MEMORANDUM

*** Please post this memorandum in the

dressing room of your Club's home rink. ***
To:

NHL GENERAL MANAGERS, COACHES & PLAYERS

From:

Colin Campbell

Date:

November 14, 2008

Subject:

ILLEGAL BLOWS TO THE HEAD

Recently, we have had two (2) supplemental discipline incidents involving direct
elbow blows to the head. This is a play that we have been trying to remove from our
game for a number of years. In one case there was no injury and in the other
incident the elbowed Player received a concussion. Both Players delivering the
elbows had never before been involved in supplemental discipline.
We cannot and will not tolerate blows to the head that are deliberate, avoidable and
illegal. Furthermore, both the history and status of the offender (first time versus
repeat) and the nature of the injury caused (if any) will be taken into consideration as
they have been in the past. The length of suspensions for illegal blows to the head
will be increased if these incidents persist across the League. Taking steps to
maintain the safest on-ice environment possible for the Players remains our most
important priority.
Please ensure that your Players are in receipt of this memo.
To view the two incidents as referenced abCDve, pre_ase either double-click on the web
link below or cut and pastelhe lir.ij'~t~e~r ;e~ ~r~ser.
1)
htt ://mfile.akamai.com/16~/wmv/n.t:il.dJwnldad/a~rnai.com/16532/wm.nhl.nacentral/ops/1 MB/ruutulapierre.asx
I -, \ \'

L1

2)
http://mfile.akamai.com/16532/wmv/nhl.download.akamai.com/16532/wm.nhl.nacentral/ops/1 MB/pockshannon.asx

CC/kr
Cc:

Gary Bettman
Bill Daly
NHLPA, Ian Penny, Glenn Healy & Matt Nussbaum

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