Zednik's throat cut in sabres game

[Dan]

Richard Zednik's neck cut by Jokinen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1xQM1LTGK0

Reminds me alot of this problem years ago, also in buffalo......

Clint Malarchuk gets throat slit by skate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT4PenDwiPo

[NINO63004]

I saw the video and I had chills running through me.




Nino

[thesonofgray]

I'm not going to even watch the videos. I remember that ice skating accident where the male partner was spinning really fast and basically sliced right through his female partner's nose. I seriously was traumatized by the visual.

*shudders*

[NINO63004]

I'm not going to even watch the videos. I remember that ice skating accident where the male partner was spinning really fast and basically sliced right through his female partner's nose. I seriously was traumatized by the visual.

*shudders*

the video isn't very graphic but they slow it down so you can see where it happens. the video I saw was not showing any blood. Saw it on espn. I'll have to click these links to see if it's the same one.




Nino

[NINO63004]

the first video is the one i saw. the second one is getting me sick to my stomach.




Nino

[psmith16]

OUCH!!!!! That hurt me, just watching it and it just proves anything can happen. That was some bad timing he had skating up from behind.

[Dan]

the first video is the one i saw. the second one is getting me sick to my stomach.




Nino

The 2nd one, you mean our goalie a few years ago? Thats what the Sabres announcer was talking about when he said he had seen that much blood before and didnt want to think about it.

They are freak accidents, but the league should look into some ways to help protect the neck from those types of accidents. I'd think something like a kevlar woven neck cover would help, its what they use in the local brass plant to prevent your wrist getting slashed on the sharp ends of the brass coils.

Glad to hear he was out of surgery and doing well at the hospital. 2 near death experiences in buffalo this year with Everett and now this.

[Cheatachu72]

They are freak accidents, but the league should look into some ways to help protect the neck from those types of accidents. I'd think something like a kevlar woven neck cover would help, its what they use in the local brass plant to prevent your wrist getting slashed on the sharp ends of the brass coils.


I always wore one of these when I skated:

http://tsa.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p1954040reg.jpg
http://www.sportsauthority.com/sm-itech-n7-nectech-neck-protector--pi-1985490.html

8 bucks, but not require equiptment even for squirts....

pro's look down on guys wearing even a visor, so i dont think many guys will wear them if they dont have to...

[Dan]

Maybe they will think twice when one of their own almost died......

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hXBZwYpZdhh3Zptt86qtBmxln5MwD8UOBI0O0

Agent: Zednik Had Lifesaving Surgery
By JOHN WAWROW – 1 hour ago

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik required lifesaving surgery after severing his carotid artery, his agent told The Associated Press on Monday. Zednik was listed in stable condition in the intensive care unit at Buffalo General Hospital, and will continue to be evaluated through the day, attending surgeon Sonya Noor said in a statement released by the hospital.

Zednik had surgery Sunday night after losing a significant amount of blood during the game at Buffalo earlier in the day, agent David Schatia said.

Zednik was sliced across the right side of the throat by teammate Olli Jokinen's skate in a frightening accident midway through the third period of Buffalo's 5-3 victory.

Canada's Sportsnet cable-TV network reported on its Web site that the skate blade just missed cutting the jugular vein.

The Panthers returned home to South Florida following the game.

Joining Zednik at the hospital was his wife, Jessica, and Karen Cohen, wife of Alan Cohen, who is the Panthers' general partner, chairman of the board and CEO, hospital spokesman Mike Hughes said in a release. The two arrived by charter flight late Sunday night.

"The entire Panthers organization wish to extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to the medical staff at Buffalo General Hospital, the Buffalo Sabres organization, the HSBC Arena staff and to the Panthers and Sabres fans who have expressed their thoughts and concerns," Panthers assistant general manager Randy Sexton said.

Sexton and Panthers assistant trainer Dave Zenobi stayed overnight with Zednik at the hospital.

Zednik was circling the net behind the play and skating into the corner when Jokinen was upended by Sabres forward Clarke MacArthur. Jokinen fell headfirst to the ice, and his right leg and skate flew up and struck Zednik directly on the side of the neck.

Clutching his neck, Zednik left a trail of blood as he somehow raced three-quarters the length of the ice to the Panthers bench. He nearly fell into the arms of Zenobi, who immediately placed a towel on the player's throat. With the help of defenseman Jassen Cullimore, Zednik was escorted up the tunnel behind the bench and loaded into an ambulance.

