Despite several efforts to mandate their use, it was 11 years before the NHL made them compulsory for all new players beginning in the 1979-80 NHL season . Former Edmonton Oilers coach John Muckler, who coached the North Stars farm club in Memphis that season, said he saw signs of trouble with Masterton in training camp. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution Or Richard Zednik who came close after his neck was cut by a skate and he lost a lot of blood. The general public doesnt understand the adrenaline, the passion, the dedication the players have to get out there and perform.. Its kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the What if? Stay on current site or go to US version. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blairs decision. It got deathly quiet.". The team doctor soon joined him. [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. The team also retired his No. 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. That same year a trophy called the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was established by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, in his memory. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. When this happens, it can cause rapid and often fatal brain swelling. Carl Johnson, assistant general manager of Minnesotas farm team in Memphis, said he was told Masterton had blacked out while on line rushes during practice. He didnt see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. 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 really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Bush, now 86. Prior concussion was a factor in Bill Masterton's death, Wyshynski's NHL trade deadline tiers: From elite game-changers to bargain beauties, NHL trade deadline guides for all 32 teams: Players, picks in play, cap space, team status. After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. Yep, retired by the North Stars and carried over to Dallas. He finished with a master's degree in business at Denver and landed a job at the Minneapolis-based technology company Honeywell, where he worked in the financial department for the Apollo project, married his high school sweetheart and started a family, adopting a son and a daughter. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. "I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand," said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. So has NHL protocol, initiated in 2011, which has spotters to flag potentially concussed players and bans those from returning to games in which they were injured. The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Boudrias helped the teams trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. "It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury," he said. Players, coaches, execs vote for NHL's top centers, NHL Power Rankings: Checking in on each team's 25-and-under core, McAvoy scores in OT, Bruins beat Flames for 8th win a row, Gaudreau scores in shootout, Wild beat Islanders 2-1, Geekie ends drought with 2 goals, Kraken beat Blues 5-3, Robinson scores 3 goals in Blue Jackets' 5-3 win over Sabres. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. We didn't think it was that serious.". He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. Carol, who was watching the game from the stands, and Masterton's parents, who were listening to the game from their home in Winnipeg, rushed to his bedside at the hospital. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about [18], "Because he had a habit of giving everything he had for every second he was on the ice, Bill was the type of player who didn't have to score a lot of goals to help a club. [3] He had 31 goals and 65 points for Hull-Ottawa,[1] placing him in the top ten in both categories. https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html 11 [deleted] 5 yr. ago This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. Since Masterton was off balance at the time he got checked (cleanly; there was no penalty called), his brain twisted inside of his skull before his head struck the ice. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.. "I knew he was done.". They didn't. 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. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" [14] His wife Carol later recalled that it was a "dream come true" for her husband: "He always wanted a shot at the NHL, and expansion was a wonderful thing for him and guys like him. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. Yet that might not actually be the case. Didn't he die on the bench and then was revived. 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. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. 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. William Masterton (August 13, 1938 - January 15, 1968) was a Canadian American professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars in 1967-68. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. On that fatal night at Met Center on Jan. 13, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars center, playing against the Oakland Seals, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the right while Seals defensemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris closed in. Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday . Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. It wasn't dirty and it wasn't meant to happen that way. Bill Masterton is stretchered off the ice after being hit in a game against the Oakland Seals in 1968. "I wouldn't do it.". My mother, before she died, talked about it. said Boudrias, now 72. "You hold out four fingers. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. "I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand," said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. 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. The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. It got deathly quiet.. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. ", North Stars coach Wren Blair describes Masterton's qualities as a player. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. Bill Masterton Vintage North Stars Film Discovery 50th Anniversary in Final game lumberjack1713 1.26K subscribers Subscribe 506 Share 73K views 5 years ago Credit to Tom Hauser and the good. 