Back in 2004, one hockey fight went too far and left Steve Moore with career ending injuries. After more than 10 years, a settlement has finally been made outside the courtroom. With a trusty team of personal injury lawyers on his side, Moore was finally able to receive the money and compensation he deserves.

 According to CBSSports.com, in 2004 Todd Bertuzzi hit Moore from behind, driving him face first into the ice. The incident left Moore unable to continue his hockey career and severely impacted the quality of his life. It seems that Bertuzzi packs an even meaner punch than anyone on the Utah Grizzlies hockey team.  

After the incident, Moore hired personal injury lawyers to file a suit against Bertuzzi for impacting the quality of his life and impairing his ability to find employment elsewhere.  The original lawsuit was filed for $38 million dollars, but in July of 2014, Moore and his team of lawyers raised it to $68 million. The increase is based off of the NHL career that Moore could have had, had he not been injured.

 Although there are frequently brawls and fights on the ice, between Utah hockey players and their rivals, most do not end in career ending injuries and $68 million dollar lawsuits. Thankfully, for the entire NHL organization, this lawsuit was settled outside of the courtroom. 

CBSSports.com states that if a settlement had not been made between personal injury lawyers outside of the courtroom, the entire NHL could have seen charges regarding policies and procedures to better protect against future injuries as severe as Moore's. It may have opened the door for many personal injury lawyers to step in with thousands of different lawsuits for various Utah Grizzlies hockey players and their teammates as well.

While the details of the settlement are being kept private, the fact that it settled outside the court was fairly surprising. Following the incident, Bertuzzi immediately pled guilty to all the charges and received a suspension for the 2004/2005 year. He has since played in the last nine seasons and continues his hockey career.   

While the National Hockey League continues, Moore will forever be affected by the incident and hockey might always have the cloud of his injury lingering above it. No player, whether a Utah Grizzly or a teammate of Bertuzzi, is immune and fully protected from a similar injury, but now players might just take the penalty box time over potential jail time and a $68 million dollar lawsuit, reminding them not to take the brawl too far.