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. 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 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. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. [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. 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 NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. Latest News To order Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday . 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. Its a badge of honour, he said. 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. Bill Masterton is stretchered off the ice after being hit in a game against the Oakland Seals in 1968. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. Boudrias helped the teams trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. Yet that might not actually be the case. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. My feeling is that he may have gotten a minor concussion playing or practising on some other day . The idea that you persevere goes back to time immemorial. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. But it was frowned on, really.. 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 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. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? He and others considered it a sign of weakness. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. Theres something wrong.. That's what men did. [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. They didn't. Republication or distribution of this content is "You hold out four fingers. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. [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. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. Throughout his college career, right through to his training camp in Memphis, Masterton wore a helmet, a rarity in an age when head protection was dismissed by players and management alike. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. [21], Some players began to wear helmets following Masterton's death,[16] but adoption was slow. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. 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). It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. 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. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions, click above. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blairs decision. [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. Im fine, hed say, the mantra of a thousand hockey players. Professional Hockey Player. The team doctor soon joined him. "[11] The force of the impact caused Masterton to bleed from his nose, ears, and mouth. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. His face is blood red, almost purple. 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 didnt move after that. [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. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. During the North Stars' first game (Oct. 11, 1967 in St. Louis), Masterton scored the team's first goal and the game ended in a 2-2 tie. Longtime NHL coach John Muckler, who was then the coach of the Stars' second-tier farm team, the Memphis South Stars, believed that Masterton may have suffered a brain injury as early as training camp. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. 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. Death 20 Feb 2002 (aged 86) New Zealand. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. 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. Their professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. You hold out four fingers. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. Almost 30 hours later, Bill Masterton was dead at the age of 29. Minnesota goalie Cesare Maniagos wife, Mavis, had a clear view of Mastertons fall from her seat in the stands. "You hold out four fingers. 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. 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. I knew he was done.. 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. The PWHA's 31 chapters will select a winner for the Masterton Trophy at the end of the regular season. 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. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. 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. 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 died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. 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. [1][2] He added eight points in six games during the Memorial Cup playdowns, however St. Boniface failed to reach the national championship final. We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Bush, now 86. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. [15] He received treatment on the ice and in the dressing room before being rushed to Fairview-Southdale Hospital.[3]. A college standout with the Denver Pioneers, Masterton was a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams in 1960 and 1961, was twice an NCAA All-Star and was the most valuable player of the 1961 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. 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. [16] He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of an injury suffered on the ice. 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.". 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!". . 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 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. We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. Bob Masterton remembers his brother telling him about the NHL offer over dinner. When Bill Mastertons limp body collapsed to the ice on Jan. 15, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars centre appeared to be the victim of an innocuous hit. "[10], Turning to professional hockey after graduating with an engineering degree,[9] Masterton signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens in 1961. Didn't he die on the bench and then was revived. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" Ron Harris was haunted for many years by his role in Masterton's death: "It bothers you the rest of your life. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. 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. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? "I wouldn't do it.". [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. He played that game standing up, Williamson said. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game. (Or was she paralyzed). Stay on current site or go to US version. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. Witnesses . 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. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. [16] The Minnesota North Stars pulled his jersey number 19 out of circulation following his death and formally retired it in 1987. [13] He joined the Honeywell Corporation where he worked on the Apollo program. 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. [9] The Pioneers finished the season with a 30-1-1 record and were hailed as "the greatest hockey team to ever represent an American college or university. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. He speaks with the authority of an athlete accustomed to putting his body at risk. The team also retired his No. Bill Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. The team doctor soon joined him. 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. His aggressiveness got him.. He was 29.. said Boudrias, now 72. The Montreal Canadiens, which owned his rights, traded them to Minnesota. Usually Masterton is described as the first death caused directly by an on-ice incident to differentiate from Morenz dying of complications. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. 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. [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. 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. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. Masterton was knocked backward in the resulting collision and landed on his head. I was asked to take it off, Boudrias said. "He was a team man off the charts.". 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. By "at" an NHL game I'm guessing you just meant players? That's what men did. 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. rules new players now must wear helmets", "Alumni of Distinction Inductees - Bill Masterton Class of 1955", "Division I 50th anniversary hockey team announced", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Masterton&oldid=1139666631, NCAA Championship Tournament Most Valuable Player, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 07:49. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. [3] He had 31 goals and 65 points for Hull-Ottawa,[1] placing him in the top ten in both categories. 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. 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. cemeteries found in Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, . The team doctor soon joined him. 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. 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. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". NHL -- Real reasons for the death of Bill Masterton highlight concussion issue Skip to main content Skip to navigation Presented By > ESPN Search You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. — -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. 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. 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. "He didn't move after that. "I wouldn't do it.". "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". We spent a lot of time dreaming, said Bob. That same year a trophy called the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was established by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, in his memory. 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. This is the story of the death of Masterton, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history. Discover the real story, facts, and details of Bill Masterton. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. Press J to jump to the feed. 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 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. 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. [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. Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. 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. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. 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." He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. He wanted it badly. 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. 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. My interpretation is that the seeds of this catastrophic injury were sown days before.. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. It got deathly quiet.". Yet that might not actually be the case. He served as captain on that team and was considered its most valuable player. rights reserved. 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. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. 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. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. 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. 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 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. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. The NHL's 1967 expansion offered an opportunity to play for the newly founded North Stars, for whom he scored the first goal in the franchise's history. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. It got deathly quiet.". Men are the way men are.. Murray Williamson, who coached both amateur teams Masterton played for, remembered a night in Rochester, Minnesota, when Masterton backed into a radiator in the dressing room and singed his rear end. The real reason why the Golden Seals folded. 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. [3] The impact of the hit caused him to lose consciousness before he hit the ice; according to some accounts, he briefly came to and muttered, "Never again, never again" before passing back out. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. He didn't see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. [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. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. [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. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. [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. They didnt. 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. Hed never show when he got hurt. I think he had a (pre-existing) cerebral brain hemorrhage.. "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. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't 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. But he played as though he was, said Muckler. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. To order copies of It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury, he said. There is evidence of massive brain swelling . They didn't. [16] Legislators in New York considered a law to make their use mandatory,[20] and the NHL voted on and rejected a rule requiring players wear helmets three times by 1971. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. 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. that is out of proportion to the blow that he got. 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. That was the NHLs code. "You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days?" He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Masterton wasnt big. 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. 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. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. 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