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. He finished with a master's degree in business at Denver and landed a job at the Minneapolis-based technology company Honeywell, where he worked in the financial department for the Apollo project, married his high school sweetheart and started a family, adopting a son and a daughter. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. [16] He played two seasons with the St. Paul Steers between 1964 and 1966. The night before the Oakland game, Masterton's family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniago's 29th birthday. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. He was having some headaches. "I knew he was done.". Its a badge of honour, he said. "It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury," he said. So has NHL protocol, initiated in 2011, which has spotters to flag potentially concussed players and bans those from returning to games in which they were injured. NHL -- Real reasons for the death of Bill Masterton highlight concussion issue Skip to main content Skip to navigation Presented By > ESPN Search You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. 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. We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.. (The trainer) said, Yeah, I notice that too. I said, I wonder if we could have him checked. 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. You hold out four fingers. -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. That dream carried him through junior hockey in his hometown of Winnipeg and three years at the University of Denver, where he was an All-American and led the Pioneers to the 1961 NCAA championship, but the dream stalled after two years of minor league hockey in the Montreal Canadiens organization. We were not allowed to wear helmets, said J.P. Parise. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. The Hennepin County medical examiner found evidence of a previous injury on the left side of Masterton's skull on the temporal region of the brain. Ive never said this to anyone before, said Wren Blair, Mastertons coach and general manager, now 85. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. Nowhere was that more apparent than during a standing ovation for Laperriere during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston last year. When he had headaches early on, we wouldnt have had him on the ice, he said. And he got hit a few games very hard at the NHL level. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. The question flashed up on the big screen: What if Ian didnt believe in sacrifice?. The team also retired his No. NHL Home Scores Schedule Standings Stats Teams Daily Lines Power Rankings More For my iTunes documentary, "The California Golden Seals Story" - I interviewed three witnesses to the tragic sequence of events that led to the death of Minn. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. He had been checked hard into the glass less yielding in those days two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. A helmet obviously would not have hurt Masterton, but it might not have been enough to spare his life, given the nature of his injury and the fact he had not healed from a recent concussion. It was 50 years ago on January 13, 1968 that Winnipeger Bill Masterton lost his life on the ice of the Met Center playing for the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. We watched his head bounce, Lindgren said. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. 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. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. "I knew he was done.". My interpretation is that the seeds of this catastrophic injury were sown days before.. RIP Bill Masterton. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. Injury wasnt really of any importance in the sense that you didnt want to lose your job and if you couldnt play, obviously they had to fill their roster, said Walton, now a real estate agent in Toronto. Professional Hockey Player. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. He said prior to the start of the 196768 season that being able to play in Minnesota was key as he would have been unlikely to consider an offer with any other team. Murray Williamson, who coached both amateur teams Masterton played for, remembered a night in Rochester, Minnesota, when Masterton backed into a radiator in the dressing room and singed his rear end. 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. [11] The new team's coach and general manager, Wren Blair, had scouted Masterton while he played with the US Nationals and purchased his NHL playing rights from the Canadiens. Happened to Jiri Fisher on the Wings bench too. Latest News It goes on today, theres no question about it. He finished with a masters degree in business at Denver and landed a job at the Minneapolis-based technology company Honeywell, where he worked in the financial department for the Apollo project, married his high school sweetheart and started a family, adopting a son and a daughter. After Mastertons death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. cemeteries found in Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, . 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. He speaks with the authority of an athlete accustomed to putting his body at risk. He remains the last fatality in any professional team sport involving a direct in-game injury in North America. 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. When the brain hasnt healed completely from a previous injury, a subsequent blow can cause the type of sudden and severe swelling found in Mastertons brain. His aggressiveness got him.. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. The following season, Blair traded Boudrias, who had scored the second-most points for the team in its first season, citing a drop in his production. But my brother was the worker and he had the ethic that you need to make the NHL.. The night before the Oakland game, Masterton's family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniago's 29th birthday. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. But four neurologists cleared him to play after the spot disappeared. While much in hockey has changed since Masterton died, one thing hasnt: Playing hurt is a sacred principle. