from James Eli Shiffer of the Star Tribune,

There's a ferocious hockey fight going on in downtown Minneapolis these days. You'll find it at the federal courthouse, where some former players are suing the National Hockey League over the brain damage they suffered on the rink.

They accuse the NHL of promoting violence and turning a blind eye to the consequences: players who leave the game with shattered minds and wrecked bodies. The NHL contends it takes the problem seriously and has already changed the game to make it safer.

Whether this case ever goes to trial, or settles like the far better-known NFL players' lawsuit, is unknown. For now, the sides are scrimmaging over whether thousands of pages of internal NHL documents should be made public.

So far, those records have been shielded from view by a "protective order," a heavily used and much-abused power of judges to hide what's filed in court from public scrutiny.

Lawyers for the former players have already pounced on a number of e-mails that have emerged through the litigation, including this zinger from the NHL's deputy general counsel, discussing in 2009 the league's approach to retired players' long-term health: "I'd rather focus on the here and now and leave dementia issues up to the NFL!"

conitnued