[7] Masterton served as team captain for 196061,[8] and was named the most valuable player of the 1961 national championship as he led Denver to a second consecutive title. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. 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 remains the last fatality in any professional team sport involving a direct in-game injury in North America. 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. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias logic. Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. [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. 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. You stopped elbowing guys in the head, Matt?". 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. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". original sound. 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. RIP Bill Masterton. 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. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Theres something wrong.. 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. And in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. "He was a team man off the charts.". [16] The Minnesota North Stars pulled his jersey number 19 out of circulation following his death and formally retired it in 1987. In 1967, Mastertons nearly forgotten hope of playing in the NHL re-emerged with the leagues expansion from six to 12 teams. Masterton was knocked backward in the resulting collision and landed on his head. His playing style has endeared him to hockey fans. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. 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. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". 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. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" The talented career, and tragic death, of Bill Masterton JJ (Governor) Carrier 1.38K subscribers Subscribe 3 Share 287 views 2 years ago Former NCAA star finally made the NHL with the Stars,. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. He sees both nobility and short-sightedness in the demands placed on hockeys most devoted players. They didn't. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. 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. [1] Masterton led the WCHA in scoring in 195960 with 44 points in conference play,[6] and led Denver to the 1960 NCAA national championship. 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. "You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days?" "[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. [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. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry 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. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. 1891 views | original sound - avalon 13.5K .mzrdo "I Got A Plan" Bills Death | #fyp #rdr1 #billwilliamson #johnmarston Its a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but its regrettable that it ever came to be. [22] The "macho" attitude of the game, including fear of being called a coward, was an often cited reason for reluctance. 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. Explore Bill Masterton's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. 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.". We are the premier subreddit to talk everything hockey! One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. 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. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. 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 in Masterton's case, it probably cost him his life. 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. His aggressiveness got him.. 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. . [1][2] He added eight points in six games during the Memorial Cup playdowns, however St. Boniface failed to reach the national championship final. Oakland defencemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris moved in to check Masterton, who wound up falling on the back of his head. The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball, teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. Laperrieres brain was bleeding. 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Season. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. Its kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the What if? I wouldnt do it.. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, will be awarded June 22. By "at" an NHL game I'm guessing you just meant players? If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. But it was frowned on, really.. [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. His parents, brother, wife and two children were at his side. [9] He settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he took a job in contracts administration. Latest News Witnesses . 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? https://www.hockey-reference.com/awards/masterton.html. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. It was a dictatorship. 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. 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. "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. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. 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 . Blair, in charge of the North Stars, came calling. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. Ive never said this to anyone before, said Wren Blair, Mastertons coach and general manager, now 85. 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. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. Bill Masterton, the only player to die from injuries suffered during an NHL game, might not have died in vain. Among the new entries was the Minnesota North Stars. We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Bush, now 86. Had to do cpr on him right next to the bench in the tunnel. 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. It was 50 years ago on January 13, 1968 that Winnipeger Bill Masterton lost his life on the ice of the Met Center playing for the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. Discover the real story, facts, and details of Bill Masterton. The NHL's expansion from six to 12 teams in 1967-68 rekindled his mothballed dream. My grandfather and grandmother were at this game, it was also their only NHL game they ever attended. Its also the mindset that will shorten their lives and destroy their bodies. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. He cherished his son, Scott, 3, and daughter, Sally, 1. They didn't. Corry believes Mastertons death could have been prevented and would be today. 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. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" 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. that is out of proportion to the blow that he got. Masterton, who was always quick to dismiss concerns, was never sent to a doctor. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. We didnt think it was that serious.. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Masterton's teammate, Boudrias. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. It goes on today, theres no question about it. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". 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 was a rarity in the way he prepared for a life outside the game. Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday . 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. asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. 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. We know the second hit can be fatal. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". Boudrias is convinced his insistence on wearing a helmet factored into Blair's decision. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution It was always in the back of his mind.. Only a handful of NHL players wore them at the time, including Mastertons teammate, Boudrias. This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. 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. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. Carol referred to the incident as a fluke, saying that it could have happened to anyone. [16] In that game, a 22 tie, Masterton scored the first goal in Minnesota franchise history. "He was a team man off the charts.". 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. [13] He joined the Honeywell Corporation where he worked on the Apollo program. [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. 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. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. And he got hit a few games very hard at the NHL level. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. He speaks with the authority of an athlete accustomed to putting his body at risk. 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. Their professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart. He didnt see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. 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. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto 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). After Masterton's death, the North Stars set up a scholarship fund in his name. In 1968, Bill Masterton became the only NHL player to date to die as the result of injuries suffered during a game. It disappeared during his 38-game career as an NHLer. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. 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