DALLAS, TX – MARCH 08: Kari Lehtonen #32 of the Dallas Stars is injured with a head concussion against the Minnesota Wild on March 8, 2014 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Dallas won 4-3. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)

With the NHL season beginning Wednesday, the league announced some significant changes to how the league will handle concussion protocol going forward.

Beginning this season, the NHL will use spotters at a central location in New York to be on the lookout for players with concussion-like symptoms. These spotters, along with referees, will have the ability to make a player go through concussion protocol.

Previously, the league’s protocols were mainly focused on coaches and team employees making calls regarding players going through the concussion protocol. With this change, someone with an independent view on the game will have the ability to protect a player when they might be suffering from concussion symptoms.

Here’s what the NHL officially said in a release Tuesday.

While it remains an individual Club’s responsibility to identify a Player who requires removal from play and evaluation for possible concussion, the NHL and the NHLPA have agreed to provide additional support to help identify Players who require evaluation under the NHL/NHLPA Concussion Protocol. A new staff of Central League Spotters will monitor all games from the Player Safety Room in New York and will be authorized to require a Player’s removal from play for evaluation for concussion if the Player exhibits certain visible sign(s) under the Protocol, following a direct or indirect blow to the head. In-Arena League Spotters and On-Ice Officials will complement the Central League Spotters and will also monitor play for signs of possible concussion.

The release goes onto say that teams will be sanctioned if they do not follow the league’s new protocol.

Though this probably won’t prevent all failures to treat players who have suffered a concussion, it is certainly a step in the right direction. And based on the league’s past history of denying links to CTE and pissing off U.S. Senators, it’s amazing the league was willing to be progressive on this issue.

[Fear the Fin]

About Ryan Williamson

Ryan is a recent graduate of the University of Missouri and has recently returned to his Minnesota roots. He previously has worked for the Columbia Missourian, KFAN radio in Minneapolis and BringMeTheNews.com. Feel free to email me at rwilliamson29 AT Gmail dot com.