Zednik, a 12-year veteran, is in his first season with the Panthers.

When Zednik was with Montreal he sustained a severe concussion, broken nose, bruised throat and cut eyelid following a vicious blow to the face by Boston's Kyle McLaren during the 2002 playoffs.

Zednik was knocked cold, had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher and spent the night in intensive care.

McLaren was suspended by the NHL for the rest of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, missing the final two games of the series, which Montreal won in six games.

Zednik returned the following season to score a career-high 31 goals and match a career high with 50 points.

He signed with the Panthers as a free agent last summer. After a two-month slump, he has been playing well. He entered the game on a four-game point streak, in which he had six goals and three assists, giving him 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in 54 games this season.

[BrettW]

DAN thanks for the link to the video, it let me make all my friend squirm at work :-)

[wavezero]

Yeah, I too got chills... but injuries are a part of the game. At least it's not someone getting cold-****ed from behind. Cheat- when what the last time you wore one of those?!? I play goal and wear a very low profile, more of a collar bone protector. It's not nearly as tall as the one in the pic. I don't see anyone in the NHL ever using one of those. Freak accidents happen all sports, and still will, regardless of how many percautions you try to take. And that's why they get paid the big bucks, right?

[Dan]

Yeah, I too got chills... but injuries are a part of the game. At least it's not someone getting cold-****ed from behind. Cheat- when what the last time you wore one of those?!? I play goal and wear a very low profile, more of a collar bone protector. It's not nearly as tall as the one in the pic. I don't see anyone in the NHL ever using one of those. Freak accidents happen all sports, and still will, regardless of how many percautions you try to take. And that's why they get paid the big bucks, right?

Most NHL goalies now wear a neck protector after what happened with Clint in buffalo. What he added to his original mask was a simple piece of clear plastic that was molded to his neck and moved up and down on something like cable ties so it was easily removed and replaced if needed.

New goalie masks seem to offer much better protection for the neck than the ones in the 80's.

What I was talking about would be about as thick as a sock and pulled over your head, almost like a turtle neck. Its about as much as they have us wear when i work in the brass plant and would not totally remove all cuts, but would limit how deep you could get cut at your neck.

Players who wont wear a visor complain that its because they fog up or get covered in "snow" during a game. Advances in fog sprays have made the fog concerns go away, so its mostly because they don't have to wear one. Its about like the players who wear their helmet and shave out the foam padding on the inside and wear it so loose its liable to fall off if they fall........... really defeats the purpose!

[wavezero]

That's not a bad idea. I know some of it is pure pride (which is BS), you had players griping about having to wear helmets even just 5-10 years ago. But some of it is practically. They certainly don't have anything out now that can do the job. Technology probably can make something breathable and comfortable that may serve as decent protection, look at how rediculous the new jerseys are. But there is probably very little money in it and good luck getting the players to use it...

[Cheatachu72]

Cheat- when what the last time you wore one of those?!? I play goal and wear a very low profile, more of a collar bone protector. It's not nearly as tall as the one in the pic. I don't see anyone in the NHL ever using one of those. Freak accidents happen all sports, and still will, regardless of how many percautions you try to take. And that's why they get paid the big bucks, right?

how long ago did you play organized youth hockey? I googled peewee hockey and found the majority of kids are wearing them.... :icon_smil

Picture to big to post here...click to see team nearly all wearing a neck protector (http://www.hockeyinc.ca/4%20on%204%20Major%20Peewee%20Champs%2007.JPG)

I just quickly googled 'hockey neck protector' and found that image, i agree, it is much taller than the one i used (15 years ago), but my point is there is equiptment that is designed to prevent that sort of injury...it isnt anything new.

i got a small cut on the side of my neck from a high stick (accidental), and my mom made me wear one after that...

when i played in an adult rec league, the neck guard was ditched along with my cage and shoulder pads (non-contact league)

Players who wont wear a visor complain that its because they fog up or get covered in "snow" during a game. Advances in fog sprays have made the fog concerns go away, so its mostly because they don't have to wear one.

