pills. It’s painkillers,” Laperrière said.

Laperrière knows something about pain and medicating it. In addition to losing seven teeth and getting hit in the eye with pucks during the 2009-10 season, he’s had abdominal surgery, an operation to remove bone chips and scar tissue from his knee, and various hand, back, groin and neck ailments that forced him from the lineup at times during his career. “After my operations…I took two or three [pills] a day to ease the pain. But there are guys who take it just for the buzz,” he said Friday morning over CKAC Radio (audio), the French language all-sports station.

“[Painkillers] are appropriate for those who need them,” he said. “If I just had an operation, I may take my pills for two days, but the doctor gives me pills for twelve days. There are pills left over.”

And those leftover pills are apparently provided by some NHLers to their teammates.

Asked by host Michel Langevin how many players might be taking painkillers on a given team, whether or not they really need them, Laperrière responded, “The teams that I’ve played on, I would say four or five guys per team, and those are the ones I saw.”

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Chris Simon's first fight as a Wild player.

Last night Wild tough guy Chris Simon had his first fight wearing a Wild jersey and he worked New Jersey tough guy David Clarkson like a clown. Look for Simon to do more fighting and playing the physical game.

Team wants Simon to be his true self
MICHAEL RUSSO, Star Tribune
After missing two games because of the flu and one as a healthy scratch, Chris Simon was back in the Wild lineup in Thursday's 4-3 shootout loss to New Jersey.

Wild coach Jacques Lemaire asked for a much more physical Simon, which is interesting because physicality has never been an issue during Simon's 15-year NHL career.

But Lemaire sensed tentativeness from Simon, perhaps because he was worried "the eyes are on him" because of the infamy he's gained from slashing the Rangers' Ryan Hollweg in the face and stepping on the leg of Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu.

"All the press -- TV's on him, league's on him, referee's on him," said Lemaire, referring to the fact that Simon is coming off recent 25- and 30-game suspensions. "It's not an easy situation for him."

Simon was acquired to be a physical presence, but he's trying to find a balance.

"He tries to be a good man, but he's got to do his job. See what I mean?" Lemaire said. "He's got to do his job, playing hard, playing tough, but the eyes are on him."

Simon, 36, tried to respond Thursday. He had one big hit on Sheldon Brookbank and fought David Clarkson, although he played only 5 1/2 minutes. "In the beginning, you feel like you have to be careful," he said. "But I feel more comfortable out there with the system and how I'm supposed to play. I just have to play my game and just trust that I'll get a fair shake.

(Read the rest of the story here)

Hot Stove: Lyndon Byers vs David Mackey

With the new kinder, gentler NHL it seems the tough guys are becoming a thing of the past, now guys just hack each other with their stick or board their opponent. Lyndon Byers was one of my favorite Bruins, the man would fight with anyone and was a half way decent energy line person. You also got to love the Bruins old third jersey's.

Byers and Giles