NHL wants Ontario court to order medical consultants to release emails, medical records on former players

The National Hockey League wants the Ontario Superior Court to order five Toronto-area medical consultants to hand over emails and documents related to fighting and head injuries in hockey as potential evidence in a growing class-action lawsuit launched by former NHL players.According to TSN, which broke the story Nov. 26, the NHL filed a motion earlier in the day in federal court in Minnesota, asking the judge to ask the Ontario court to direct the five—Michael Hutchinson, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto and director of its concussion program; neuropsychologist Gary Snow, psychologist Alan Finlayson, emergency room specialist Dr. John Rizos, and clinical neuropsychologist Paul Comper—to hand over any documents or communications related to fighting during NHL games, concussions, or information or warnings they may have given to any NHL players about the potential effects of repeated concussions.The five are all recognized medical consultants with the NHL's players' association, or NHLPA.When reached by the Medical Post, Dr. Rizos said he was aware of the motion filed in the U.S. Nov. 26."As an emergency care physician, I'm asked not infrequently to provide documentation to a family member or lawyer who is properly qualified," said the physician, who works in the emergency department at the Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga."But I really can't comment on the litigation that is going on (between the NHL and NHLPA)."More than 100 former NHL players have signed on to the lawsuit, which notably alleges the league didn’t ensure they were fully healed before returning to play after sustaining head injuries.The NHL has argued that it actively tries to protect players, and that many could have done research on their own about the dangers of repetitive head injuries.According to TSN, the NHL wants access to any and all NHLPA consultants' documents related to the deaths of former NHL enforcers Derek Boogaard, Wade Belak and Rick Rypien, all of whom committed suicide, as well as late NHL star Richard Martin. A study of the latter's brain tissue in 2011 by Boston University researchers revealed a degenerative disease linked to head trauma.The NHL is also reportedly interested in documents related to the deaths of former National Football League players Mike Webster, Dave Duerson and Junior Seau.The NHLPA lawsuit is similar to one launched by former NFL players, who last year won a tentative agreement that will see some 20,000 players over a 65-year period receive at least $765 million.In October, six separate lawsuits launched by former NHL players were combined and formally filed in Minnesota. The outcome of the suit will cover an estimated 5,000 living former NHL players.Regardless of the outcome, Dr. Richard Goudie, president of the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine (CASEM), an organization of physicians committed to excellence in the practice of medicine as it applies to all aspects of physical activity, thinks the suit will draw much-needed attention to the complex issue of concussions in sport."Concussions are a very serious problem and they are everywhere at all levels of sports, from young amateur kids playing in recreational leagues to professional athletes," Dr. Goudie (pronounced gowdy), said today from the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie, Ont., where is an emergency care and sports medicine specialist."We're still at the stage of respecting this injury, but we need to encourage government (and) sporting bodies to take the prevention and management of this injury very seriously."

NHL wants Ontario court to order medical consultants to release emails, medical records on former players

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