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------------I ----- v « v w — —Savard sees face masks as invitation to mayhem, MONTREAL — The battle has been joined over whether mandatory face-masks will prove a boon to safety or an invitation to violence in the 1980-81 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season.One view holds that the cages, similar to those worn by football linemen, will mean quicker, cleaner play and fewer injuries; the other suggests that the devices increase the chances of high-sticking, butt-ending and, inevitably, brawling.Among those tending to the latter opinion is defenceman Serge Savard of Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League.“They tried it at the Triple A midget level last year, and I’m told that sticks were never higher, Savard said. “It'll be the same in the major junior league.”The 10-team QMJHL adopted the masks last month, becoming the first of Canada's three major junior leagues to do so. The Ontario Major Junior League and Western Hockey League haven’t followed suit.The masks have been used at all levels of hockey In Quebec province up to junior A in the last several seasonsfollowing recommendations in a 1977 report on hockey violence by Gilles Neron. A former University of Montreal physical education professor, Neron was named this summer as the head ofa new provincial government sports safety board.“They say the mask will protect the eyes, nose, mouth, checks and chin, Savard noted. ‘-‘But I’m almost certain that players — not all, but some — will take advantage of the added protection to carry their sticks higher.If I’m wrong, I won't hesitate to say I was too pessimistic. But for now, I’m • against the masks.Savard favors facemasks, however, for players up to the age of 14.QMJHL statistician John Horman of Montreal said yesterday the league keeps no records of exhibition games and he had no figures on the relative incidence of penalties in preseason games that started Aug. 31.But. he said, from the games he has seen, there has been less violence.“There’ll be no problems if the referees just call the infractions, and they’re doing that,” he said. “I’ve seen games where there were high sticks and slashing, but they were called.Paul Dumont of Quebec City, QMJHL executive director, has said that, despite protests from some players who aren’t used to the masks, they have arrived to stay.“We didn't take this decision lightly.- It’s like compulsory seat belts in a car. .You have to abide by the rule because lt;safety is paramount. \“Hockey has to adapt, too. This subject was fully discussed by the league lt;governors. The only questions were about application.”Dumont said some players were balking but “we had the same problem when helmets came in.Savard, who wore a helmet for the first time last season, suggested helmets may have encouraged violence.“I don’t like to wear a helmet. I wore one for the first time and found out fast that I was getting hit on the head with sticks more frequently.“Players probably feel Ireer to retaliate against illegal tactics when opponents are better protected. It’s a question of enforcing the rules.“But helmets, which have been properly refined for several years, have their place in hockey. Helmets are definitely more essential than facemasks.
Newspaper Details
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA
Tue, Sep 09, 1980
Page 96
Full Page
Clipped by
Jason P.
USA 04 Dec 2018
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