When Drew Doughty returns to the Kings’ lineup tonight, after missing six games with concussion symptoms, he will have a new piece of equipment. Not one of the new “M11” helmets, worn by Willie Mitchell and Kevin Westgarth, among others — although that wouldn’t be a bad idea — but a mouthguard. Doughty used one temporarily last season, after he nearly lost several front teeth in an early-season game, but went away from it. Mouthguards, in general, are presumed to give players some stability in the jaw and neck areas, and provide some protection when hits are delivered, and Terry Murray said he would like all players to wear them…
MURRAY: “We do encourage that, through the whole organization. Management, doctors, coaches, we all encourage the players to wear mouthguards. There is medical evidence that that is preventative for any kind of injury. Even going back to competing, battling, 1-on-1, 2-on-2, there is a strength element that does enter into it, when you can have something like that, a mouthguard, to bite down on. It does tighten up the muscles, and it is scientifically proven that you are a stronger player in those compete situations.”
Murray said he did not know how many Kings wear mouthguards.
MURRAY: “I don’t know the number. I hope it’s everyone. I know it’s not. [laughs]”
And here I thought it was spinach that makes you stronger!
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Rich, can we find out why DD doesn’t want to wear a helmet like King Willie? Seems like a small thing for a lot of extra protection from further concussions, which now he’s more susceptible to.
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bbbbbb Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
@roadtripper, was king willie a predator 2 reference?
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OC KINGS FAN Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
@roadtripper, Honestly IMO i think those helmets are ugly. Alot of hockey players wont wear something because of the way it looks. Im not saying thats why Doughty wont wear it but thats why alot of people ive talked to say they wont wear it. RBK and Easton also have helmets special made to prevent concussions. those helmets look way sleeker and again IMO feel better on my head. but thats just me.
Anyways…GO KINGS cant wait for the game tonite!!!!
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Robert Beck Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
@OC KINGS FAN,
Hockey players are VERY particular as well as superstitious about their equipment… (See Butch Goring)
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Kingsfanone Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 3:28 pm
@Robert Beck,
Don’t forget about Lappy. He almost becomes a carrot and now he says he’ll wear a shield.
Might be a little late, but isn’t that human nature? Have you seen all these people driving and talking on their cell phones, KNOWING they are not driving distracted as they almost collide with you or someone else?
props to the MOnarchs last night – side note- especially Lokti who scored 2 minutes into his first game. Think he is pissed to be back down there??
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Dominick Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
@VanKingsFan, I’m sure he knows the drill. As long as he’s playing he probably doesn’t care, be cause he knows he’ll be back.
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Bako – you out there? Do mouthgaurds not prevent concussions also?
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tornado12 Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
@jet, Im not Bako, but am a doctor too.
here is an excerpt from a 2001 article in the journal of athletic training (J Athl Train. 2001 Jul–Sep; 36(3): 339–341. )
“Although no controlled experimental study has confirmed or refuted the idea that a properly fitted mouthguard reduces the likelihood of sustaining a concussive injury, evidence is mounting that the device could play a significant role in this critical area of player safety.”
In other words, it probably does, but there is no concrete evidence. I advise my patients to wear one when playing contact sports as it also helps protect against dental trauma.
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jet Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
@tornado12, Funny, I always assumed your were a boxer, tornado 1 2. anyway, I appreciate the note and reference. Thank you
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tornado12 Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
@jet, Ha, I never thought of that. What? Doctors can’t be boxers? lol
BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
@jet, @tornado,
As I’m a radiologist, I bow to any doctor directly involved in the care of concussion patients.
As to the mechanism of injury, I would imagine that any support structure which locks the mandible or jaw to the skull, would also allow the powerful masseter muscle to come into play in stabilizing the skull. But that is a guess.
The health-supporting proclamations which are directly tied to good research articles/studies should not be ignored.
