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When it comes to player safety in hockey and dealing with the epidemic of head shots and concussions, we are all in it together to try to make the game safer. Players, referees, league discipline offices and, at younger levels, parents all have roles to play, as do the players' coaches.

The problem is a multi-faceted one with variety of different causes. As such, there is no panacea of being able to "fix" one certain thing to miraculously minimize the issue. We all can -- and must -- do better.

It's my belief, however, that not enough coaches are making a concerted effort to pull their weight in this regard. First of all, players are not taught how to take a check properly, and put themselves at added risk by skating with their heads down far too often. That used to especially drive me nuts when I worked for the KHL. The game was less physical due to the wider rink and, as such, too many players got a false sense of security about not keeping their heads up. But it's not just a KHL or "European" issue. I see it everywhere. Coach these players while they are young and it's more easily correctable than a hard-wired habit.

Secondly, by virtue of the competitive nature of the game and the emphasis on winning above safety, coaches are very quick to scream for penalties and suspensions when one of their own guys receives a borderline or illegal hit but then pull a 180 if their guy injures an opposing player. The 29-Team Rule Book mentality lives on stronger than ever.

It's almost become Pavlovian. Every time a player gets rattled by a hit, even if it's not (or shouldn't be) an illegal check, there's someone screaming for penalties and suspensions.

What we need to stamp out is when the head is targeted and is the primary point of contact. We need to get rid of the blind side hits. Full-body checks with the arm tucked and the hitter not charging or leaving his feet, especially when there's a significant size difference between two players and/or if the hit recipient bears some of his own responsibility on the play, need not be subject to disciplinary action.

On the flip side, coaches (and many parents) are quick to defend their own player -- he's a good kid, not that kind of player, you're targeting our team, etc. -- when he's the guilty party in a suspension-worthy hit to the head. Perhaps if coaches faced supplementary discipline of their own, they'd take the safety of BOTH teams a little more to heart. Just a thought.

Something else to consider: Refs are only on the ice with players for a short period of time (i.e., a game) and bad hits can only be penalized after the fact. Better coaching on both giving and receiving a check is, conversely, a proactive step.

I'd also like to see a study of training and conditioning methods. It is worth studying to see if the level of development of the neck, traps, deltoid muscles, etc. has any effect. I know for damn sure that today's hockey pads are like a lethal weapon, but that's a somewhat separate topic.

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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.

Today, Stewart serves as director of hockey officiating for the ECAC.

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