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. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. [1][2] He added eight points in six games during the Memorial Cup playdowns, however St. Boniface failed to reach the national championship final. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. His death . You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions, click above. If I had a slim chance to play, Im going to play.. [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. My mother, before she died, talked about it. 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. 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. Bill Masterton died from head injuries he suffered in a National Hockey League game in 1968, sparking a long-running debate over helmets, which were finally made mandatory 11 seasons later. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! [17] Masterton became a naturalized American citizen, allowing him to join the United States National Team in 196667. '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. Bill Masterton is stretchered off the ice after being hit in a game against the Oakland Seals in 1968. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. [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. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. 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. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Mastertons teammate, Boudrias. . Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. 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. 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. 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. The team also retired his No. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. 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. 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. 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. RIP in hockey heaven. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. 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. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. Its a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but its regrettable that it ever came to be. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. But a Star investigation has uncovered evidence that an earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Mastertons death at the age of 29. 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. He was having some headaches. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? "I knew he was done.". I knew he was done.. Season. NHL Home Scores Schedule Standings Stats Teams Daily Lines Power Rankings More This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. [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. It disappeared during his 38-game career as an NHLer. 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. Its a badge of honour, he said. 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. My interpretation is that the seeds of this catastrophic injury were sown days before.. 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. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. 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. Masterton was knocked backward in the resulting collision and landed on his head. 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. Realizing he was already gone, Mastertons 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. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? [9] He settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he took a job in contracts administration. "I knew he was done.". We didnt think it was that serious.. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! 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. 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. Masterton left pro hockey after two seasons when it appeared hed never make the NHL. Masterton died in a Minneapolis hospital shortly after midnight on Jan. 15, 1968, a little more than one day after the 29 . 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. Masterton wasnt big. 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. 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. That was the NHL's code. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. I thought he was out then and just went fast right down.. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. They felt it caused what was otherwise viewed as a clean, albeit hard, bodycheck to turn fatal. 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. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? 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. Laperriere acknowledged his career may be over, though he cant bring himself to retire. 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. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. 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. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. 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. We know the second hit can be fatal. 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. 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. Thats what men did. They didnt. They didn't. 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. [15], Several awards were named in Masterton's memory. 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. Hes also convinced a helmet would have saved Mastertons life. 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. The team also retired his No. 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. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. That was the NHLs code. Didn't he die on the bench and then was revived. 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. With a blown knee and broken bones, Scott stepped away from his sport. The North Stars retired his jersey number 19, an honour that followed the franchise when it later relocated to Dallas, Texas. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Masterton played two seasons of junior hockey with the St. Boniface Canadiens in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL). asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" 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. In several games prior to the tragedy, Blair had also noticed something strange. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. "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 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. "This is an urgent matter," UMC CEO Bill Masterton said. He averaged a goal per game and finished with 49 points in 22 games in 195556 as the Canadiens won the Turnbull Cup. He wanted it badly. 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 . To order Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. He served as captain on that team and was considered its most valuable player. — -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. Bill Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. 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 played that game standing up, Williamson said. 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. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. Still, it's very hard because I made the play. Ive never thought that it had anything to do with that hit. . In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. . Only Andre Boudrias had the temerity to challenge it on Minnesota. I wouldnt do it.. We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Bush, now 86. That was the NHL's code. Their professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. 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.". 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. 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,. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias 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 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. [24] The University of Denver Pioneers hockey team named its most valuable player award after him,[25] and his Winnipeg high school, Miles Macdonell Collegiate, presents a scholarship in his name. He had been complaining of headaches, said Maniago. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. In 1968, Bill Masterton became the only NHL player to date to die as the result of injuries suffered during a game. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. The team also retired his No. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. My feeling is that he may have gotten a minor concussion playing or practising on some other day . When the brain hasn't healed completely from a previous injury, a subsequent blow can cause the type of sudden and severe swelling found in Masterton's brain. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. 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 underlying cause of his death almost 50 years ago elevates awareness about the risks of undiagnosed concussions -- and the NHL's responsibility to address them. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. [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. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. You hold out four fingers. He died two days later. I really believe he was injured before the fatal blow. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. 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. 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. His playing style has endeared him to hockey fans. that is out of proportion to the blow that he got. Ron Harris was haunted for many years by his role in Masterton's death: "It bothers you the rest of your life. 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. https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html. All Rights Reserved. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. Theres something wrong.. Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. 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. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. 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. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_uLi6Bf7s, https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. His parents, brother, wife and two children were at his side. 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. Blair, in charge of the North Stars, came calling. He was 29.. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. The NHLs expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. We spent a lot of time dreaming, said Bob. cemeteries found in Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, . He and the Stars' trainer had noticed Masterton's face was "blood red, almost purple," and were concerned enough that they wanted Masterton checked out by a doctor. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about [3] Some 30 hours after his fall, on January 15, Masterton died without ever regaining consciousness. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. rights reserved. accessed ), memorial page for William Duncan "Bill" Cromie (24 Apr 1915-20 Feb 2002), Find a Grave Memorial ID 244481111, citing Riverside Cemetery . What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. Its also the mindset that will shorten their lives and destroy their bodies. Like most players of his era, he was not wearing a helmet. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. You were a yellow belly if you wore a helmet.. 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. He didnt see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. 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. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. Had to do cpr on him right next to the bench in the tunnel. Despite several efforts to mandate their use, it was 11 years before the NHL made them compulsory for all new players beginning in the 197980 season. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. What makes hockey players hide their injuries and re-enter games knowing the next hit could spell ruin? Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Republication or distribution of this content is In a quiet moment, Masterton made a rare admission to Maniago: He was struggling with the effects of a head check into the glass during a recent game.