I’m looking up tornado12′s article as I type…
BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
@jet, @tornado,
“…Winters16 reports on the value of properly fitted mouthguards, which may reduce the severity and incidence of cerebral concussion for specific mechanisms of injury. Using the physics model, the cushioning effects of a properly fitted mouthguard, particularly during a linear impact that involves the mandible, increase the time and distance of deceleration and likely offer cerebral protection…”
Looking up cited article 16, now…
BakoCAkingsCondorsGuy Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
@jet, @tornado,
Seems as though the mechanism of protection would deal directly with increasing the effective distance of deceleration, separating the mandible from the skull via the mouthpiece, which offers additional energy absorbtive protection in itself.
A reasonable thesis; needs more research and study. However, this would aid only in the effect of a frontal blow through the jaw, theoretically…
–Needs more research, IMHO.
why not make it mandatory for the entire league?
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TradedForAPick Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
@TinaBeana,
The dental unions would be in an uproar
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TinaBeana Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
@TradedForAPick,
damn greedy dentists!
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VanKingsFan Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
@TinaBeana, Because they are grown men; why not make full face cages mandatory too?
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OC KINGS FAN Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
@VanKingsFan, PLEASE NO!!!! LOL
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
@VanKingsFan, exactly!
However, I can see a team requiring it (as opposed to the league) as a way of wanting to individually protect their investments.
The other thing I wonder about is communication. Trying to communicate with one of those things in your face sucks.
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TinaBeana Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
@VanKingsFan, the Jackal?
i was only kidding. we all know when you get into a sport like this even the best equipment can’t save you from injuries…or death.
so we should let all sports players know to “take it like a man” yes?
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Mouthguards are one of the premier pieces of equipment in the NHL.
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Off topic, and I don’t know if anyone has already mentioned this, but the Lightning had a lot of plays from directly behind the net out to the front of the crease, last night against the Ducks. They also set up an umbrella with Stamkos, Lacavalier, and St.Louis on the first PP unit. I’m sure TM and the coaching staff have been scouting the Lightning, but just thought I’d mention it.
Looking forward to seeing the Kings dominate. Go Kings.
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Stagger Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
@Dominick,
I was at that game last night. Too bad the Dux won but I’m glad they took Tampa to OT to do it. Hopefully the Lightning will be nice and tired tonight.
Stamkos and St. Louis look great together. They skated circles around all but the Dux top line last night. We were sitting about 20 rows up from the glass (In a half full arena) and it’s amazing what St Louis can do for being such a little dude.
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jamesonafterawin Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
@Stagger, Free tickets?
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Section 103 Fan Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
@Stagger,
As I kings fan there are only three acceptable dates to be @ Honda Center… 11/29/10; 02/23/11; & 04/08/11.
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Erik4Kings Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
@Section 103 Fan,
We have a group of 75 Kings fans going on the 29th!!!
OC KINGS FAN Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
@Section 103 Fan, That is correct!
Ill be there on the 29th for suree.
Dominick Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
@Section 103 Fan,
My daughters a Ducksfan(sacrileges,bandwagoner), but when I take her I wear a Kings jersey. Ducksfans love seeing Kings Jerseys at non Kings games, in their building. The Ducks did a good job in the 1rst against the Lightning. I want to see the Kings do better.
David Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
@Stagger, “I was at that game last night”
ummm….
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Stagger Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
@David,
Haha, yes, free tix. I live about 5 mins from Honda Center and my buddy is the scoreboard operator there. Every now and then he’ll get some free tix. If the Sux are playing a good team I will go root against them.
As far as the only acceptable days to be there being Kings games, well that’s BS. I don’t know about you but I love hockey. If I get a chance to see an NHL game 5 mins from my house for free, more often than not I’m going. So sue me.
Shakes Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:30 pm
@David,
Riiiiiiiiiiiich we have a Ducks fan heerrreeeeee. Maybe Dominick is really the dreaded……. Anthony of yesteryear!
I kid, I kiiiid
Dominick Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
I’ll let that one slide, be cause you should know better. LOL
Dominick Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
@shakes,
I posted this before the game.Even Ducksfans know I’m a Kingsfan.
http://ducks.ocregister.com/2010/11/03/win-tickets-for-the-nov-26-ducks-chicago-game/48222/#comments
Drew is not going to wear the mission helmet guys. As bad as it sounds, these young players care a lot about there “style”. Drew changed to the Se 4500 this season, which is one of the least safest helmets, but it looks darn good on him that is for sure. That Mission Bucket would look really bad on Doughty and he knows, and as much as you would want to think he would wear it for his health and longevity, he would rather just use the mouth-guard.
