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. . The idea that you persevere goes back to time immemorial. Masterton was knocked backward in the resulting collision and landed on his head. The team also retired his No. Playoffs. That's what men did. that is out of proportion to the blow that he got. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? 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. ", North Stars coach Wren Blair describes Masterton's qualities as a player. 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. After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. Yet that might not actually be the case. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. Carol referred to the incident as a fluke, saying that it could have happened to anyone. It disappeared during his 38-game career as an NHLer. It got deathly quiet.. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. cemeteries found in Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, . 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. The death of DU hockey Alum Bill Masterton 40 years ago this week was tragic, unnecessary and foolish. [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. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. But it was frowned on, really.. Death 20 Feb 2002 (aged 86) New Zealand. 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. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. RIP in hockey heaven. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. It got deathly quiet.". Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Mastertons teammate, Boudrias. 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. After reviewing the document, Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon and concussion expert, believes Masterton suffered second impact syndrome, a rare occurrence where a second concussion happens on the heels of a first concussion that never healed, causing rapid and severe brain swelling. 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. 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. 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. 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. [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 admits he lied to team doctors about his post-concussion issues in order to return for a shot at the Stanley Cup. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. What happened in the days leading up to that fatal moment in Minneapolis, when Masterton played his 38th and final NHL game, has been largely a mystery. Usually Masterton is described as the first death caused directly by an on-ice incident to differentiate from Morenz dying of complications. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. And it changed hockey forever. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. 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. Nowhere was that more apparent than during a standing ovation for Laperriere during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston last year. The question flashed up on the big screen: What if Ian didnt believe in sacrifice?. [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. He didnt move after that. 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. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html. He didnt see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. During the season, several players and coaches recalled seeing Masterton black out during rushes in practice. Like most players of his era, he was not wearing a helmet. Latest News "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. "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. "This is an urgent matter," UMC CEO Bill Masterton said. The North Stars retired his jersey number 19, an honour that followed the franchise when it later relocated to Dallas, Texas. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. 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. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. He briefly played in the Montreal Canadiens organization before settling in Minnesota where he played senior hockey. His face is blood red, almost purple. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. 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. 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 didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. 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. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. 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. And hopefully the lasthard to believe with how fast, heavy hitting, and dangerous this game is, it hasn't happened since. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. john@johnrosengren.net|612-926-8835. He never laid down.. I wouldnt do it.. ' said Mastertons son, Scott, now 50. And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. [14] He and his wife Carol adopted two children, Scott and Sally. 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 team doctor soon joined him. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto 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. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? [15], Several awards were named in Masterton's memory. 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. 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. 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. 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. Is his number retired by the Stars? 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. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blairs decision. 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. "He was a team man off the charts.". He played for Team USA from 1966 to 1967, and the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1968. . That was the NHL's code. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution There is evidence of massive brain swelling . He was the first on-ice casualty in NHL 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. 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. Born Aug 16 1938 -- Winnipeg, MAN. He had been checked hard into the glass less yielding in those days two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. [Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.. When Masterton's head struck the ice at Met Center, there was no skull fracture, but his brain swelled very quickly, evidenced by his dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure -- which pointed to a previous head injury. I was asked to take it off, Boudrias said. 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. Didn't he break his leg then die from complications as a result of it. [22] The "macho" attitude of the game, including fear of being called a coward, was an often cited reason for reluctance. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. [16] He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of an injury suffered on the ice. 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. His playing style has endeared him to hockey fans. . The irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. He didnt just work on the ice. We didnt think it was that serious.. 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!. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. Despite several efforts to mandate their use, it was 11 years before the NHL made them compulsory for all new players beginning in the 1979-80 NHL season . Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. With a blown knee and broken bones, Scott stepped away from his sport. In 1968, Bill Masterton became the only NHL player to date to die as the result of injuries suffered during a game. Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday . The real reason why the Golden Seals folded. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. 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. 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. Happened to Jiri Fisher on the Wings bench too. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. 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. RIP Bill Masterton. 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. When Masterton's head struck the ice at Met Center, there was no skull fracture, but his brain swelled very quickly, evidenced by his dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure -- which pointed to a previous head injury. 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." 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. said Boudrias, now 72. It was always in the back of his mind.. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. [13] Masterton's Minnesota teammates, who were playing a game in Boston on the 14th, were informed that he had been removed from life support in the dressing room in what was ultimately a 92 loss to the Bruins. The team doctor soon joined him. Just that it was beating very irregularly, cause him to pass out/collapse. Bill Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968. 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. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. 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. 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. 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. Professional Hockey Player. 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. We know the second hit can be fatal. 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. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. This is the story of the death of Masterton, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. Well I DIEEEED, "Oh really? (Or was she paralyzed). to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Bill Masterton is the only man to die of injuries sustained in a National Hockey League (NHL) game. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. rights reserved. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. Discover the real story, facts, and details of Bill Masterton. 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. Ron Harris was haunted for many years by his role in Masterton's death: "It bothers you the rest of your life. 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. "You hold out four fingers. 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. 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. 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 bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. The team doctor soon joined him. They didn't. Their professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart. 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. 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