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Bill Daly: Concussion protocol won't be dictated by player, game, or situation

Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty

It could be a Wednesday night in January or the Stanley Cup could be in the building, the NHL won't alter its new concussion protocol.

That's the latest from deputy commissioner Bill Daly, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.

"We have no intention of changing the standards that are employed based on the situation in the game or season," Daly said, adding that the very message was passed on to each team's general manager.

On Sunday, NHL leading scorer Connor McDavid was pulled from the Edmonton Oilers' game against the Minnesota Wild in the second period by a concussion spotter, and No. 97 wasn't happy about it.

"I was pretty shocked, to be honest," McDavid said.

McDavid reached for his mouth after hitting the ice in a collision, and that's one of four signs league-mandated concussion spotters - in place for the first time this season - are looking for to determine whether a player needs to be evaluated for head trauma.

Seravalli writes that it was the league spotter watching from New York who made the call for McDavid to head off the ice.

"It remains a work in progress," Daly said, "but yes, we are comfortable with how the new protocol is working. It's always better to err on the side of caution."

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