While much in hockey has changed since Masterton died, one thing hasnt: Playing hurt is a sacred principle. original sound. Thirty hours later, he was dead in hospital. The team doctor soon joined him. 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. Had to do cpr on him right next to the bench in the tunnel. . It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. 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. [16] In that game, a 22 tie, Masterton scored the first goal in Minnesota franchise history. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. He was a team man off the charts.. And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. [22] The "macho" attitude of the game, including fear of being called a coward, was an often cited reason for reluctance. 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. We didn't think it was that serious.". The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was created in 1968 under the trusteeship of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association and is presented annually to the "National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey". 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. And hopefully the lasthard to believe with how fast, heavy hitting, and dangerous this game is, it hasn't happened since. This is the story of the death of Masterton, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history. [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 Montreal Canadiens, which owned his rights, traded them to Minnesota. Masterton was knocked backward in the resulting collision and landed on his head. The irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. 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. It got deathly quiet.". But from that moment forward, the echoes of his fathers life stopped. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. 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 had been checked hard into the glass less yielding in those days two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. 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. After his death, his #19 jersey was officially retired by the Minnesota North Stars. 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. 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. 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. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. It honours perseverance and dedication to hockey. . Masterton died in a Minneapolis hospital shortly after midnight on Jan. 15, 1968, a little more than one day after the 29 . Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. Its kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the What if? [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. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. Minnesota goalie Cesare Maniagos wife, Mavis, had a clear view of Mastertons fall from her seat in the stands. 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. Like most players of his era, he was not wearing a helmet. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. Season. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. 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. Men are the way men are.. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. 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. 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. We were not allowed to wear helmets, said J.P. Parise. But my brother was the worker and he had the ethic that you need to make the NHL.. While knowledge of concussions has increased dramatically since Masterton died, the warrior-like mindset of professional hockey players is everlasting, he 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. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". I don't think his heart completely stopped. We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Bush, now 86. [4] At the time of his graduation, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading point scorer, a record he held for 25 years. Yep, retired by the North Stars and carried over to Dallas. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. By "at" an NHL game I'm guessing you just meant players? "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. I looked at him and said, What are you going to do? because he was just starting a young family, said Bob. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "You hold out four fingers. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. 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. 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. 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. William Masterton (August 13, 1938 - January 15, 1968) was a Canadian American professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars in 1967-68. 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. [11] He finished as the runner up to Doug Robinson for the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's top rookie. He played that game standing up, Williamson said. The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. The rarely told story behind the death of Bill Masterton -- the only NHL player to die from an injury suffered during a game -- highlights the risks and league culpability of concussions. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. This reminded me of Rich Beverly or Peverly for the Stars. But four neurologists cleared him to play after the spot disappeared. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. 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. [3] Some 30 hours after his fall, on January 15, Masterton died without ever regaining consciousness. Id said to our trainer, Do you ever look at Billy when the games on? Blair recalled. ", North Stars coach Wren Blair describes Masterton's qualities as a player. 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. 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. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. 1/2 Minnesota North Stars F Bill Masterton was tragically lost on this day in 1968, 2 days after having struck his head on Met Center ice. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. 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. When Bill Masterton's limp body collapsed to the ice on Jan. 15, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars centre appeared to be the victim of an innocuous hit. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. Professional Hockey Player. [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. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. That's what men did. Im fine, hed say, the mantra of a thousand hockey players. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. The general public doesnt understand the adrenaline, the passion, the dedication the players have to get out there and perform.. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. Its a badge of honour, he 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. 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. Thats what men did. [16] He played two seasons with the St. Paul Steers between 1964 and 1966. He sees both nobility and short-sightedness in the demands placed on hockeys most devoted players. I thought he was out then and just went fast right down.. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Mastertons death. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. Ive never thought that it had anything to do with that hit. 2023 John Rosengren. They thought it took away from the fan experience, masking the identity of players. [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. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? They didn't. He didnt just work on the ice. Didn't he die on the bench and then was revived. To order [9] He settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he took a job in contracts administration. [17] Masterton became a naturalized American citizen, allowing him to join the United States National Team in 196667. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. Hes also convinced a helmet would have saved Mastertons life. 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. Just that it was beating very irregularly, cause him to pass out/collapse. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias logic. "He didn't move after that. 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.. 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 was not a marquee player, but he was a skilled playmaker who was willing to work in the corners and be a team player. 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. He understands how passion and perseverance can deliver both glory and death. His parents, brother, wife and two children were at his side. 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. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. Yet that might not actually be the case. RIP Bill Masterton. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. 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. "He didn't move after that. My mother, before she died, talked about it. 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. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. [16] The Minnesota North Stars pulled his jersey number 19 out of circulation following his death and formally retired it in 1987. "I knew he was done.". We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? Masterton wasnt big. 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 played for Team USA from 1966 to 1967, and the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1968. The North Stars retired his jersey number 19, an honour that followed the franchise when it later relocated to Dallas, Texas. 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. "You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days?" "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" 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." said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. He briefly played in the Montreal Canadiens organization before settling in Minnesota where he played senior hockey. It was kind of one of those things where I asked the question but I knew what he was going to do. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. 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. . But it was frowned on, really.. His death . "You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days?" His playing style has endeared him to hockey fans. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". that is out of proportion to the blow that he got. rights reserved. My grandfather and grandmother were at this game, it was also their only NHL game they ever attended. 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." Ive never said this to anyone before, said Wren Blair, Mastertons coach and general manager, now 85. 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. They didn't. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. 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. 1891 views | original sound - avalon 13.5K .mzrdo "I Got A Plan" Bills Death | #fyp #rdr1 #billwilliamson #johnmarston Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, will be awarded June 22. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! All Rights Reserved. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. "You hold out four fingers. 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 It was always in the back of his mind.. "[16] By mid-season, Masterton had scored 4 goals and 12 points in 38 games. 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. Born Aug 16 1938 -- Winnipeg, MAN. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. He was traded the following season to Chicago. 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!". "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". And he got hit a few games very hard at the NHL level. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. Well I DIEEEED, "Oh really? It was a dictatorship. There is evidence of massive brain swelling . 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. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto 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. More importantly, he earned a degree. 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. said Boudrias, now 72. [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. 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. Twice last season, Laperriere took slapshots in the face. 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. Like Masterton, Laperriere earned an unlikely place in the pros with grit. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. 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. Laperriere acknowledged his career may be over, though he cant bring himself to retire. 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. He never laid down.. You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions, click above. 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. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. While Masterton was originally thought to have suffered a fatal brain injury while being checked on the ice, later analysis of the case revealed evidence of second-impact syndrome and . 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. -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball, teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" Died Jan 15 1968 [Age 29] Height 6.00 -- Weight 185 [183 cm/84 kg] Regular Season. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. But even if they had, he might still have been in the lineup against Oakland. In 1967, Mastertons nearly forgotten hope of playing in the NHL re-emerged with the leagues expansion from six to 12 teams. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. [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. "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. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.. When this happens, it can cause rapid and often fatal brain swelling. Brother was the worker and he had the ethic that you need to make NHL. The author of Blades of glory: the true cause of Masterton 's son, Scott, now 50 second-impact. Helmets, said Bob the Stars returning to action too soon meant players of his injury fast, hitting... Out then and just went fast right down.. you have come to the bench in the.! 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