TORONTO -- The NHL Hall of Fame inductions produce incredible moments, like Mark Howe slipping on his father's No. 9 jersey or Doug Gilmour declaring that Pat Burns will someday join him in the Hall.
From a hockey writer standpoint, it's also a great opportunity to grab a wide range of important people in the league when they descend on Toronto to honor the incoming class. Monday was no different. Here are the highlights of a dozen or so interviews conducted around the inductions:
• Keith Primeau hosted a Monday afternoon news conference to bring awareness to concussion education, and his work on the issue is very admirable after concussions forced him out of hockey. He's also endorsing a new chin strap that measures the force of hits. He was kind enough to sit down for a few minutes and chat about his role in raising concussion awareness. He mentioned he still suffers headaches from his concussions, and I asked whether those symptoms would prevent him from playing in the alumni game before the Winter Classic.
"I can't play in that," he answered. "For a couple reasons. One, I don't feel comfortable enough doing it. I have my skates on almost every day but haven't had my equipment on since the day I retired. Secondly, I can't go back to where I was. Whether accident or intentional, [if] somebody accidentally bumped me or I fall and hit my head -- I can't go back to that place." The Flyers contacted Primeau about playing, but he decided to accept a coaching position for the game instead. "It piqued my interest, but it's too dangerous," he said.
To read more from Craig on the conversations being had in Toronto, sign up for ESPN Insider.
- Senior NHL writer for ESPN The Magazine
- Wrote for Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- Wrote for The Sporting News
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Craig Custance
Craig Custance joined ESPN in September 2011 as an NHL reporter for ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Insider and ESPN.com. A graduate of Michigan State University, he lived for nearly a decade in Georgia working for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution where he spent time covering the late Atlanta Thrashers. He was the only Thrashers beat writer to get the team to the playoffs.
From 2008-11 he was the national hockey writer for the Sporting News, writing regularly in print and online. A member of the PHWA, he's a proud voter for the major NHL awards and can occasionally defend his selections.
Like hockey, he left Atlanta to return north where he currently lives in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, with his wife Cassie and their three kids.
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