New York Rangers Mats Zuccarello’s Health Scare

The news was shocking. New York Rangers Mats Zuccarello didn’t suffer what many suspected was a concussion, but instead was sidelined with a fractured skull and brain contusion. Bleeding in the brain, loss of feeling in his arm and inability to speak for four days—all a result of a puck to the head during Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs (by his own teammate).

“I was in the hospital for three days,” Zuccarello said. “I couldn’t talk for a while, had a contusion, some blood in my brain. That affects a lot. Now I go to speech therapy. I’m getting much better. I couldn’t say a word for four days. I feel much better.” — Newsday

Zuccarello is lucky. He may have a longer road to recovery, but his doctors said he will be ready for training camp. He is getting better by the day and even skated during the Eastern Conference Finals.

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It was a very close call. Any type of brain injury is frightening. There are the immediate effects of the injury, but also long-term effects nobody can account for, not yet anyay.

These rare (thank goodness) and terrifying injuries remind you how dangerous the game of hockey is. A lot of people seem to forget that one awkward fall into the boards, one blindsided hit, or a puck to the head could end it all, just like that. Former Philadelphia Flyers captain Chris Pronger knows this firsthand.

Not to mention the razor-sharp weapons that are on their feet. Players get stepped on or clipped with a skate and they immediately fall to the ice, bleeding and bellowing in pain. If you remember Clint Malarchuk’s gruesome injury (only click on that link if you have the stomach for it) when a skate hit him in the jugular then you should have more appreciation for these players.

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They don’t only pull out their own teeth on the bench when they get a high stick in the face, but they also play in pain, with broken limbs and body parts, and with stitches quickly sewn by the team’s medical staff to prevent gaping wounds for opening up. These guys are tough and brave as they face danger every time they step out onto the ice.

Zuccarello is a great example. He may not have played through the injury, which was the right thing to do, but he has been pushing himself and going to therapy all in the name of playing the game he loves. These players will pretty much do anything to keep their dreams alive and that is something to admire.

So when people brush off the game of hockey, I always think of the players like Zuccarello and Malarchuk; players that suffer from close calls, but then days later are ready to retake the ice. They play for the love of the game, and who can’t respect that?

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