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. [15] However, Masterton's death sparked an immediate debate on whether their use should be compulsory. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win . Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. That injury was compounded by the age-old hockey code that preaches shake-it-off-and-get-back-out-there resilience in the face of pain, serious injury, even brain trauma. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. We didnt think it was that serious.. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Its a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but its regrettable that it ever came to be. "He didn't move after that. You stopped elbowing guys in the head, Matt?". Laperriere acknowledged his career may be over, though he cant bring himself to retire. States the autopsy report: "There was a blow to the left temple in a game some days prior to the fatal injury and the deceased is said to have complained of headaches in the left temporal region.". 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. One account holds that Masterton regained consciousness for a few moments and repeated the words, Never again, never again, before closing his eyes for the final time. All Rights Reserved. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. I think he had a (pre-existing) cerebral brain hemorrhage.. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. During the same season, just a few months later, he was flying up open ice with the puck and was sandwiched by 2 California Seals. When Bill Masterton's limp body collapsed to the ice on Jan. 15, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars centre appeared to be the victim of an innocuous hit. The death of DU hockey Alum Bill Masterton 40 years ago this week was tragic, unnecessary and foolish. Still, he returned to play following lost teeth, hundreds of stitches and even the discovery of a spot on his brain visible on a CAT scan. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. He served as captain on that team and was considered its most valuable player. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. Those closest to Masterton concur he was suffering from a brain injury before he stepped on to the ice that night, as does a medical expert who reviewed an autopsy report obtained by the Star. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. The night before the Oakland game, Masterton's family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniago's 29th birthday. 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. On that fatal night at Met Center on Jan. 13, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars center, playing against the Oakland Seals, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the right while Seals defensemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris closed in. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Season. Oakland defencemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris moved in to check Masterton, who wound up falling on the back of his head. His death eventually led to rule changes, but they were not quick in coming. [5] He was a two-time NCAA All-American and was twice named to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) All-Star team, earning both awards in 1960 and 1961. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. Twice last season, Laperriere took slapshots in the face. 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. He pursued a masters degree in business engineering, eventually joining technology giant Honeywell, where he worked on the financial end of the Apollo project. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" Id said to our trainer, Do you ever look at Billy when the games on? Blair recalled. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Laperrieres brain was bleeding. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. He died from a coronary embolism caused by blood clots from his damaged leg, so related but not directly because of the injury (he had a heart attack before the coronary embolism). "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" "I wouldn't do it.". Thirty hours later, he was dead in hospital. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. He played that game standing up, Williamson said. [4] At the time of his graduation, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading point scorer, a record he held for 25 years. I really believe he was injured before the fatal blow. "[16] By mid-season, Masterton had scored 4 goals and 12 points in 38 games. 's top rookie", "Brain injuries takes life of Stars' Bill Masterton", "Star investigation: What really killed NHL's Bill Masterton", "North Star player's death 40 years ago changed the game of hockey forever", "N.H.L. I looked at him and said, What are you going to do? because he was just starting a young family, said Bob. TikTok video from That Stars Fan (@hockey_unpaused): "Bill Masterton is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of an injury suffered on the ice. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. But a Star investigation has uncovered evidence that an earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Mastertons death at the age of 29. The idea that you persevere goes back to time immemorial. The irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. 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. On that fatal night at Met Center on Jan. 13, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars center, playing against the Oakland Seals, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the right while Seals defensemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris closed in. Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game. Born Aug 16 1938 -- Winnipeg, MAN. Fear, plain and simple, said Mike Walton, a Maple Leafs rookie when Masterton died. The scoreboard showed a video of Laperriere getting nailed in face with a puck in the opening series against New Jersey, blood pouring from a gash over his right eye. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. Goaltender Cesare Maniago recalled that the night before the fatal hit, Masterton had been complaining of severe migraines that he had had for over a week. Bill Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968. 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