Clint Malarchuk

Clint Malarchuk (born May 1, 1961 in Grande Prairie, Alberta and raised in Edmonton, Alberta)[1] is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1981 and 1992, and is currently an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames.

Malarchuk survived a life-threatening injury during a 1989 NHL game when St. Louis Blues player Steve Tuttle's skate blade slashed his jugular vein, causing immediate massive blood loss. Due to the enormous pool of blood that formed within a few seconds on the ice, Malarchuk's injury has been widely referred to as professional sports' most gruesome injury.

Playing career

Malarchuk played junior hockey for the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He then went on to play professionally in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Quebec Nordiques, Washington Capitals, and Buffalo Sabres, and in the International Hockey League (IHL) for the Las Vegas Thunder. He compiled a career record of 141 wins, 130 losses, 45 ties, 12 shutouts, and an .885 save percentage.

Injury

During a game on March 22, 1989, between the visiting St. Louis Blues and Malarchuk's Buffalo Sabres, Steve Tuttle of the Blues and Uwe Krupp of the Sabres became entangled while chasing the puck and crashed into Malarchuk's goal. Tuttle's skate caught Malarchuk on the neck, severing his jugular vein.[2]

With blood spurting from Malarchuk's throat onto the ice, he was able to leave the ice on his own feet with the assistance of his team's athletic trainer, Jim Pizzutelli.[3] Many spectators were physically sickened by the sight.[4] Eleven fans fainted, two more suffered heart attacks and three players vomited on the ice.[5] Local television cameras covering the game cut away from the sight of Malarchuk bleeding after noticing what had happened.

Malarchuk, meanwhile, believed he was going to die. "All I wanted to do was get off the ice", said Malarchuk. "My mother was watching the game on TV, and I didn't want her to see me die."[6] Aware that his mother had been watching the game on TV, he had an equipment manager call and tell her he loved her. Then he asked for a priest.[7]

Malarchuk's life was saved by the team's trainer, Jim Pizzutelli, a former Army medic who had served in Vietnam. He reached into Malarchuk's neck and pinched off the bleeding, not letting go until doctors arrived to begin suturing the wound. Still, Malarchuk came within minutes of becoming only the third fatality to result from an on-ice injury in NHL history after Howie Morenz (1937) and Bill Masterton (1968). It was estimated that if the skate had hit 1/8 inch (3 mm) higher on Malarchuk's carotid, he would have been dead within two minutes.He lost 1/3 of the blood in his body.[8] It took doctors a total of 300 stitches to close the wound.[7][9] It was also said that had the incident occurred at the other end of the ice, Malarchuk would have died - the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium had the locker room exits at one end of the ice instead of the location behind the benches, and he was at that end.[10]

Malarchuk's performance declined over the next few years, until he decided to leave the NHL. After this, he struggled with obsessive-compulsive disorder (as he had since a young age), as well as nightmares and alcoholism,[11] but he eventually returned to hockey, in the International Hockey League. After retiring as a player, Malarchuk continued his hockey career as a coach.

On February 10, 2008, coincidentally again in Buffalo, Florida Panthers player Richard Zedník suffered an injury similar to Malarchuk after Olli Jokinen's skate blade cut the side of Zednik's neck, injuring his external carotid artery. Upon viewing the footage of Zednik's injury, Malarchuk was taken aback, saying that he didn't think his memory of his own incident would come back after 19 years. Malarchuk also stated he would like to speak with Zednik once the time was right.[12]

Gun incident

On October 7, 2008, Malarchuk suffered what, according to his wife, Joan, was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his chin from a .22 caliber rifle at his residence in Fish Springs, Nevada. Malarchuk was discovered bleeding profusely on a bench by his wife, Joan, who had just arrived home from work, and she immediately called the authorities. Nevada's Record Courier reported that, according to his wife, Malarchuk, who was hunting rabbits at the time, had rested the rifle between his legs and with its butt on the ground when it suddenly discharged. Officers and paramedics who arrived on the scene reported that Malarchuk, who was bleeding from both his mouth and chin, was uncooperative and initially refused treatment, and continued to do so after he was rushed to Carson Valley Medical Center in Gardnerville. Malarchuk was later flown to Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno for treatment and released less than a week after the shooting.[13][14]

By October 10, 2008, sheriff's deputies in Douglas County, Nevada, completed their investigation into the incident, concluding that Malarchuk's shooting was "accidental under suspicious circumstances" and that, unless contradicting information is found, the matter was closed. Responding to suggestions that the incident could have been a suicide attempt, sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Jim Halsey stated that he could not rule it out. However, Halsey elaborates no further other than saying that the Malarchuks had been arguing and that it is a remote possibility that a rifle would discharge simply by being placed on the ground. Both Malarchuks vehemently deny suggestions that it was a suicide attempt.

In a 2012 interview with Deadspin, Malarchuk admitted that the incident was a suicide attempt.[15] In a 2013 ESPN 30 for 30 documentary short, Malarchuk revealed that he checked into a psychiatric clinic after the incident to treat his OCD, as well as Posttraumatic stress disorder, sparked by seeing Zednik's injury.[8]

The Canadian Press reported that Joan had informed authorities that her husband was not supposed to consume alcohol as he was on prescription medications for obsessive-compulsive disorder, but was doing so anyway at the time of the accident.[16][17]

Coaching career

Malarchuk served as head coach of the minor league Idaho Steelheads from 1998 to 2000. Afterwards he was a goaltending coach for the Florida Panthers during the 2002-03 season. He was signed as the goaltending coach for 2006–07 by the Columbus Blue Jackets. In August 2010 Malarchuk agreed to become the goaltending consultant for the Atlanta Thrashers.[18] On June 17, 2011, Calgary Flames announced hiring Malarchuk as their Goaltender coach.[19]

References