Welcome to Hockey in Society’s Weekly Links post. This feature highlights articles or blog entries that are related to Hockey in Society’s areas of interest and that may be of interest to the site’s readers. Please check out some of the great writing that is happening in the hockey media and blogosphere!
- Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the multibillion dollar corporation that owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, settled with its striking concession and service workers this week. Final details have not yet been released, but the MLSE proposals included wage rollbacks or freezes for many employees. [Rank and File; Toronto Star]
- Big news in junior hockey, as USA Hockey is looking into banning fighting at all levels of its amateur system, including the junior league the USHL. [SB Nation]
- Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe has an inside look at the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, which is headed by Brendan Shanahan and responsible for fining and suspending players for dangerous play. [Boston Globe]
- Mark Spector argues that the NHL has made significant strides toward player safety over the past 10 years. [Sportsnet]
- An excellent read on how boys as young as 14 must decide between developing their skills – and careers – in the Canadian Hockey League or the NCAA. This is something that Vicky Grygar has written about previously on this blog. [New York Times]
- Great profile on Tarasai Karega, who is “a living hat trick – a black, female, ice hockey player” who works for a Philadelphia Flyers’ program to provide hockey opportunities to 3,000 children in Philadelphia. [Color of Hockey]
- Rumours of the NHL expanding by two teams have been swirling for over a year, with Seattle, Quebec City and Markham considered to be among the frontrunners. Greg Wysynski writes that Las Vegas has now entered the race as a darkhorse candidate to gain an expansion franchise. [Puck Daddy]
- Finally, after years of R&D hockey manufacturer Bauer has developed ultra-light, customized skates and protective gear that reportedly increases speed significantly – thus offering players a potential performance advantage. So far it has released the equipment to just six NHL players: Henrik Lundqvist, Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Claude Giroux, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane. [Sportsnet]
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