"I knew he was done.". rights reserved. While knowledge of concussions has increased dramatically since Masterton died, the warrior-like mindset of professional hockey players is everlasting, he said. They didn't. Its a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but its regrettable that it ever came to be. 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. 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 "He didn't move after that. But that has not happened fast enough for a group of more than 120 ex-NHL players, including Bernie Nicholls, Mike Peluso and Steve Payne, who are suing the league in a class-action suit for putting their neurological health at risk despite knowing the violent play involved. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. The team also retired his No. 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. "He didn't move after that. [21] It was 11 years before the NHL finally mandated the use of helmets by all players entering the league beginning in the 197980 season. Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Mastertons death. We didn't think it was that serious.". to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about But a Star investigation has uncovered evidence that an earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Mastertons death at the age of 29. The Hennepin County medical examiner found evidence of a previous injury on the left side of Mastertons skull on the temporal region of the brain. It was kind of one of those things where I asked the question but I knew what he was going to do. It honours perseverance and dedication to hockey. He was the first on-ice casualty in NHL history. [19] They soon concluded that the injury was too severe for surgery to be a viable option. [9] He settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he took a job in contracts administration. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. 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. 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. Yet that might not actually be the case. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" We didnt think it was that serious.. Ive always thought of this after, that when he complained (of headaches) at least he could have put on a helmet for a couple of days, said teammate Wayne Connolly. Its also the mindset that will shorten their lives and destroy their bodies. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" 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. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". He didnt see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. The real reason why the Golden Seals folded. (The trainer) said, Yeah, I notice that too. I said, I wonder if we could have him checked. There is evidence of massive brain swelling . Discover the real story, facts, and details of Bill Masterton. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. 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. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. Bob Masterton remembers his brother telling him about the NHL offer over dinner. 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. Latest News If I had a slim chance to play, Im going to play.. 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. The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star 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. [16] In that game, a 22 tie, Masterton scored the first goal in Minnesota franchise history. https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html. [17] Masterton became a naturalized American citizen, allowing him to join the United States National Team in 196667. . Like most players of his era, he was not wearing a helmet. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. 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.". "[11] The force of the impact caused Masterton to bleed from his nose, ears, and mouth. We didn't think it was that serious.". 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. Fifty years ago on Jan. 15, 1968 Minnesota North Stars rookie center Bill Masterton died from a head injury suffered 30 hours earlier in a home game against the Oakland Seals. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. In an age in which few players wore helmets, on January 13, 1968, 29-year-old Bill Masterton of the brand new Minnesota North Stars hit his head on the ice and never regained consciousness. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. Didn't he break his leg then die from complications as a result of it. That was the NHL's code. We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. Just that it was beating very irregularly, cause him to pass out/collapse. [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. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! The North Stars retired his jersey number 19, an honour that followed the franchise when it later relocated to Dallas, Texas. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. 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. "[3] However, Masterton's family held no animosity towards the players involved or the game. While much in hockey has changed since Masterton died, one thing hasnt: Playing hurt is a sacred principle. Today his story is nearly forgotten, but for an annual NHL award that bears his name. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. Masterton wasnt big. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. 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. 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. Bill Masterton played only 38 games in the NHL, but his memory has left a lasting impression. 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. 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. . In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. As dramatic music replaced a play-by-play call of the incident, the video moved backwards in slow motion until just before Laperrieres face absorbed the slapshot. 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. By "at" an NHL game I'm guessing you just meant players? [1] Following a second season in which he recorded 53 points in 30 games, Masterton chose to attend the University of Denver where he was offered a scholarship to play with the Denver Pioneers hockey program. that is out of proportion to the blow that he got. 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. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. 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. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. 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. [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. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. 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. 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. [1][2] He added eight points in six games during the Memorial Cup playdowns, however St. Boniface failed to reach the national championship final. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. 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. 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. Three years later, only six Minnesota players wore them, the most of any of the NHL's teams. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. He sees both nobility and short-sightedness in the demands placed on hockeys most devoted players. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. 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. Laperrieres brain was bleeding. [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. 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. 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. [3], At the age of 29, Masterton made his NHL debut in the North Stars' inaugural game, played October 11, 1967, against the St. Louis Blues. [11], Masterton suffered a severe internal brain injury during the first period of Minnesota's January 13, 1968, game against the Oakland Seals at the Met Center. And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. 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. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. 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. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. 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. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias logic. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. 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. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? 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. [Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.. Masterton was knocked backward in the resulting collision and landed on 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). Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. The NHLs expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. 1891 views | original sound - avalon 13.5K .mzrdo "I Got A Plan" Bills Death | #fyp #rdr1 #billwilliamson #johnmarston 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. He wasnt the most talented guy in the world but he really wanted to play. More importantly, he earned a degree. 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. . Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. 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. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. They didnt. 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. Not think the amount of swelling would have saved Masterton 's teammate,.. 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bill masterton death video