He was having some headaches. [3], Masterton played three seasons in Denver between 1958 and 1961, appearing in a total of 89 games, scoring 66 goals and 196 points in that time. Oakland defencemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris moved in to check Masterton, who wound up falling on the back of his head. It was a no-no in no uncertain terms. At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 -- almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice -- Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. Masterton is credited with the scoring the first goal by a Minnesota franchise in the NHL. Masterton was not a marquee player, but he was a skilled playmaker who was willing to work in the corners and be a team player. I saw Bills head after he was just checked from behind and it just looked like his eyes were in the back of his head, she said. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. In several games prior to the tragedy, Blair had also noticed something strange. Yeah was going to say maybe the only death by a player, not in general. When he suffered the final hit of his career, Masterton was making his patented move crossing the opposing blueline and cutting to one side before passing the puck to a teammate. For the 1979-80 season, the league finally made helmets mandatory for new players -- allowing those who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979, the option not to wear them -- but it would be 18 years before every NHL player complied. One of their sticks tangled with Mastertons skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Since 1968, Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is voted to player who "best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship & dedication to hockey" pic.twitter.com/CU2adCoSaV Dave Stubbs (@Dave_Stubbs) January 15, 2020 We didn't think it was that serious.". I know that in our training camp he got hit hard a couple of times. It got deathly quiet.". She, too, believes something else was wrong with Masterton that night, something that explains why the routine bodycheck left him unconscious even before he hit the ice. Republication or distribution of this content is The general public doesnt understand the adrenaline, the passion, the dedication the players have to get out there and perform.. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. We know the second hit can be fatal. Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the league's first casualty. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. The team doctor soon joined him. [19] They soon concluded that the injury was too severe for surgery to be a viable option. You took a stick to the face? He didnt move after that. "[11] The force of the impact caused Masterton to bleed from his nose, ears, and mouth. "It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury," he said. He played for Team USA from 1966 to 1967, and the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1968. He was a team man off the charts.. Even as Walter Bush, one of the North Star owners, saw him lying motionless on the ice, he did not think Masterton had sustained a concussion. [13] Masterton's Minnesota teammates, who were playing a game in Boston on the 14th, were informed that he had been removed from life support in the dressing room in what was ultimately a 92 loss to the Bruins. "I wouldn't do it.". However, Masterton brushed it off. Nor did he see evidence of CTE, the progressive degenerative disease found posthumously in the brains of nearly 87 of 91 NFL players who suffered multiple blows to the head. Corry believes Mastertons death could have been prevented and would be today. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. [15] He received treatment on the ice and in the dressing room before being rushed to Fairview-Southdale Hospital.[3]. . [16] He played two seasons with the St. Paul Steers between 1964 and 1966. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. Bob Masterton remembers his brother telling him about the NHL offer over dinner. [29], Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 07:49, 1961 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career, "Denver icers favored to whip CC in playoffs", "Denver centre Bill Masterton signs pro contract with Habs", "Doug Robinson voted A.H.L. Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the leagues first casualty. Ive never thought that it had anything to do with that hit. I really believe he was injured before the fatal blow. 2023 John Rosengren. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 -- almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice -- Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. According to several of Masterton's teammates, wearing a helmet was frowned upon in the NHL of that era; at least one North Star who wore a helmet during a game was traded after the season. [19] He carried the puck up the ice at full speed, passing it off as two Seals defenders, Larry Cahan and Ron Harris, converged on him. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. [16] He was attended to by two neurosurgeons and three other doctors. A team of doctors at the hospital treated Masterton with steroids and diuretics, but the swelling in his brain was so swift and severe that they decided against operating. That was the NHL's code. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. Even as Walter Bush, one of the North Star owners, saw him lying motionless on the ice, he did not think Masterton had sustained a concussion. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. [11], The NHL expanded in 1967, doubling from 6 teams to 12. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. Witnesses . Masterton had not told the North Stars coach, Wren Blair, about his headaches, but Blair had thought something might be amiss and commented to the team trainer, I wonder if we could have him checked, according to the Toronto Star, which first reported this story on May 28, 2011. Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game. While knowledge of concussions has increased dramatically since Masterton died, the warrior-like mindset of professional hockey players is everlasting, he said. NHL trade grades: Kane deal to Rangers earns high marks for one side, NHL trade tracker: Latest deals, rumors and grades, Rangers clear hurdles, get Kane from Blackhawks, Oilers bulk up defense, secure Predators' Ekholm, Leafs win Schenn sweepstakes, trade for veteran, Leafs deal Sandin to Capitals for Gustafsson, pick, Wild add depth, acquire Johansson from Capitals, NHL suspends Rangers' Miller for spitting incident, Oilers trade ex-No. Well I DIEEEED, "Oh really? A team of doctors at the hospital treated Masterton with steroids and diuretics, but the swelling in his brain was so swift and severe that they decided against operating. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? If anyone is wondering his story here's a short video TSN did on him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_uLi6Bf7s and here is a list of the previous winners of the trophy named after him. (Or was she paralyzed). Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. Throughout his college career, right through to his training camp in Memphis, Masterton wore a helmet, a rarity in an age when head protection was dismissed by players and management alike. "I knew he was done.". But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. 1/2 Minnesota North Stars F Bill Masterton was tragically lost on this day in 1968, 2 days after having struck his head on Met Center ice. The Professional Hockey Writers Association proposed -- and the league immediately approved -- the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy to be awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the virtues of perseverance, courage and sportsmanship that Masterton displayed. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. The real reason why the Golden Seals folded. john@johnrosengren.net|612-926-8835. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. Bill Masterton is the only man to die of injuries sustained in a National Hockey League (NHL) game. He wasnt the most talented guy in the world but he really wanted to play. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. . That was the NHL's code. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win . Laperriere acknowledged his career may be over, though he cant bring himself to retire. [27], Masterton was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1985,[28] and named to the NCAA's 50th anniversary team in 1997. In 1967, Mastertons nearly forgotten hope of playing in the NHL re-emerged with the leagues expansion from six to 12 teams. It got deathly quiet.". He admits he lied to team doctors about his post-concussion issues in order to return for a shot at the Stanley Cup. rights reserved. [7] Masterton served as team captain for 196061,[8] and was named the most valuable player of the 1961 national championship as he led Denver to a second consecutive title. Corry confirmed the opinion of Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon quoted in the Toronto Star article, who also said Masterton showed signs of "second-impact syndrome." He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. [15], After taking a year off from hockey in 1964, Masterton regained his amateur status so that he could play senior hockey in the United States Hockey League. The rarely told story behind the death of Bill Masterton -- the only NHL player to die from an injury suffered during a game -- highlights the risks and league culpability of concussions. Masterton had worn a helmet when he played college hockey in Denver because NCAA regulations required players to wear them, but he did not wear one as a professional. 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