Bowman: GMs need to discuss head shots

When NHL general managers meet next week in Toronto for the first time this season, the rash of concussions that have resulted from checks to the head will be one of the main topics.

Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman believes it's important to have dialogue on the subject even if some of the hits, such as Willie Mitchell's against Jonathan Toews, were deemed legal.

"I don't claim to have the answers on what's the right thing," Bowman said. "Maybe the status quo is the right thing, or maybe we need to look into doing something else, but I think as a group we need to get together and talk about it.

"The bottom line is nobody wants to see players get injured, on your own team or even your opponents. That's now what it's all about, but hockey is a physical game and it has been for a long time. There's a lot of pieces to this and we need to just talk about it and see where it goes from there."

The NHL Players Association last summer suggested an automatic penalty for any hit to the head, legal check or not, but there was no action taken by the league.

"That's been talked about and in the Ontario League I think they have it that way, so that's an option," Bowman said. "I think that might get discussed."

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville would welcome a discussion on head shots as well.

"We all like contact and we all like the physicality of our game so hopefully there's a balance to be reached," Quenneville said.

Getting there: Ben Eager had another good practice Monday, although he has yet to be cleared for contact, which makes him doubtful to play Thursday against Phoenix.

"He'll play when he gets clearance for full contact, but he's close to that," Joel Quenneville said. "If he doesn't play this week we're hoping he can get in early in our homestand.

"Ben's looking really good and looking like he can get back in the lineup soon. It looks like he's skating better now than before he went out."

Tip-ins: Stan Bowman said he hasn't heard from the NHL about Andrew Ladd's hit on Montreal's Matt D'Agostini last week and doesn't expect to. - Joel Quenneville hinted strongly that Cristobal Huet would start in goal Thursday at Phoenix, and that Friday's starter at Colorado would be discussed after that.