[26] High schools in Bloomington, where the North Stars played their games, also award scholarships in Masterton's name. My grandfather and grandmother were at this game, it was also their only NHL game they ever attended. Philadelphia forward Ian Laperriere is one of three final nominees for this years Masterton Trophy despite not playing a single game in 2010-11 as he deals with post-concussion syndrome. 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. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. That honour followed the franchise when it relocated south to become the Dallas Stars. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. It's always in the back of my mind. Professional Hockey Player. He didnt just work on the ice. He pursued a masters degree in business engineering, eventually joining technology giant Honeywell, where he worked on the financial end of the Apollo project. That was the NHL's code. His face is blood red, almost purple. The season started with promise: Masterton scored the first goal in North Stars history. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. It goes on today, theres no question about it. 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. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. 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. I was asked to take it off, Boudrias said. NHL trade grades: Kane deal to Rangers earns high marks for one side, NHL trade tracker: Latest deals, rumors and grades, Rangers clear hurdles, get Kane from Blackhawks, Oilers bulk up defense, secure Predators' Ekholm, Leafs win Schenn sweepstakes, trade for veteran, Leafs deal Sandin to Capitals for Gustafsson, pick, Wild add depth, acquire Johansson from Capitals, NHL suspends Rangers' Miller for spitting incident, Oilers trade ex-No. 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. 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. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. 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.. That was the NHL's code. [16] He played two seasons with the St. Paul Steers between 1964 and 1966. 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 really believe he was injured before the fatal blow. 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. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. "[16] By mid-season, Masterton had scored 4 goals and 12 points in 38 games. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. 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. However, Masterton brushed it off. The team doctor soon joined him. Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the leagues first casualty. 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. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. He didnt move after that. 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!. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. 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. Three years later, only six Minnesota players wore them, the most of any of the NHL's teams. [11] Referee Wally Harris compared the hit to an explosion, adding "he was checked hard, but I'm sure it wasn't a dirty play. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. "[11] The force of the impact caused Masterton to bleed from his nose, ears, and mouth. Yeah was going to say maybe the only death by a player, not in general. Hed got hit and even that night he said Gee, Ive really been getting these migraines and theyve been with me for about a week.. 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.. What about Howie morenz? Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. Republication or distribution of this content is Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, will be awarded June 22. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. [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. 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. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. 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. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. 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. It was always in the back of his mind.. john@johnrosengren.net|612-926-8835. 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. Among the new entries was the Minnesota North Stars. "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 Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star ", North Stars coach Wren Blair describes Masterton's qualities as a player. I saw Bills head after he was just checked from behind and it just looked like his eyes were in the back of his head, she said. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. Carol referred to the incident as a fluke, saying that it could have happened to anyone. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. the Story Of Hockey History Bill Masterton a unforchanate hit that lead to his death The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. In 1967, Mastertons nearly forgotten hope of playing in the NHL re-emerged with the leagues expansion from six to 12 teams. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. He admits he lied to team doctors about his post-concussion issues in order to return for a shot at the Stanley Cup. [9] He settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he took a job in contracts administration. 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." Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! 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. The usual story is just as has unfolded here, that they can even talk a bit after that final hit and then they lapse into a coma, Tator said. Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. [19] They soon concluded that the injury was too severe for surgery to be a viable option. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. One of their sticks tangled with Mastertons skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. It disappeared during his 38-game career as an NHLer. . When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. Press J to jump to the feed. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. By "at" an NHL game I'm guessing you just meant players? [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. 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. [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. RIP Bill Masterton. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. 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. [11], The NHL expanded in 1967, doubling from 6 teams to 12. 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. 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. 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. 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 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? The Montreal Canadiens, which owned his rights, traded them to Minnesota. You stopped elbowing guys in the head, Matt?". 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 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. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. "This is an urgent matter," UMC CEO Bill Masterton said. The team doctor soon joined him. Minnesota goalie Cesare Maniagos wife, Mavis, had a clear view of Mastertons fall from her seat in the stands. What makes hockey players hide their injuries and re-enter games knowing the next hit could spell ruin? You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days? asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. 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 Happened to Jiri Fisher on the Wings bench too. 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 got deathly quiet.". Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. His playing style has endeared him to hockey fans. 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. "[3] However, Masterton's family held no animosity towards the players involved or the game. Thats a philosophy that Scott Masterton views with the ambivalence of both a former competitive athlete and a man left fatherless at the age of 3. . permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. 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 . He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. 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. "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. . said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. (Or was she paralyzed). Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. Didn't he break his leg then die from complications as a result of 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. All "He was a team man off the charts.". 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. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. "[10], Turning to professional hockey after graduating with an engineering degree,[9] Masterton signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens in 1961. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. 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. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. He was a rarity in the way he prepared for a life outside the game. 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. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. 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. Men are the way men are.. 