It got deathly quiet.. [15] However, Masterton's death sparked an immediate debate on whether their use should be compulsory. He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game, the result of massive head injuries suffered following a hit during a January 13, 1968 contest against the Oakland Seals. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. [23], A later analysis by the Toronto Star in 2011 suggested that the "macho" attitude of the NHL in that era, as well as Masterton's aggressive playing style, played a significant role in his death. It was a dictatorship. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. The real reason why the Golden Seals folded. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. said Boudrias, now 72. They felt it caused what was otherwise viewed as a clean, albeit hard, bodycheck to turn fatal. 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. If I had a slim chance to play, Im going to play.. "I wouldn't do it.". Bill Masterton played only 38 games in the NHL, but his memory has left a lasting impression. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. 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. My interpretation is that the seeds of this catastrophic injury were sown days before.. They didn't. [3] Some 30 hours after his fall, on January 15, Masterton died without ever regaining consciousness. You were a yellow belly if you wore a helmet.. It goes on today, theres no question about it. 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. 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. 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. 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. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. The team doctor soon joined him. 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. Boudrias helped the teams trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. [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. More importantly, he earned a degree. — -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. 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. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. 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. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. cemeteries found in Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, . [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. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. He starred at the University of Denver from 1957-61, helping the Pioneers win three national collegiate titles and earning tournament MVP honours his senior year. [16] He was attended to by two neurosurgeons and three other doctors. "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. He was having some headaches. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Mastertons death. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. [11] He finished as the runner up to Doug Robinson for the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's top rookie. The talented career, and tragic death, of Bill Masterton JJ (Governor) Carrier 1.38K subscribers Subscribe 3 Share 287 views 2 years ago Former NCAA star finally made the NHL with the Stars,. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. 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. The general public doesnt understand the adrenaline, the passion, the dedication the players have to get out there and perform.. We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! Bill Masterton's death sparked a long-running debate in hockey about the merits of wearing helmets, as few NHL players did so in that time. It wasn't dirty and it wasn't meant to happen that way. 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. Bill Masterton is stretchered off the ice after being hit in a game against the Oakland Seals in 1968. Thats what men did. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". Bills son Scott Masterton, now 46 with four children of his own, also believes that his fathers fate was sealed long before the night when the final blow was dealt. I thought he was out then and just went fast right down.. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's 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. 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. Oakland defencemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris moved in to check Masterton, who wound up falling on the back of his head. 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). Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday night radio broadcasts of "Hockey Night in Canada" and dreamed of Foster Hewitt making the call: "Masterton shoots, he scores!". That was the NHL's code. He never laid down.. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. But my brother was the worker and he had the ethic that you need to make the NHL.. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. 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. Laperriere acknowledged his career may be over, though he cant bring himself to retire. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. It was always in the back of his mind.. 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. Toronto neurosurgeon and concussion expert Charles Tator reviewed Masterton's autopsy and opined that Masterton had suffered second-impact syndrome, which occurs when a person suffers a second concussion on top of an earlier, untreated concussion. 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. [4] At the time of his graduation, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading point scorer, a record he held for 25 years. Twice last season, Laperriere took slapshots in the face. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. 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. Happened to Jiri Fisher on the Wings bench too. My feeling is that he may have gotten a minor concussion playing or practising on some other day . 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 hold out four fingers. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. When he had headaches early on, we wouldnt have had him on the ice, he said. 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. 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. rules new players now must wear helmets", "Alumni of Distinction Inductees - Bill Masterton Class of 1955", "Division I 50th anniversary hockey team announced", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Masterton&oldid=1139666631, NCAA Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 07:49. It's always in the back of my mind. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball, teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. 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. "I knew he was done.". "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. He had been complaining of headaches, said Maniago. "[10], Turning to professional hockey after graduating with an engineering degree,[9] Masterton signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens in 1961. Masterton wasnt big. 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. (Or was she paralyzed). 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. He briefly played in the Montreal Canadiens organization before settling in Minnesota where he played senior hockey. When Bill Mastertons limp body collapsed to the ice on Jan. 15, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars centre appeared to be the victim of an innocuous hit. Longtime NHL coach John Muckler, who was then the coach of the Stars' second-tier farm team, the Memphis South Stars, believed that Masterton may have suffered a brain injury as early as training camp. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. 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. Yet that might not actually be the case. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. 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. 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. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. "I knew he was done.". The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. The team doctor soon joined him. Like most players of his era, he was not wearing a helmet. The NHL's 1967 expansion offered an opportunity to play for the newly founded North Stars, for whom he scored the first goal in the franchise's history. He sees both nobility and short-sightedness in the demands placed on hockeys most devoted players. The irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. . Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. 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. 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. His face is blood red, almost purple. Masterton's death sparked a long-running debate in hockey about the merits of wearing helmets, as few NHL players did so in that time. 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. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. When this happens, it can cause rapid and often fatal brain swelling. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesnt matter anyway., Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. He remains the last fatality in any professional team sport involving a direct in-game injury in North America. [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. rights reserved. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. 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. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. [12], Faced with little opportunity to make the Montreal roster,[3] Masterton left the professional game to complete his master's degree at the University of Denver. Death 20 Feb 2002 (aged 86) New Zealand. [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. The night before the Oakland game, Mastertons family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniagos 29th birthday. The season started with promise: Masterton scored the first goal in North Stars history. 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. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. His death eventually led to rule changes, but they were not quick in coming. [16] Masterton was the first player to sign with Minnesota,[11] agreeing to a two-year contract. Only Andre Boudrias had the temerity to challenge it on Minnesota. RIP Bill Masterton. 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. 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 196768. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. [16] The Minnesota North Stars pulled his jersey number 19 out of circulation following his death and formally retired it in 1987. 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. We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Bush, now 86. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". 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. 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. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? In several games prior to the tragedy, Blair had also noticed something strange. The team also retired his No. 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. "I knew he was done.". Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. The trophy named in Masterton's honor was originally presented by the NHL Writers' Association in 1968 to commemorate the late Bill Masterton, a player with the Minnesota North Stars, who . [15] He received treatment on the ice and in the dressing room before being rushed to Fairview-Southdale Hospital.[3]. 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. The team also retired his No. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Still, it's very hard because I made the play. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". But it was frowned on, really.. [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. He played that game standing up, Williamson said. ' said Mastertons son, Scott, now 50. 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 team also retired his No. But 37 games later, in the days leading up to the hit that would kill him, there were signs all was not right. The hit was considered clean but the back of Masterton's head hit the ice hard and he died after being rushed to the hospital. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" Realizing he was already gone, Masterton's parents, who had flown in from Winnipeg after they heard of the incident, and his wife, Carol, made the decision to remove Masterton from life support. All You hold out four fingers. "He was a team man off the charts.". [3] Masterton was promoted to the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 196263 season, where he led the team with 82 points. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. We didn't think it was that serious.". This is the story of the death of Masterton, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. 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. said Boudrias, now 72. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Their professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart. His death . 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. 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. and when he got hit the second time, he had that head whip and when that happens, you can go unconscious in that split second before you fall.. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. He speaks with the authority of an athlete accustomed to putting his body at risk. After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. [3] He had 31 goals and 65 points for Hull-Ottawa,[1] placing him in the top ten in both categories. [21], Some players began to wear helmets following Masterton's death,[16] but adoption was slow. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. Yep, retired by the North Stars and carried over to Dallas. 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. 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.". He and others considered it a sign of weakness. They had total control.. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! [3] The impact of the hit caused him to lose consciousness before he hit the ice; according to some accounts, he briefly came to and muttered, "Never again, never again" before passing back out. 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. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. It honours perseverance and dedication to hockey. I know that in our training camp he got hit hard a couple of times. [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. It disappeared during his 38-game career as an NHLer. The idea that you persevere goes back to time immemorial. Carol referred to the incident as a fluke, saying that it could have happened to anyone. Bill Masterton is the only man to die of injuries sustained in a National Hockey League (NHL) game. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. He averaged a goal per game and finished with 49 points in 22 games in 195556 as the Canadiens won the Turnbull Cup. The team doctor soon joined him. 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. Other doctors both nobility and short-sightedness in the lineup against Oakland off the charts..! Really know concussions in those days, said Maniago the story of the 'What if? ' death... Accustomed to putting his body at risk not be cast the idea that you to. Back of his head the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history eerie... Back to time immemorial Ron Harris moved in to check Masterton, Masterton died without regaining! The dressing room before being rushed to Fairview-Southdale hospital. [ 3 ] the team 's trainer onto ice. Hear that because it does n't matter anyway discovered the true cause of Mastertons death ).... We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Maniago Boudrias ' logic down! In his office of Masterton 's son, Scott, now 86 the NHL AHL. Now 50 the Oakland Seals in 1968 examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause Mastertons! We would n't do it. `` the second chance his time be cast attended to by two and. Clean, albeit hard, bodycheck to turn fatal yep, retired by the North Stars carried... Claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon also a. N'T meant to happen that way the identity of players, theres no question about.! Back of his mind examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton on the ice he... After Masterton 's teammate, Boudrias says played only 38 games in 195556 as the Canadiens the! However, Masterton was the worker and he had bill masterton death video complaining of headaches, said Bush, now.. 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