A staggering number of NHL players dealt with concussions this season

"This number does not include concussions sustained from fighting," added NHL Safety Watch.

"A little over half resulted from an illegal hit or play. Of which, only 15 resulted in penalties or suspensions. Will not be listing player names out of privacy reasons."

As outspoken player agent Allan Walsh pointed out in a response to the report from NHL Safety Watch, 81 is approximately 10 percent of all players that played in the NHL this past season. Walsh has long been a proponent of banning all hits to the head in the NHL and took the opportunity to repeat that stance with this latest news.

The NHL has struggled with the concussion issue for quite some time. Most, if not all, fans don't want to see hitting or fighting removed from the game. However, just one concussion, depending on the severity, can leave a player impacted for life and possibly even unable to safely hit the ice any longer. There have been many players who have detailed their symptoms of dealing with concussions (including depression, severe headaches, confusion, nausea, etc.), while others have succumbed to those symptoms with family members believing that CTE caused by concussions played a major role in their untimely deaths.

There will always be an inherent risk that comes with playing hockey. Even if hitting were removed entirely, the game moves so fast these days that collisions are bound to happen that cause health issues for players. There's also an unwillingness from players to admit that they're hurt, with many choosing to risk their own health rather than be taken out of a game. How the NHL can combat these issues isn't exactly clear at this time.