Dan- You dont ever see cages fog up either :tu: but how would you fight? You already hear complaints about the "visor-wearing french players" who are willing to play tough, but not drop the gloves

[Cheatachu72]

What I was talking about would be about as thick as a sock and pulled over your head, almost like a turtle neck. Its about as much as they have us wear when i work in the brass plant and would not totally remove all cuts, but would limit how deep you could get cut at your neck.


so something more like this product then?

http://tsa.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p2742153dt.jpg
http://www.sportsauthority.com/sm-itech-ultimate-senior-hockey-shirt-w-kevlar-neck-protector--pi-2248070.html

[Dan]

so something more like this product then?

http://www.sportsauthority.com/sm-itech-ultimate-senior-hockey-shirt-w-kevlar-neck-protector--pi-2248070.html

Something like that, but a higher neck covering to protect the shallow blood vessels at your neck. That looks like it would not protect the majority of the neck, but would be the right idea and would be light weight enough to get players to wear it.

An aside, the surgeon who repaired his artery is the vascular surgeon who worked with my father before he passed away. She is an excellent doctor and took a huge emotional involvement in my fathers care and actually cried when my father thanked her for all she did, letting her know it was time for him to go home.

[iggyclyde]

Definitely some scary stuff...just like (for those old enough to remember) Steve Yeager years ago during a MLB game when a bat splintered off a pitch and lodged in his throat. He's the one who developed that throat guard that catchers are now using...

[enob]

Zeddie almost bit it there makes you think... though the years I have been cut on my arm and back of the leg by skates but never in the neck. The problem is the more gear you wear the more restricted you are.

[wavezero]

That's exactally my point enob. And cheat- that's the answer I was looking for. The second the league allowed you to play without one they were ditched. I used one from squirt through midget (less than 10 years ago) and it was misearble. I now wear a collar protector like this one, be probably even a bit lower profile.
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-90879101131287_1989_23487046

It looks like they do make something (that shirt thing), but I've never seen anyone wear one. I couldn't even imagine how restrictive/uncomfortable one with and even taller neck would be.

Wow, dan. That's incredible. Sounds like he is in good hands.

[Cheatachu72]

That's exactally my point enob. And cheat- that's the answer I was looking for. The second the league allowed you to play without one they were ditched. I used one from squirt through midget (less than 10 years ago) and it was misearble. I now wear a collar protector like this one, be probably even a bit lower profile.
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-90879101131287_1989_23487046

It looks like they do make something (that shirt thing), but I've never seen anyone wear one. I couldn't even imagine how restrictive/uncomfortable one with and even taller neck would be.

Wow, dan. That's incredible. Sounds like he is in good hands.

well my point is the technology to protect players from these types of injuries has existed for almost 20 years and it hasnt been adopted.

facemasks have also been around, and i am sure dany heatly would have liked one, yet he (or the hundreds of other players with missing teeth)

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/heatley_dany040130.jpg

[Dan]

That's exactally my point enob. And cheat- that's the answer I was looking for. The second the league allowed you to play without one they were ditched. I used one from squirt through midget (less than 10 years ago) and it was misearble. I now wear a collar protector like this one, be probably even a bit lower profile.
http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-90879101131287_1989_23487046

It looks like they do make something (that shirt thing), but I've never seen anyone wear one. I couldn't even imagine how restrictive/uncomfortable one with and even taller neck would be.

Wow, dan. That's incredible. Sounds like he is in good hands.

Nothing is ever comfortable! I hare wearing my hard hat at work, but do so because its a ton safer than having something lodge in your head and kill you!

The woven Kevlar thing would be warmer I'm sure, but its about as thick as a thin pair of socks so its not a huge issue with being able to turn your head, etc. The biggest complaint would probably be that its wet against your neck!

I bet you will start to see players wearing things like that sooner than later. The same type of accident happened here in Niagara Falls at a HS hockey game 30 years ago and it was because the coach kept firm pressure on the neck that the player lived.

If they start using the shirt in the lower levels, you will see it become standard like helmets were standardized. Let players choose if they want the neck protection now and require it in the HS level, then college and juniors and finally in the AHL and NHL.

[Cheatachu72]

an interesting article about the discussion of requiring neck protection...bold emphasis added by me:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/13416-Gruesome-Zednik-injury-sparks-talk-of-neck-protection-for-NHLers.html

Richard Zednik's blood-dripping trek to the bench Sunday night certainly hit home for Trent McCleary.

The former Montreal Canadiens player saw the images on his TV screen and couldn't help but think of his own experience, when he was left battling for his life after taking a slapshot in the throat.

"All of sudden I was flooded with memories," McLeary told The Canadian Press on Monday. "It's frightening."

