The horror that swept across the NFL when Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during a game this week in Cincinnati was all too familiar to members of the hockey community.
Five players in the NHL over the past 25 years who collapsed during a game — terrifying scenes that stopped play while people scrambled to help — were diagnosed with a heart-related issue of some kind.
“It allows you to make sure that your protocols are working,” said Pronger, who suffered from the condition commotio cordis when he took a slap shot to the chest during a playoff game in Detroit in 1998. “You’re able to kind of see where things went right, where things went wrong and you’re able to really kind of dig in and enhance or say, ‘No, this is exactly what we planned for, this is exactly what happened and this is how we’re supposed to manage and take care of these situations.
It's a plan that has evolved: electrocardiogram tests first became mandatory for players in 1998, and in 2005 a doctor was simply required to be within 50 feet of the benches and AEDs to be in close proximity. University of Alberta Dr. Terry DeFreitas said 2 minutes is the ideal response time to begin CPR and the use of an AED. She said she believes it helps medical personnel to know the arena and for ambulances to be close to the ice.Quick work from trainers like the Blues' Ray Barile with Pronger and again with Bouwmeester in February 2020 and Detroit's Anthony Colucci with Fischer may have saved the players' lives. Now there's a blueprint for how to respond within seconds.
The Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League in 2008 saw 19-year-old New York Rangers prospect Alexei Cherepanov die of heart failure during a game. At the time, there was no ambulance on site and no working defibrillator. Afterward, the league took steps to mandate not only those changes but require comprehensive physicals for players and more.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin awake, asked who won Bills-Bengals game, doctors say'DID WE WIN?' That was Damar Hamlin's first question to his doctors overnight. Their reply to him was 'You won the game of life.' ❤️
Read more »
NFL will not resume Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals gameThe NFL will not resume the Bills-Bengals game that was suspended Monday night after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field, two people familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Read more »
Explainer: What Happened to Buffalo Bills Player Damar Hamlin?Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during Monday night’s game, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game against the Cincinnati Bengals that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Read more »
See the beautiful way Niagara Falls will honor hospitalized Buffalo Bills safety Damar HamlinThe Western New York landmark is putting together a special display to show support for Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who is currently hospitalized after collapsing on the field Monday night.
Read more »
Terrifying incident with Buffalo Bills’ Hamlin ‘an eye-opener’ for some San Jose SharksSan Jose Sharks are aware hockey players are not immune to cardiac emergencies like the one experienced by Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin.
Read more »