He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. 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." Discover the real story, facts, and details of Bill Masterton. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. "You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days?" 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. It got deathly quiet.". It honours perseverance and dedication to hockey. . 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. Boudrias helped the team's trainer onto the ice to tend to Masterton. Discuss the NHL, AHL, PHF, IIHF, KHL, and every other hockey league you can think of! "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" 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. Thirty hours later, he was dead in hospital. 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 team also retired his No. If anyone is wondering his story here's a short video TSN did on him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_uLi6Bf7s and here is a list of the previous winners of the trophy named after him. "I wouldn't do it.". Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Masterton wasnt big. 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. Deadline decisions: What will Avs, Kraken and others do? "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. [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. 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. john@johnrosengren.net|612-926-8835. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. That was the NHL's code. Didn't he break his leg then die from complications as a result of it. 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. 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. Awareness about brain injuries and how to treat them has come a long way since then. Coach Wren Blair believed that Masterton was playing through a pre-existing brain hemorrhage. It's always in the back of my mind. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. original sound. Oakland defencemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris moved in to check Masterton, who wound up falling on the back of his head. When Minnesota executives, who had acquired his rights, invited him to a tryout, Masterton relished the second chance. . 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 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. 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. Bill Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. 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. Season. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win . That rotation was a contributing factor in the severity of his injury. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. While much in hockey has changed since Masterton died, one thing hasnt: Playing hurt is a sacred principle. 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. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. Bill Masterton played only 38 games in the NHL, but his memory has left a lasting impression. He served as captain on that team and was considered its most valuable player. "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. Ron Harris was haunted for many years by his role in Masterton's death: "It bothers you the rest of your life. He played for Team USA from 1966 to 1967, and the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1968. [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. He played that game standing up, Williamson said. "I knew he was done.". 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. [9] He settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he took a job in contracts administration. . Just that it was beating very irregularly, cause him to pass out/collapse. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. 's top rookie", "Brain injuries takes life of Stars' Bill Masterton", "Star investigation: What really killed NHL's Bill Masterton", "North Star player's death 40 years ago changed the game of hockey forever", "N.H.L. "He didn't move after that. 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 disappeared during his 38-game career as an NHLer. [16] Masterton was the first player to sign with Minnesota,[11] agreeing to a two-year contract. Professional Hockey Player. Masterton left pro hockey after two seasons when it appeared hed never make the NHL. My interpretation is that the seeds of this catastrophic injury were sown days before.. "He was a team man off the charts.". 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. [26] High schools in Bloomington, where the North Stars played their games, also award scholarships in Masterton's name. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. And hopefully the lasthard to believe with how fast, heavy hitting, and dangerous this game is, it hasn't happened since. Such is the legacy of the only man who died because of injuries caused in an NHL game. [17] Masterton became a naturalized American citizen, allowing him to join the United States National Team in 196667. He didnt move after that. The irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. [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. He finished with a master's degree in business at Denver and landed a job at the Minneapolis-based technology company Honeywell, where he worked in the financial department for the Apollo project, married his high school sweetheart and started a family, adopting a son and a daughter. 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 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. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. [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. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. [3] He had 31 goals and 65 points for Hull-Ottawa,[1] placing him in the top ten in both categories. "He was a team man off the charts.". What about Howie morenz? 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. He had been complaining of headaches, said Maniago. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. 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. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" 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 honour followed the franchise when it relocated south to become the Dallas Stars. 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.. 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. 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. He averaged a goal per game and finished with 49 points in 22 games in 195556 as the Canadiens won the Turnbull Cup. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. 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. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. [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 wasnt the most talented guy in the world but he really wanted to play. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. [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. The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. He didnt just work on the ice. The team doctor soon joined him. 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. His face is blood red, almost purple. 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. For my iTunes documentary, "The California Golden Seals Story" - I interviewed three witnesses to the tragic sequence of events that led to the death of Minn. . 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. It was a no-no in no uncertain terms. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. 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). The death of DU hockey Alum Bill Masterton 40 years ago this week was tragic, unnecessary and foolish. Corry believes Mastertons death could have been prevented and would be today. Masterton was caught in an awkward collision that sent his head slamming backwards onto the ice. "[16] By mid-season, Masterton had scored 4 goals and 12 points in 38 games. If anyone is wondering his story here's a short video TSN did on him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_uLi6Bf7s and here is a list of the previous winners of the trophy named after him. 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. "This is an urgent matter," UMC CEO Bill Masterton said. The general public doesnt understand the adrenaline, the passion, the dedication the players have to get out there and perform.. Fear, plain and simple, said Mike Walton, a Maple Leafs rookie when Masterton died. [22] The "macho" attitude of the game, including fear of being called a coward, was an often cited reason for reluctance. [16] He played two seasons with the St. Paul Steers between 1964 and 1966. [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. [21], Some players began to wear helmets following Masterton's death,[16] but adoption was slow. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" Men are the way men are.. said Boudrias, now 72. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Masterton played two seasons of junior hockey with the St. Boniface Canadiens in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL). [16] The Minnesota North Stars pulled his jersey number 19 out of circulation following his death and formally retired it in 1987. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. — -- Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. 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. 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