McLeary, now an investment adviser in Swift Current, Sask., still has trouble breathing and some of his vocal cords are permanently damaged.

But he's happy just to be alive after the January 2000 incident in Montreal. For that he has repeatedly thanked the Canadiens' medical and training staff on hand that day at the Bell Centre.

"And yet again it was the case with Richard last night, and it was the same with Clint Malarchuk's incident (in 1989) and my incident, the medical staff and the people that work in the buildings are just phenomenal," said the 35-year-old McLeary, whose career ended on the play. "They're amazing and they potentially saved his life."

Zednik was listed in stable condition in the intensive care unit at Buffalo General Hospital on Monday. The Florida Panthers forward required life-saving surgery after severing his carotid artery when the skate of teammate Olli Jokinen came up and cut him in the throat.

The incident, replayed on TV screens around North America, could possibly have been less serious had Zednik been wearing a neck protector - a must for players in minor hockey in Canada but a rarity for NHLers.

"There was an incident in Sweden over 10 years ago where the guy passed away with kind of the same type of injury and neck guards were made mandatory in the Swedish league for a while," Toronto Maple Leafs captain Mats Sundin recalled Monday.

"We're out there and the skates are certainly like knives on our feet and you've got to be aware out there. ... There's always freak accidents like that. You have to be aware that the skates are very dangerous."

Just as visors aren't mandated in the NHL, neither are neck protectors. That's the jurisdiction of the NHL Players' Association and the union has always respected its members' desire for individual choice when it comes to protection.

"We are pleased by the positive medical reports on Richard and are hopeful for his quick recovery," NHLPA executive director Paul Kelly said in a statement Monday. "The NHLPA will review this matter in detail and will continue to ensure that our members are fully educated about all aspects of on-ice safety."

Despite the gruesome nature of Zednik's incident, one would be hard-pressed to find many NHLers wanting to mandate neck protectors, wanting instead to reserve the right to decide how much protection they want to wear.

Veteran goalie Olaf Kolzig of the Washington Capitals, while very concerned for his former teammate Zednik, echoed that sentiment.

"You know what, it's hockey," Kolzig told The Canadian Press. "When was the last time this happened? Freak things happen, whether it's sports or whether you're walking across the street and you get hit by a car. That's life. You can't protect against everything. That was just such a freakish play.

"It should be left up to the players. It's a dangerous sport, you can't protect them from everything. It's just fortunate that he's OK."

Veteran centre Jeremy Roenick of the San Jose Sharks agreed with Kolzig and said you can't totally protect players in such a violent sport.

"We play this game for the love of it and we play it knowing the dangers are there," said Roenick. "It's like a race car driver. You try to make everything safer but somebody's going to get injured in an accident no matter what and they still do it anyway."

Leafs head coach Paul Maurice wonders where the line would be drawn if players were forced to wear neck protectors.

"It's neck guards, then it's going to be full face shields and those all make sense," he said. "Bigger shin pads, bigger shoulder pads, wrap yourself in a mattress and away you go. I mean, I don't know what the end point is. ...

"It's a fast sport with sticks, blades and frozen pucks. There's going to be some bumps and bruises, that's for sure."

McCleary also respects a player's individual choice to decide what kind of protection he wants to wear but wonders if the real change won't come from a third party rather than the NHL and NHLPA.

"The one thing that surprises me is not the NHL or the NHLPA, but insurance companies," said McLeary. "Why wouldn't Lloyd's of London say, 'I will lawyer your personal insurance policy if you wear a visor'? Then see how many guys put visors on."


Zednik's injury was similar to the one Malarchuk suffered in March 1989. The Buffalo Sabres goalie had his jugular vein severed when St. Louis Blues forward Steve Tuttle was upended while skating toward the crease and caught him with a skate. Malarchuk required over 300 stitches but spent only one night in the hospital, playing in a game less than two weeks later.

McCleary nearly died after taking a slapshot from Philadelphia's Chris Therien in the throat in a January 2000 game. He underwent surgery twice to repair a complex fracture of the larynx. Doctors said he would have died had he not had a tracheotomy.

Just like Zednik, McCleary amazingly raced to the bench on the play, which saved valuable seconds.

"Richard had the wherewithal to get to the bench as well," said McCleary. "You think, 'Well, laying on the ice isn't going to do any good.' Once I realized I couldn't breathe, I said, 'I got to get out of here.' You go where the help is. Richard skated 80 feet almost - it's just instinct."

