Drouin Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/2013/08/14/nhl_delays_testing_for_human_growth_hormone_until_201415_season_at_earliest.html The NHL is at least a season away from implementing a drug-testing program to detect human growth hormone, deputy commissioner Bill Daly said in an email Wednesday. “Our Performance Enhancing Substances Program Committee (PESPC) has discussed on multiple occasions over the summer the process for development and implementation of an HGH testing program,” Daly said. “Part of our initial action plan is to educate our Players about the issue and about our agreed-upon intention to develop and implement a reliable testing plan. I expect that education portion of the process to take place during Training Camp and over the first several months of the season. Development and actual implementation of a testing program will take a little more time. While I can’t give you an exact timetable, I think it is safe to assume no testing program with disciplinary consequences will be in place prior to the 2014/15 season at the earliest.” The NFL has stepped forward as the second of the four major sports leagues in North America to either test for HGH or tentatively agree to testing, according to a players union memo made public this week. The NFL union has “tentatively agreed” to HGH testing, the memo said, and has also agreed to a protocol of punishment for positive tests. The testing and punishment will be in place for the 2013 season, with the league joining Major League Baseball in testing for HGH. The NBA discussed implementing HGH testing as recently as April, while the NHL has continued its own discussions throughout the summer, with some progress towards action. One of the most contentious issues in HGH testing involves administering blood samples, and the safety and reliability of the testing itself. The NFL will reportedly require one blood sample from every player during training camp for the purpose of a “population study” — data that will help determine what level of HGH usage will entail discipline. Afterwards, the league will randomly choose eight players from five teams each week during the regular season for testing. Baseball adjusted its drug-testing program during the owners meetings in January to include HGH testing for the 2013 season; at the same time, the NHL was finalizing its collective bargaining agreement after the four-month lockout. The new CBA established the PESPC. Daly said the NHL will not implement any HGH testing program until the league and its players union feel comfortable with it. “While this is an issue that we are committed to working through with our Players’ Association, it’s not an area that we believe we have any material issues or problems with, and it’s certainly not an issue that we feel compelled to be “leaders” on,” Daly said. “This area of the science is extremely technical and complicated and we all have to be comfortable with the reliability of any program we develop and ultimately implement.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Heffy Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Ovechkin Chara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 If anyone did it I would expect Chara. But doubt anybody did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HockeySpecialist Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 On the Canucks: Kesler, Kassian, Bieksa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drouin Posted August 15, 2013 Author Share Posted August 15, 2013 Ovechkin Chara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danthecanucksfan Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Byflugien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drewismyname Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 What part does HGH play in injury recovery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a Fool Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 The trainers & doctors deserve a lot of credit. They just kept injecting us with.... uh... Gatorade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drouin Posted August 15, 2013 Author Share Posted August 15, 2013 ^ Duncan Keith interviewed while still on the ice after the Blackhawks' first Cup win. Also the reports of a former Capitals doctor being involved with HGH. At that time AO and Mike Green were having huge seasons. Just thinking about it makes me uneasy. There's no way the NHL implements this until all players are internally cleared. Imagine how bad the NHL would look if Cup winners & star players were cheating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sedated Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 It's in every sport. But I honestly don't see a lot of 'star players' that look like they use. Not even Ovechkin. I'm sure a lot of third and fourth liner types might. It's kind of hard to explain, but generally when you see steroid use, you get VERY bulky muscle. Like even on a small person, if they flex, you just see there's way more mass than looks just.. normal. I mean, there's in shape look.. then there's the hulk sized muscles when you exert them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 I'd like to think that it's not as common in the NHL but... This just in, several members of the Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup winning team have tested positive for HGH. Your new 2011 Stanley Cup Champions are the Vancouver Canucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bookie Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 The NFL will reportedly require one blood sample from every player during training camp for the purpose of a “population study” — data that will help determine what level of HGH usage will entail discipline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortorella's Rant Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 ^ Duncan Keith interviewed while still on the ice after the Blackhawks' first Cup win. Also the reports of a former Capitals doctor being involved with HGH. At that time AO and Mike Green were having huge seasons. Just thinking about it makes me uneasy. There's no way the NHL implements this until all players are internally cleared. Imagine how bad the NHL would look if Cup winners & star players were cheating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorevat Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 I'd like to think that it's not as common in the NHL but... This just in, several members of the Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup winning team have tested positive for HGH. Your new 2011 Stanley Cup Champions are the Vancouver Canucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drouin Posted August 15, 2013 Author Share Posted August 15, 2013 I'd like to think that it's not as common in the NHL but... This just in, several members of the Boston Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup winning team have tested positive for HGH. Your new 2011 Stanley Cup Champions are the Vancouver Canucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Kesler Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Steroid use in professional sports really upsets people? It's the athletes JOB to do what they can to win. I imagine steroid use is rampant in the NHL, just as in the NFL and MLB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philthy Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 I believe this is more common then most people think in hockey, more so with the youth kids coming up from the "Dub" the "O" and the "QJ" even junior A. I always use to hear kid's considering the option to take 'roids as kid, it's always their. Some people will do anything to get to the show. Which is completely valid but its quite overlooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonny_Bohonos_14 Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 I wouldn't be surprised if a large % of players use steroids. Look at baseball for example. The league has a 3 strike policy (3rd strike and you're out for life) and players still use it. The pro's vastly outweigh the cons. Ryan Braun used it to garner a massive contract, which he'll lose 2 months pay of. Sure his reputation took a hit, but he's made his money. So in a league with no real discipline policy (that I know of), why not? I did a quick search on Google for stories on Performance Enhancing Drugs in the NHL and this was one of the first ones. It's from 2011. Larague says a lot of players use(d) steroids, and many of the leagues top players. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2011/11/05/sp-laraque-nhl.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 HGH users have filled up the ranks of most recent cup-winning teams. NHL turns a blind eye because board of governors wants their teams to be compensated for allowing small market teams to be competitive via cap and revenue sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thirteen Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 What happens to the players that have been using? Does it really matter? What's done is done... They should start out with the young guns now entering the league. Keep them from that crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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