Three former NHL players, Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak, died from brain trauma-related illnesses within a four-month period in 2011. All three players spent a good amount of their time fighting in the league. This incident brought up the continuous talk of getting rid of fighting in hockey. As the season went on and those stories were forgotten, the game carried on fighting in full force.
In 2013, former NHL players got together and sued the league for ignoring the growing evidence surrounding the long-term effects of concussions. At this moment, 104 former players are suing the league in a class action lawsuit - and the number continues to grow.