Zednik was skating into the right corner of the Sabres' zone when Jokinen was dumped by Sabres forward Clarke MacArthur. Jokinen fell head-first to the ice, and his right leg flew up and struck Zednik directly on the side of the neck. He clutched his neck while racing to the bench.

"It's one of those things that happens from time to time in the game," said Maple Leafs forward Darcy Tucker. "It's a freak thing. It was nice to see he was able to get off the ice and get the necessary medical stuff looked after and that it didn't cause too much harm."

Said Leafs teammate Matt Stajan, the team's NHLPA player rep: "It took a guy to get flipped upside down and his skates to come flying up into the air for that to happen so to say you've got to make changes and stuff to make it more safe it would be a lot of work. I'm sure people are going to talk about it now.

"The main thing is he's OK. I think it's important for the league to move forward and I think they're going to look into stuff."

[wavezero]

Good Find Cheat! thanks for the post...

[Dan]

The same mentality was given for players refusing to wear a helmet when they were 1st introduced. Like the helmet, the visor and the neck protector should be brought up from pee wee, the juniors and minor league hockey.

After a certain point, you tell the people it is no longer choice to wear it or not. the only thing stopping it is the desire of the current players to continue to not have these things mandated.

In my line of work, their are times when the face shield, safety glasses, hard hat, gloves, etc all get in the way. But, I realize they are there for my safety and not wearing them may get me fired or cause serious injury or death. When I think of my options, I wear what is required for the job :)

I would think teams would want the players to wear a certain level of protection. After all, you lose a player because of an eye injury or a cut to the neck and you lost their services with no way of really replacing them for that season. The money is lost, the contracts guaranteed. You would think the teams and the league would work with the players to come up with a level of reasonable requirements for all players who join the league after a certain date.

[Cheatachu72]

The same mentality was given for players refusing to wear a helmet when they were 1st introduced. Like the helmet, the visor and the neck protector should be brought up from pee wee, the juniors and minor league hockey.

After a certain point, you tell the people it is no longer choice to wear it or not. the only thing stopping it is the desire of the current players to continue to not have these things mandated.

In my line of work, their are times when the face shield, safety glasses, hard hat, gloves, etc all get in the way. But, I realize they are there for my safety and not wearing them may get me fired or cause serious injury or death. When I think of my options, I wear what is required for the job :)

I would think teams would want the players to wear a certain level of protection. After all, you lose a player because of an eye injury or a cut to the neck and you lost their services with no way of really replacing them for that season. The money is lost, the contracts guaranteed. You would think the teams and the league would work with the players to come up with a level of reasonable requirements for all players who join the league after a certain date.

so the "put down the tools, walk away" rule should osha stop in isn't standard at your job?

sadly, I have heard that creedo more than once

[Dan]

so the "put down the tools, walk away" rule should osha stop in isn't standard at your job?

sadly, I have heard that creedo more than once

Lets just say that some contractors have that mentality, but its more because OSHA can fine you because your extension cord has a tiny burn in it from cutting metal. Since cutting metal is a big part of my job, our cords get burn holes in them after about a week of use.

Our contractors all have their own safety guys, and many of them have rules that exceed OSHA requirements such as tying off on any ladder, not just when you are 6 ft up.

Having said that, my contractor has far less an investment in my safety than a pro sports league or team has in their players safety. My contractor can replace me from a vast pool of workers that are trained to do my job. The same is not true of a professional athlete, where the best athletes are generally already playing and calling up another player is bringing up less talented help.

So, it would be a smart move for the NHL to start moving to requiring visors on all new NHL players starting next season, and requiring the shirt with kevlar neck protector to be worn by all new players starting in say 2010.

An aside to all this.......... the doctor that stopped the bleeding and made it so the player made it to the hospital was also one of the 1st on the field when Kevin Everett of the Bills was injured. He is the Bills orthopedic doctor, and a team doctor for the Sabres also. Pretty amazing, playing a big part in saving 2 athletes lives in one year!

[tbakergobuck]

Richard Zednik has a long red surgery scar down the right side of his neck, which intersects the 1½-inch cut left by teammate Olli Jokinen's skate. He said after it happened he just thought about his 4 yr old daughter. He said when he comes back he will be wearing a neck guard. Glad he's doing good and on his way back to a full recovery.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3257071

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y206/tbaker/nhl_a_zednik_600.jpg