Prof. Timothy Dewhirst of U of G’s Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies, contributed a commentary to the Toronto Star about whether the NHL’s Department of Player Safety is really making players feel safer from its oversight.

Dewhirst discussed the one-game suspension handed to Philadelphia’s Matt Niskanen for cross-checking Montreal’s Brendan Gallagher during Game 5 of their series. “Fairness was not fulfilled,” he wrote, noting that Gallagher received an extensive jaw injury that put him out of action indefinitely.

“[T]he department’s surveillance seemingly perpetuates use of ‘The Code,’ continuing a cycle of heightened violence and being at odds with player safety,” he wrote, adding: “None of this is a good look for the NHL .”

Dewhirst is senior research fellow in marketing and public policy in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. His research expertise includes sports, arts and entertainment marketing.