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VanKingsFan Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
@Michael_DD8, He should go the Gretzky look and put on a bad ass Joffa bucket!
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Bubba Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
@Michael_DD8, Looking good is all that matters… aside from being good. ><
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Erik4Kings Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
@Michael_DD8,
You’re right, he’ll never wear a Mission helmet because there isn’t one, its a Messier helmet, LOL.
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OC KINGS FAN Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
@Erik4Kings, BBWWAHAHHA thank you i was thinking the same thing….
there are mission helmets though. They are ugly as hell though
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Michael_DD8 Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
@OC KINGS FAN,
Yeah i noticed after i was typing mission. My bad. Same point anyway…..
What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
If he’s so interested in how good he looks, why didn’t he force them to retake the Pippy Longstockings file photo they always show of him on TV?
this one here
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TinaBeana Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, AHAHAHA! cute.
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TinaBeana Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
@Michael_DD8, yes, he does look good. even better when he plays good. total package?
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People people…let us remember…proven fact…
Less equipment = less injuries. Rugby has far less injuries than American football and is far more brutal.
The more invincible we make players feel with helmets and pads the faster they fly at people. The new helmets just encourage that and the science behind ‘concussion’ helmets is lame at best.
They can’t test them and prove they’re any safer, what variables to you measure? Force distributed to a melon after impact because you can’t use players heads…
Football has been increasing concussion helmets for 3 years now and to no avail, head injuries are still at an all time high…
We need to change the culture of hitting and checking in the league through education and penalty enforcement. Equipment can help but is really a band aid for a bigger issue…
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
@Erik4Kings, There have been some interesting studies on that stuff, particularly WRT bicycle helmets, traffic signals and so forth. Drivers have been shown to endanger helmeted cyclists more, and show little caution that someone might run a red light, etc. Studies have shown it’s safer just to replace some signals with “Yield” signs, or at least blinkers.
Yet, I think I’d want the best brain bucket I can get when on the ice. As for the rest, maybe less is more.
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Dominick Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
@Erik4Kings,
Rugby is a sport driven by brute force, where the players are running some of the time, and pushing the rest of the time.
Hockey is a sport driven by speed and blunt force trauma, where players are skating all of the time, and hitting and getting hit all of the time, at higher speeds. Not to mention the stationary boards.
With 1/2 the pads of a football player.
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tullskull Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
@Dominick,
Thanks Dominick. Excellent comparisons.
Don’t forget about “the code” where these top athletes are playing at the highest level possible, are faster and stronger and bigger than ever but still insist on honoring the way it used to be and expecting to feel like they are on a pond somewhere until a 95mph slapshot shatters their orbital and then urge others to wear a shield ala Steve Y…
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how wonderful is it that the kings are playing for tops in the league.plus we are healthy,life is good for us kings fans.look for zues to have a killer night and Simmons as well.
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I do know one thing, and that is when I got laid out in a rec game by a guy twice my size (accidentally), my saving grace was my mouthguard….
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Mouthguards, have almost little to do with teeth and more to do with concussions. You can prevent a concussion because a mouthguard cushions the blow and prevents the jaw from smacking shut and knocking you out. Thats what kids don’t understand, mouthguards are more to protect you from what Drew just went through. A mouthguard probably would of prevent Drew from bring injured.
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I’m a little upset that he wasn’t wearing one. It’s a little thing, but it actually makes a big difference IMO.
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As to the mechanism of injury, I would imagine that any support structure which locks the mandible or jaw to the skull, would also allow the powerful masseter muscle to come into play in stabilizing the skull. But that is a guess.
Aligning the jaw in relation to the bite is key in empowering these key muscles. A common tooth protecting guard can’t do this. http://www.mahercor.com has some new data on this
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