Baddest athletes on the planet: in the NHL, paying the price is all in a night's work

I've seen a broken nose on the other side of a guy's face," says Pete Demers, "and the guy comes back and plays five minutes later. I've seen many players lose a beautiful set of teeth. Break 'em off that night, three or four front teeth. You take the guy to the dentist's office at 3 a.m. for a root canal, and he's back on the ice the next night."

Demers, the Los Angeles Kings trainer since 1972, knows of what he speaks--surviving in the National Hockey League. If you're hoping to play in the NHL, you gotta be tough. Hockey players subject themselves to more bodily harm than any professional athlete, even football players.

But the ice isn't the only place where the going is rough. Squeak out an overtime win, and your night might still not be over once you hit the locker room. More and more teams are instructing their players to jump on the exercise bike for a half hour or so of postgame cardio to maximize recovery time and increase conditioning. Add to that six additional weight and cardiovascular workouts per week--and the shortest "off-season" in professional sports--and you can make a strong argument that these warriors are the toughest pros around.

WANNA PLAY IN THE NHL? THEN YOU RISK THESE COMMON INJURIES

HEAD (teeth, lip, chin, eye, forehead)

* Concussion

* Laceration

SHOULDER

* Acromio clavicular joint sprain

* Dislocation

* Fractured collarbone

HAND/WRIST (thumb, fingers)

* Dislocated finger

* Fractured finger

* Sprained ligament

* Torn tendon

* Fractured wrist

HIP, PELVIS & STOMACH

* Abdominal strain

* Groin strain

* Torn acetabular labrum

LEG/KNEE

* Torn anterior cruciate ligament

* Meniscal tear

* Strained hamstring

* Medial collateral ligament sprain

* Lateral collateral ligament sprain

* Patella fracture (kneecap)

* Pulled hamstring

* Torn hamstring

* Groin pull

NECK

* Cervical fracture

* Herniation

* Strain

BACK

* Fracture

LOWER BACK

* Disc herniation

* Spasms

* Strain

ANKLE/FOOT

* Metatarsal fracture

* Ankle sprain

* Ankle fracture

NHL FAST FACTS

Average career length: Five Years

Average yearly salary: $1,642,590

Puck speed: Up to 120 mph

Skating speed: Up to 40 mph

Lacerations and bruises: Account for 75% of injuries.

Average injury rate: Three a year per player.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning