The Maple Leafs’ rivals in Boston had to shelve star centre Marc Savard for the rest of the season Monday due to ongoing concussion symptoms.

But that’s no reason for Leafs Nation to bust out the party favours. Unfortunately, I write a story like this every NHL season — and while the names change, the sadness and anger I feel grows with every new case like Savard’s.

If it isn’t the concussion-based early-retirement of superstars such as Pat LaFontaine or Eric Lindros that’s made headlines over the last decade or so, it’s the same fate befalling second-level stars such as Adam Deadmarsh or Keith Primeau.

This year, the spectre­ of concussions has begun haunting Penguins superstar and NHL poster boy Sidney Crosby, sidelining him for the past 13 games and potentially until March. It’s as if the hockey gods have had enough of the hints they’ve provided in the past — and now, via the injury to the sport’s greatest player, they’re making the message as clear as can be.

That message: We’re going to decide, once and for all, what fans pay both money and attention to see — the game itself, or the NHLers who play it.

If NHL team owners believe they can throw a jersey at any halfway decent player and have fans fork over dozens of 10- and 20-dollar bills to see them play, they need only maintain their current course; soon enough, players’ reckless style of play will leave no Crosbys or Alex Ovechkins to market and appreciate.

If the owners value the players, nothing but a total ban on headshots will suffice.

This league cannot afford to lose important players in any market. Monday it was Savard; tomorrow it could be Luke Schenn.

I would bet Leafs fans wouldn’t appreciate seeing part of the team’s future snuffed out and being told, “Just part of the game, folks.”

Don’t be fooled. It isn’t — or at least it doesn’t have to be.