The NHL is preparing to make some changes to its concussion protocol.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman discussed the expected changes - that will be announced prior to the start of the regular season - during intermission of the World Cup exhibition game between the United States and Canada:

They have hired four individuals who are going to watch all the games on T.V. Now these are people - from what I'm told - that have backgrounds in hockey, but they do not work for any NHL teams at this time. They have been hired by the league and they are going to watch the games and they are going to have the power apparently to call and say 'I see something here, take the player out of the game.'

These television spotters will work in conjunction with other spotters in the stands, who are already in attendance at each game. Friedman further explained that decisions by spotters to remove players from games will be mandatory.

According to Friedman, the change may have stemmed from a game this past season between the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators, in which Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman took a hit, but asked to stay in the game even after an independent spotter recommended he be removed and was later deemed to have suffered a concussion.

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