105 former NHL players join class-action concussion lawsuit against league

"NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, who was deposed for testimony last July, has said the lawsuit is ‘‘without merit.’’ The league’s first attempt to dismiss the claims was denied last year by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson. There is another pending motion for dismissal, based on an argument that the issues should be addressed through collectively bargained arbitration instead of court.

The players seem to have plenty of chilling arguments on their side. The NHL has its share of legal defenses, too. For one, correlating current cognitive problems to specific NHL collisions could be difficult for players who have played hockey their whole lives."