The federal judge overseeing the NHL concussion case has denied class-action status for the former players suing the league over head injuries.
US District Judge Susan Richard Nelson on Friday issued her 46-page order, the first significant victory for the league in a landmark lawsuit filed almost five years ago.
Nelson wrote that “widespread differences” in state laws about medical monitoring, which the retired players are seeking, would “present significant case management difficulties.”
The judge declined to certify either of the proposed classes by the ex-players. They sought to create one group of all living, former NHL players and one group of all retired players diagnosed with a neurological disease, disorder or condition.
Had they succeeded, more than 5,000 former players would have been allowed to join the case.
The last hearing on the class-action status was held in March in Nelson’s courtroom in St Paul.
More than 100 former players have added their names to the case. The retirees have accused the NHL of failing to better prevent head trauma, or warn players of such risks, while promoting violent play that led to their injuries.
“The judge’s ruling was procedural,” said Charles Zimmerman, an attorney for the players. “The hundreds of players are prepared to try their cases individually.”
It was too soon to know if there would be an appeal, Zimmerman said.
Nelson previously issued two significant rulings against the league. She in 2015 denied a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on the sufficiency of the allegations. In 2016, she rejected a motion to dismiss the case for labor law pre-emption, on the argument that the collective bargaining agreement between the NHL and its players supersedes the court.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
RSS