I read a fabulous two part series in the Toronto Star this week from Randy Starkman on concussions in the NHL. The stats are pretty scary and what is worse is that the players tend to play without regard for their future. NHL players come back way too early and they often times still have lingering effects from the hit(s) which make them more prone every time they step back on to the ice. Here are the links to the series.

http://www.thestar.com/article/288194
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/288370
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/288366
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/288368

The player that concerns me at this time is not Patrice Bergeron, but Duvie Westcott and for a different reason. Bergeron will not return to the ice until he is symptom-free, by virtue of the tremendous hit he took from the Flyers Randy Jones. But Westcott has had three concussions in this calandar year and he's back on the ice.
Westcott had a concussion in January that resulted in his missing the rest of the 2006/07 season, a span of 40 games. He was given a clean bill of health by doctors at the beginning of May, but by that time the Blue Jackets season was over.
On October 24th this season, Westcott was involved in a collision with the Blackhawks Kevyn Adams and received his second concussion. He returned to the lineup three weeks later after playing two games in the minors to get back in shape. At this point in time, Westcott was deemed to be symptom-free once again.
On November 24th Westcott was banged into the boards by the Red Wings Niklas Kronwall and suffered his third concussion in less than 11 months. On November 28th, the Columbus Dispatch reported that Westcott stated that he hadn't felt 100% at any point this season and at best maybe 75%. Coach Ken Hitchcock said that Westcott had headaches following the Kronwall hit. "That's when we sent him home," Hitchcock said. "We want to make sure we do what's right for the player."
Westcott returned to the Columbus lineup two weeks later.