By Jim Tomlinson and Mahdi Hussein
1 Introduction:
Those who have watched or participated in a hockey game will know that rough play is an inherent risk of the sport. Most amateur leagues permit checking, which means that players are often subject to blows and collisions in the course of play.2 However, players are taught from a young age how to minimize injury when checking and to never check from behind. Checks from behind, which can cause concussions and spinal cord injuries, are banned by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (“CAHA”).