Grab bag: The redemption of Gary Bettman

It's the return of the Friday Grab Bag. This week:
- The three comedy stars of the preseason
- The end of the enforcer era
- Should we like Gary Bettman now?
- A YouTube breakdown of the worst season opening video montage ever made
... and more

>> Read the full post on Grantland

Grantland: What happens after an ordinary action causes an unforgettable injury?

ESPN recently produced a 30 for 30 mini-documentary on the horrific injury to goaltender Clint Malarchuk, and his subsequent struggles to put his life back together. It's a great film, and I highly recommend it.

As a companion piece, I wrote about the other side of the equation: the players who caused some of the most infamous injuries in NHL history. From Malarchuk to Trent McCleary to Richard Zednik, hockey fans have seen innocent plays go horribly wrong in an instant. What can it be like to realize that you're responsible?

The piece includes an interview with Chris Therien, whose slapshot ended McCleary's career, as well as rare public comments from Steve Tuttle, whose skate blade sliced Malarchuk's throat. Needless to say, it's far from the usual light-hearted stuff I normally do, but I hope you'll find it interesting.

>> Read the full post on Grantland