'One more zero would be nice': Former NHLers decry tentative concussion deal

As a top scorer in the '70s and '80s, Dennis Maruk had a storied career with the NHL spanning 14 years.

He played for the California Golden Seals, Cleveland Barons, Washington Capitals and Minnesota North Stars. But at five feet, eight inches, he was smaller than most and he says that made him a target on the ice.

"It was a rough game," Maruk said. "We were dizzy… We still played."

Maruk remembers being knocked down frequently, lying on the ice, waking up and seeing two fingers waving in front of his face.

"If they're showing two fingers and you say two, you can play," Maruk said. "Really, we had a concussion."

Maruk is one of 318 former NHL players who are part of a tentative settlement with the league over concussion injury litigation. 

But he says he can't opt in to the deal, because the $18.9 million US isn't enough.

The NHL, without accepting responsibility for any injuries, is offering players just over $8.8 million, of which each will receive $22,000 and could be eligible for up to $75,000 in medical treatment. 

"One more zero would be nice," Maruk said.

"There should be a lot more money given out to these players that are really suffering. They can't live their lives."

Possible memory loss 

Today at age 62, Maruk says those repeated hits to the head cause pain and sleep problems. He also worries about possible memory loss. 

"My dad lived to 93 and I hope that I can do too. But… I still want to have the time where I can remember my grandkids, my kids."

Maruk isn't alone in his concerns. On Twitter, former Chicago Blackhawk and fellow claimant Daniel Carcillo urged others not to take the settlement.

Carcillo, who has had brain injury treatment, is especially critical that the deal won't allow diagnoses from independent doctors. 

Instead, he said players would be forced to use NHL and players' union doctors to determine if they'd be eligible for treatment.

He also called out Wayne Gretzky to "use his platform to help the men who protected him throughout his career."

"Lack of pressure from former players is a direct result of this insulting attempt at a settlement," said Carcillo. 

'Protect the players'

Gretzky isn't involved in the case, but was asked at a Hockey Fall of Fame induction ceremony on Monday evening whether he thought $22,000 was enough for each player.

He didn't want to comment, but addressed the consequences of the high-impact sport he dominated in the '80s and '90s.

"If the lawyers for the union and the players for the alumni have decided that's fair, then so be it," he said. 

"My kids ask me all the time: Dad, did you ever have a concussion? I probably did, but we didn't know. Hopefully, we got enough knowledge now that we protect the players of today, the athletes of today. Hopefully, we take care of the players the best we can from the past, and we move forward to make sure everyone is copacetic."

Under the proposed settlement, more than $6.9 million will go to lawyers' fees and costs, $750,000 to administrative expenses and $2.5 million over five years for a "Common Good Fund," which is meant for retired players in need, including those who did not participate in the litigation.

Former Toronto Maple Leaf and Calgary Flame Lanny McDonald isn't part of the lawsuit either, but he thought it was good that a deal was reached.

"Obviously, it is something and it is a lot more than [the players] had before," McDonald said. 

'No price tag' on health

Glenn Anderson, another former NHLer who played with the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs and is not part of the litigation, pointed out the difference between the NHL's proposed settlement and the NFL's, which reached a billion-dollar agreement with more than 20,000 retired players on the same issue.

"When you're talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars of problems down the road, you can't put a figure on what concussions or injuries can do," Anderson said.

"There's no price tag on that. It's the quality of life that you have later on."

The NHL's proposed settlement comes four months after a federal judge denied class-action status for the retired players. It would have created one group of all living former NHLers and another of retired players diagnosed with neurological conditions.

The league can terminate the deal if the majority of players don't sign on.

For his part, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who has long questioned the science linking head hits and brain trauma, didn't comment about the proposed settlement at Monday evening's Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Lawyers of the plaintiffs and claimants say this might be the best they can do.

"I think it's a fair deal," said Charles Zimmerman, co-lead council of the National Hockey League concussion injury litigation.

"And fairness is the best we can get when you have a commissioner and a league that has from the get go has been unwilling to step forward and take care of players."