Zdeno Chara Hit: NHL on Notice as Major Sponsor Demands Firmer Headshots Stance

The Toronto Maple Leafs and their arena may have a sudden change of identity if the NHL doesn't address the issue of headshots soon.

As per Bruce Garrioch of QMI, Air Canada has delivered an ultimatum to the NHL: Clean up your league or we are gone.

With opportunity knocking in the form of potential lockouts to the NBA and NFL next season, the NHL seemed poised to try and win over some new fans in the United States. That was until this year was declared an open season for concussions and violence.

Air Canada, one of the NHL's largest corporate supporters, is unhappy about the NHL's inability or unwillingness to act decisively about headshots and is threatening to pull their sponsorship.

The most recent case of brutality is arguably headshot-free. However, through interference, a player's future career and quality of life is now in question. Zdeno Chara's hit on Max Pacioretty appeared to be the final straw for the national Canadian airline, whose head office also happens to be located in Montreal.

"From a corporate social responsibility standpoint, it is becoming increasingly difficult to associate our brand with sports events which could lead to serious and irresponsible accidents; action must be taken by the NHL before we are encountered with a fatality," said Denis Vandal, Air Canada's director of communications, according to Garrioch.

While Air Canada holds the arena naming rights to the NHL's most profitable team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, it is also believed they are a major sponsor of all six Canadian teams—all of whom happen to have been copied on the letter, according to Garrioch.

Air Canada also questioned the integrity and the NHL's ability to effectively protect their players.

How will the NHL respond?

Can they be bullied around by a sponsor, even a very large one?

What would changing the name of the ACC mean to the Leafs? And, more interestingly, how will this affect Leafs GM Brian Burke's rigid stance on keeping north-south hits to the head in the game?

Only time will tell, but I'm sure the league wishes they disciplined Chara for his interference that resulted in injury rather than saying there wasn't evidence to show it was intentional. We can all agree that the interference was intentional, and by breaking the rules, he opened himself up to danger.

At least we know one thing for certain: The NHL sure knows how to mess up a good growth opportunity in the US by associating hockey with more league-sanctioned violence. Maybe, if they are lucky, this will overshadow the debacle in Arizona—or just provide double the negative press.

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