John Shannon

John Shannon is an analyst on Hockeycentral.

It's a good thing for the NHL that there are a great many positive distractions at this time of year. The Olympics announcements, the Winter Classic and the Olympics have fans drooling for more big events for the league and the game. However, it all comes with a cost.

Multi-purpose arenas, a contracted schedule and poor travel schedules are causing a great deal of stress in the locker rooms, the boardrooms and on the ice. Too many teams and too many players are playing the game at the highest level, at well below 100 per cent health, and that leads to injuries and less than entertaining hockey.

The new stat du jour is "man games lost to injury." Throughout the NHL, teams have inserted this stat to their daily news releases. Teams like Edmonton, Detroit and Washington are zeroing in on 200 games lost by their injured players. And we aren't talking about H1N1, or Selanne's broken wrist, or Khabibulin's back. This is about guys playing at full speed from game one to 82, playing hurt, playing tired and causing more injuries because of the really wacky schedule that has been foisted on the game. (And this is not a rant at the league's schedule maker. He works with what he is given, and actually does a very good job.)

This is about fitting a large schedule into buildings that have ice shows, curling bonspiels, basketball games and concerts, in addition to creating a two-week gap in February for the Olympics. And please understand, this isn't a precursor to announcing the NHL shouldn't go to Sochi, Russia in 2014. Even though there will be a ton of noise in Vancouver that the NHL should just announce that they are going to the Winter Games in 2014, it isn't that simple. We aren't going to hear about the league's intention for at least 18 months, maybe more. And we know, some groups aren't going to like the answers when its given!

But that's not the only question that should be asked, in order to protect the health of the players, and therefore the game. We should be asking:

1. Is there a better travel schedule for teams that allows for as many games, but fewer two-week trips?

2. Should the schedule be shorter, and hence salaries pro-rated?

3. When will the equipment not be a weapon?

4. When will the hits to the head rule change? Does it need to change?

5. When will the players respect each other on the ice a little more?

So while the Winter Classic is on, or the Olympics are under way, please remember we need to protect the game and the players at any cost, even if it means we don't go to Sochi. But understand, that isn't the only remedy for the problem.