The financial toll of career-ending concussions in professional hockey
Carmen Hiploylee,
Richard Wennberg,
Charles H Tator
Affiliations
Carmen Hiploylee
1Canadian Sports Concussion Project, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada
Richard Wennberg
1Canadian Sports Concussion Project, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada
Charles H Tator
1Canadian Sports Concussion Project, Krembil Neuroscience Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada
Aim: Several high-profile professional hockey players have retired due to career-ending concussions sustained in the National Hockey League (NHL). We sought to determine the salary cost of career-ending concussions in the NHL. Methods: Concussion-induced retirements from 1995 to 2015 were identified using public media sources. The number of missed games due to a player’s final concussion was multiplied by per game salary to determine cost. Results: In total, 35 players were identified: the total cost to teams and insurers of career-ending concussions was US$135,476,777. Half of the total consisted of salaries owing three players with contracts still active in 2015. Conclusion: The financial impact of concussion-induced retirements provides another reason for professional leagues to take measures to better protect their players from concussion.
