Duhatschek on the 2013 NHL season

Haven't heard much talk of concussions and head shots lately. Any sign of further progress on this front, in terms of diagnosis, treatment, in-game decisions, etc.?

In terms of concussions, Ken Dryden had a lengthy look at the current state of the research about a month ago in the Globe. Even among the experts, they concede there is still a lot to learn - and at the moment, they are relying on a combination of emerging research and empirical observation to try to get it right. Let's put it this way: The NHL has come a long way on dealing with the effects of concussions, but it still has a long way to go too.

There are two ways to look at the schedule: One is that it's the same for all teams, in terms of rest vs. play. The other is that some teams, such as Dallas and Winnipeg, will have about twice the travel that some of the commuter teams in the East get. But that's a fact of life every year, not just in a lockout year.

One of the key questions re: scheduling is how much will the backup goalie play? There is a suggestion that some teams, such as Calgary, will go exclusively with their No. 1s - for maybe 45 of 48 games. Be interesting to see if that occurs.

Where do you think Luongo will end up? Do you agree it doesn't make sense for the Leafs to give up prospects for a 33 year old goalie and his ten year contract?

Depending upon the acquisition cost, I think the Leafs should go ahead and land Luongo. I cannot believe how badly this very, very good goalie has been slandered in the past 12 months or so. He is what you want - reliable, durable, consistent, just the opposite of what the Leafs have had the past few years. If you get steadiness in goal, a whole lot of the other mistakes that have cost the Leafs in years past disappear.