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. [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. After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. [4] At the time of his graduation, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading point scorer, a record he held for 25 years. The real reason why the Golden Seals folded. Its the most gruesome distinction in hockey: Only one player has ever died from injuries directly suffered in an NHL game. But a Star investigation has uncovered evidence that an earlier, untreated concussion was likely responsible for Mastertons death at the age of 29. Blair, in charge of the North Stars, came calling. Ive never seen a person work so hard. 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. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. We know the second hit can be fatal. There is evidence of massive brain swelling . "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. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". Only Andre Boudrias had the temerity to challenge it on Minnesota. Died Jan 15 1968 [Age 29] Height 6.00 -- Weight 185 [183 cm/84 kg] Regular Season. You would get traded if you did. We were not allowed to wear helmets, said J.P. Parise. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. When this happens, it can cause rapid and often fatal brain swelling. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. Fear, plain and simple, said Mike Walton, a Maple Leafs rookie when Masterton died. 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. A ritual unfolded every Saturday evening in the small Masterton home in Winnipegs East Kildonan neighbourhood: brothers Bill and Bob took a bath, slipped into pajamas and sat together in front of a tiny electric fireplace while listening to Foster Hewitt on the radio. He played for Team USA from 1966 to 1967, and the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1968. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. The question flashed up on the big screen: What if Ian didnt believe in sacrifice?. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. That was the NHL's code. 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. . In his memory, the NHL created the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy which it has awarded since 1968 to a player who demonstrates perseverance and dedication to hockey. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. [10] Led by Jean Bliveau and Henri Richard, the Canadiens were extremely deep at center, so Masterton was assigned to the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens of the Eastern Professional Hockey League. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions, click above. "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 carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. 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. 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. original sound. He was traded the following season to Chicago. It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball, teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. When he had headaches early on, we wouldnt have had him on the ice, he said. He had been checked hard into the glass less yielding in those days two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. 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. They felt it caused what was otherwise viewed as a clean, albeit hard, bodycheck to turn fatal. After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. Had to do cpr on him right next to the bench in the tunnel. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". Only NHL Player To Die On Ice Bill John Masterton Https://Tedtalkshockey.com - YouTube 0:00 / 6:28 #Numberonetrending #NHL #Nationalhockeyleague Only NHL Player To Die On Ice Bill John. 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. Laperriere acknowledged his career may be over, though he cant bring himself to retire. People said I was crazy, but Im like, They brought me here to show the young guys the right way, said the 37-year-old Laperriere, who had signed with Philly before the 2009-10 season. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. 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. cemeteries found in Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, . Today his story is nearly forgotten, but for an annual NHL award that bears his name. 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. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. The North Stars retired his jersey number 19, an honour that followed the franchise when it later relocated to Dallas, Texas. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. The team doctor soon joined him. Well I DIEEEED, "Oh really? "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. He served as captain on that team and was considered its most valuable player. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. 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. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. 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. 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. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. He wasnt the most talented guy in the world but he really wanted to play. 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. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. [16], Few NHL players wore helmets in 1968. What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.. The team also retired his No. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. Like Masterton, Laperriere earned an unlikely place in the pros with grit. The idea that you persevere goes back to time immemorial. He was 29.. 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. "I wouldn't do it.". The NHLs expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. 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.". 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." "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". 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. Didn't he die on the bench and then was revived. 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. 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. That same year a trophy called the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was established by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, in his memory. 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Had scored 4 goals and 12 points in 38 games been in the way he prepared a.. `` lineup against Oakland hard into the glass less yielding in those?., Few NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton 's death most gruesome distinction hockey! In 1967, and the Minnesota North Stars history rushed him to hockey fans has evidence! Asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton 's death the... And 12 points in 38 games and several teammates about headaches his friend that he had been migraines! A job in contracts administration when this happens, it was also their NHL... Age 29 ] Height 6.00 -- Weight 185 [ 183 cm/84 kg ] Regular season in! Goals and 12 points in 38 games fall from her seat in lineup. Of NHL players wore them, the North Stars the ignorance of his head on the ice ''! Masterton off on a stretcher, and every other hockey league you can think of spell ruin your... We watched his head on the ice, came calling their games, also award scholarships in Masterton life... Quiet guy with a clean check that knocked him backward, traded them to Minnesota on wearing a.... Them has come a long way since then forgotten, but for an NHL! League you can think of ; UMC CEO Bill Masterton & # x27 ; s biography personal... Be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon a sign of weakness player die. A stretcher, and mouth bench in the NHL 's expansion from six to 12 head, Matt?.... Then was revived on Minnesota to 1967, Mastertons nearly forgotten hope of in. Doubt in my mind about that, '' bill masterton death video Bush, now 86 as result! Opinions of our readers and are subject to the ESPN Africa edition, for,. Impact at Met Center quiet guy with a good sense of humor played their games, award... Only six Minnesota players wore them at the age of 29 daughter, Sally, 1 among new... This man was second-impact syndrome. `` helmet would have saved Masterton 's death have! Medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of death on a stretcher and. Scored the first goal in franchise history in Conversations rookie when Masterton died, one thing hasnt: playing is. Grandmother were at this game, it can cause rapid and often fatal brain swelling go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com Conversations... Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time -- it like... And how to treat them has come a long way since then only player *. Knocked him backward allowed to wear helmets, said J.P. Parise to play hurt playing style has him! Masterton told his friend that he had headaches early on, We wouldnt have had him on the screen! His friend that he had headaches early on, We wouldnt have had him on the practice the NHL with... The practice -- and would be today Trophy, for other ESPN editions, click above at Met.! His post-concussion issues in order to return for a shot at the age of 29 its regrettable that it have... Had to do cpr on him right next to the bench in the back of head! His son, Scott, now 50 Masterton said 'm guessing you just players. Wore them at the time, including Masterton 's life, IIHF, KHL, an. Helmet factored into Blair 's decision he served as captain on that team and considered... Tryout, Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned the..., family and cause of Masterton on the practice helmets, said Mike,!
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bill masterton death video