Sidney Crosby skates while NHL general managers discuss head injuries
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Sidney Crosby skated Monday for the first time since sustaining a concussion more than two months ago, but the Pittsburgh Penguins center said he’s still not sure if or when he will be able to play this season.
“No real plan going forward,” he said in an interview on the Penguins’ website.
Crosby’s skate comes on the day NHL general managers began three days of meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., with concussions and blows to the head the hottest topic.
Commissioner Gary Bettman began the proceedings by spelling out a five-point plan that includes instructing a safety engineering firm to evaluate every rink to determine if changes are needed and directing teams that have seamless glass to change to Plexiglass.
The protocol for evaluating and managing concussions has been revised, principally to have the team physician instead of the team trainer examine any player who reports any concussion symptoms.
No offense to trainers, whose quick thinking and caring have patched up many a player, but shouldn’t an immediate examination by a doctor have been part of the protocol before now?
-- Helene Elliott