Of the two incidents, Heatley's is by far the one that should carry the darker and heavier tone but judging by the way the media and public are still responding with such passion and strong emotions to Steve Moore's story its become clear which story has created the greatest reaction. It's strange to explain because you would have never been able to portend that a story about a fringe player getting injured would overshadow an incident that saw one of the NHL's best players plead guilty to killing one of his own teammates.

Maliciousness? No. Stupidity and poor use of judgment? Yes. Driving 80 km/h above the posted speed limit in a residential area was a testosterone-fueled choice by Heatley that cost Dan Snyder his life. It's obvious if given the opportunity Heatley would take back the actions of that day but even if he does have remorse and regret it doesn't change the fact that the incident still happened.

	Heatley's lenient sentence was based largely on his celebrity status. (Source: CP)

Heatley by nature is a likeable guy. He's young, talented and has limitless potential; a real through and through Canadian eager to represent his country at a moment's notice. Plus he's got that harmless/goofy look to him that's topped off with that cliché gap-toothed hockey smile. You just want to cheer for the guy. It's perhaps the very reason why the public has generally accepted rather than questioned the lenient sentence handed down to Heatley: 3 years probation, driving restrictions, and a court-ordered fulfillment of 150 public speaking sessions to be carried out in the next year.

Two factors were largely responsible for Heatley's reduced sentence: 1. the decision and plea of the Snyder family to not press charges or push for any jail time. 2. Heatley's celebrity status made him simply just another high-profile athlete who gets to adhere to a different set of laws and consequences than the general public. If you or I were in the same situation we would be behind bars instead of an auditorium fulfilling our court mandated sentence.

Public speaking appearances as punishment? While I understand the logic behind wanting to have someone share their negative stories so that others aren't doomed to repeat the same mistakes, what exactly is the message that Heatley is going to send the audiences of these public speaking sessions? What percentage of these audiences are going to be able to relate to Heatley and his celebrity status? What lesson is the audience going to learn about the serious ramifications of your actions when Heatley got off so lightly?

In the legal system, Heatley and Steve Moore are on opposite spectrums; Heatley is the defendant and Moore is the plaintiff. Moore has once again thrust himself in the public limelight with the launch of his lawsuit against numerous people in the Vancouver Canucks' organization in what Moore calls "an unlawful plan" to seek retribution for the hit he delivered on Canucks' star Markus Naslund.

Steve Moore is fully within his rights to pursue a lawsuit but his timing is a little off. Why launch your lawsuit one day after one of the NHL's saddest and lowest points? Moore's timing is like asking someone at a funeral if they have the money you lent them or an airline showing 'Alive' as the in-flight movie. Moore's lawsuit contends that the Canucks' owner, GM, head coach, and specific players are all accountable for the incident, which saw Todd Bertuzzi deliver a stunning punch from behind to Moore, which was followed by a subsequent pile driving of Moore's head to the ice. Bertuzzi has already faced a trial in B.C's provincial courts and plead guilty to assault causing bodily harm.

With this lawsuit Moore has obviously given up all hope for a return or any semblance of a future career in the NHL. You can't expect that a player who is suing fellow NHLPA members and NHL coaches, managers and owners would be welcomed back in the league. So this lawsuit comes with the nature of recouping lost wages and the potential of future wages. Moore, his lawyers, and his doctors must have all decided that the injuries he has suffered are irreversible and thus leave Moore no choice but to call it a career.

"I'm not saying what (Bertuzzi did) was right. But if it was me I'd be doing everything I could to get back and play and show everyone the character I have."

Markus Naslund has been blasted by many for his reaction to Moore's lawsuit. Naslund has made comments to the effect that he has no respect for a fringe player like Moore who he believes is simply trying to cash in by suing everyone. Naslund's words are perhaps too harsh but they're coming from a defensive position. Naslund simply wants to defend the reputation of his fellow teammates and club that rose to his defense - albeit inappropriately with vigilante-style justice.

I don't side or agree with Naslund's comments but I will contend that he's saying a lot of the same things that many of us have already thought but just haven't said. Why is Steve Moore choosing to end his career right now? Isn't his decision a little premature?

There have been countless athletes in recent years that have all recovered from serious career-ending injuries. Wrestlers Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit and Edge have all recovered from near paralysis neck injuries in recent years. In the past year alone, there have been two remarkable comebacks made by athletes who suffered and underwent surgeries for serious injuries.

	Mike Alstott remarkably came back after gruesome neck surgery. (Source: AP)

Bruising Bucs fullback Mike Alstott underwent major neck surgery in November 2003 when the toll of his physical style of play came to a head with a neck injury that required season-ending surgery and possibly signaled the end of his career. According to a Tampa Bay Tribune report, Alstott's two-hour operation to address a compressed disc included removing the disc through the front of his neck past his vocal chords and vocal box. The disc was lodged between his C5 and C6 vertebrae. A cadaver bone was then put in its place and then a small titanium plate was inserted to hold everything together. Alstott was back on the field 9 months later playing with the same pounding running style he always had.

One of the most stunning comebacks in recent years is that of Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill who has returned to his previous all-star form this season after undergoing four ankle surgeries since 2000. The final surgery involved completely breaking and restructuring the ankle and heel. As serious as all the surgeries were nothing could compare to that last surgery in 2003, which almost cost Hill his life. Hill contracted a staph infection, which skyrocketed his fever to 104.5 degrees and left his body in complete spasm. Hill survived the infection and to this day his ankle has held up.

I'm not a doctor and I understand that each medical case is different but with the advances of medicine and the glut of inspiring and courageous comeback stories, why wouldn't you leave the possibility of a return open?

According to reports Moore seems to have healed from his vertebrae fractures and is now dealing with a concussion and the subsequent symptoms; dizziness from physical activity and severe pain from headaches. With concussions we've learned that time is the only healer. It's a shame that Steve Moore has decided he doesn't want to wait any longer because it would have been a great moment to see him step out on the ice once again. We could have added his name to the list of all those courageous athletes who overcame the odds. In the process Steve Moore's perseverance would have demanded Markus Naslund's respect. But alas it's not going to happen.

Despite all the bad press at least the NHL can hang on to some bit of silver lining - no one has brought up the Mike Danton story lately.