The NHL / Chris Baker : Simmer’s Injury Shows a Need for Visors

PITTSBURGH —  What will it take before the National Hockey League requires all players to wear visors on their helmets?

Boston left wing Charlie Simmer almost lost sight in his right eye when he was accidently hit by the stick of Buffalo center Gates Orlando in a game last Saturday night at Boston.

Simmer was carried off the ice on a stretcher and taken to the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

Simmer had four problems: bleeding in the front of the eye, a bruise to the retina, bleeding behind the eye and a cut in the lid.

But Simmer was lucky.

A hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday that Simmer is expected to regain full sight.

“He’s resting well and his condition is good,” the spokesperson said. “We’re cautiously optimistic about the progress of the eye.”

Simmer is expected to be released from the hospital on Thursday, and he’ll be out of the lineup for three weeks.

Simmer had just returned to action after missing 19 games with a knee injury.

Simmer wasn’t taking any calls at the hospital, however, Bruin General Manager Harry Sinden told a Boston newspaper: “The kid (Orlando) didn’t mean to hit him (Simmer) in the eye, but he’s been helmeted and visored all his career and he’s got no respect for what can happen when you carry your stick up like that.

“Before this league had players running around like Knights of the Round Table, players had respect for injuries they could cause.”

Pierre Larouche, who was sent to the minors by the New York Rangers at the start of the season, has asked to be traded.

Larouche, who makes a reported $325,000 a year, is playing for the Hershey Bears. He has scored 20 goals and has 16 assists in 28 games.

“Pierre no longer feels a part of the Rangers and has asked to be traded,” said Rob Ingraham, Larouche’s agent, at a press conference during the Ranger game against the Quebec Nordiques Sunday at New York.

“He’s produced under difficult circumstances in Hershey,” Ingraham said. “He feels he’s earned the right to be recalled. Pierre is not angry, he’s disenchanted.”

Said Larouche: “I’m disappointed. I’ve been treated very well in Hershey. I just feel I deserve to be in the NHL.”

Larouche scored 48 goals for the Rangers in 1983-84 but had just 24 last season.

Tempers were hot when the Minnesota North Stars played the Soviet Red Army in an exhibition game at Bloomington, Minn., last Saturday night.

The North Stars thought that Soviet referee Nicolay Morosov called too many penalties on them and not enough on the Red Army.

Morosov, who accompanied the Red Army team on the six-game tour against NHL teams, skated with the team at practice, stayed in the same hotel and also flew with the team. NHL officials are not allowed to associate with teams.

Morosov ended up calling eight penalties on the North Stars and one on the Red Army.

Things got out of hand after Morosov failed to call a penalty after Minnesota’s Kent Nilsson was pulled down in the second period.

Minnesota captain Craig Hartsburg was ejected from the game after he intentionally shot the puck at the referee.

Extra security guards were needed to escort the referee off the ice at the end of the second period.

The Red Army won, 4-3, in overtime on a power-play goal by Viacheslav Fetisov after Morosov had called a tripping penalty on Minnesota’s Keith Acton.

After the game, Minnesota’s Gordie Roberts said of the referee: “He definitely saved his family from a vacation in Siberia.”

Added teammate Steve Payne: “I have nothing personal against their players, but I don’t like Communists. I hate their life style and what it represents.”

Mario Lemieux, the star center of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the NHL’s rookie of the year last season, signed a five-year contract Tuesday. That should lift spirits all around. Earlier this week Lemieux was quoted as saying: “I hope they sign me soon. It’s hard to concentrate on hockey.”

The Buffalo Sabres recently placed right wing Sean McKenna and left wing Paul Cyr on recallable waivers to see if any teams were interested.

The Kings claimed Cyr and the Vancouver Canucks claimed McKenna. However, both players were recalled by their original clubs. The Kings have reportedly been scouting Cyr.