13 Shocking Hockey Injuries That Shook the Sport

Hockey is an intense and physical sport. Players often engage in bare-knuckle brawls, skate at blistering speeds of 20 to 30 mph, and deliver crushing hits against the boards. All this happens while wielding sticks and balancing on razor-sharp blades, making it astonishing that only one fatality has ever been linked to an on-ice event in the NHL.

While you tune into the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, let’s revisit some of the most gruesome injuries in hockey history and how they contributed to improving player safety.

Warning: Some videos included in this post may be distressing. Viewer discretion is advised.

1. Clint Malarchuk’s Neck Injury: A Life-Threatening Moment

Clint Malarchuk, the Buffalo Sabres' goalie, had only been with the team for 16 days when, on March 22, 1989, St. Louis Blues' Steve Tuttle accidentally cut a six-inch wound into his neck, severing his jugular vein. Sabres trainer Jim Pizzutelli rushed to Malarchuk within seconds, applying pressure to the injury with a towel. Despite the severity, Malarchuk managed to skate off the ice and was rushed to the hospital, where he famously asked a paramedic, "Can I make it back for the third period?"

After undergoing emergency surgery—requiring 300 stitches to close the wound—Malarchuk spoke to the media the following day: "Every heartbeat made blood spurt out. I truly believed I was dying. I knew it was my jugular, and I thought my time was up." He returned to play after missing just five regular-season games.

2. Marc Staal’s Eye Injury: A Close Call

On March 5, 2013, New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal was struck in the eye by a slap shot from Philadelphia Flyers' Kimmo Timonen, which had deflected off a stick. Staal, who wasn’t wearing a visor, described the terrifying moment: "I couldn’t see anything, and it was absolutely frightening. All I could make out was a single dot of light—a lone light bulb. When someone’s hand was in front of my face, it was completely invisible."

Staal tried to make a comeback during the playoffs that year but wasn’t fully recovered. He eventually returned to the ice in September. Beginning with the 2013-2014 season, the NHL required all new players to wear visors, while veterans were given the choice to opt in or out.

3. Nicklas Lidstrom’s Testicular Injury: A Painful Incident

In game three of the 2009 Western Conference Finals, Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom endured a near-disastrous injury when his testicle was accidentally struck by the stick of Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Sharp. Surprisingly, Lidstrom delayed surgery and even practiced the following day.

"I felt fine during practice on Saturday," Lidstrom recalled, "but by Sunday, the pain was unbearable. I underwent surgery during [the fourth] game." Initially, doctors were uncertain if they could save his testicle—"The first thing the doctor asked me was if I had children or planned to have more." Fortunately, they succeeded, and Lidstrom returned to the ice just one week later.

4. Richard Zednik’s Throat Injury: A Close Call

Nearly two decades after Malarchuk’s injury, Florida Panthers’ Richard Zednik suffered a similar scare during a game against the Sabres on February 10, 2008. His carotid artery was nearly cut by teammate Olli Jokinen’s skate. Zednik immediately left the ice and was taken to the hospital. Sabres orthopedic surgeon Les Bisson, who treated him, later stated, "While such injuries can be fatal, he wasn’t near death. If you control the bleeding, there’s time to act. At no point did we think, 'He’s going to die.'" Zednik didn’t play again for seven months.

5. Eddie Shore’s Gruesome Ear Injury

During a practice in the 1925-1926 season, Boston Bruins’ Eddie Shore and Billy Coutu clashed. In the scuffle, Shore’s ear was nearly torn off, likely by Coutu’s stick. While most doctors recommended amputation—it was hanging by a thin strip of tissue—one agreed to reattach it. Shore declined anesthesia and watched in a mirror as the doctor stitched his ear back on.

"I was just a farm boy who didn’t want to ruin my appearance," Shore explained. "I insisted he redo the final stitch; otherwise, it would have left a scar!" The next day, he showed up to practice wearing a helmet—long before they became mandatory in the NHL in 1979.

6. Max Pacioretty’s Devastating Collision with Zdeno Chara

During a March 2011 game, Montreal Canadiens’ Max Pacioretty was brutally checked by Boston Bruins’ towering captain Zdeno Chara (standing 6'9" without skates). Pacioretty lay motionless on the ice for seven minutes before being stretchered off. Sports Illustrated's Michael Farber detailed the hit, which caused Pacioretty to suffer a severe concussion and a fracture in his fourth cervical vertebra:

"Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins slammed Pacioretty into the padded stanchion dividing the benches at the Bell Centre. Pacioretty’s head struck what Canadiens goalie Carey Price later referred to as 'the turnbuckle,' causing him to snap backward and collapse to the ice like a lifeless doll."

The hit occurred far from the puck, making it an illegal play. Chara was penalized with a five-minute major and a game misconduct but faced no suspension. In Montreal, outraged fans flooded 911 lines to report the incident, and Quebec authorities even considered legal action against Chara. Pacioretty recovered in time to return for the 2011-2012 season.

7. Stephane Robidas’ Leg Injury: A Painful Collision

During a November 29, 2013 game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas tried to block a pass but lost his balance, slamming into the boards with his right leg trapped at an unnatural angle. He was stretchered off the ice. "I fractured both the tibia and fibula, and the break was near the ankle," he later explained.

The injury required surgical intervention, and Robidas never played for the Stars again. He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in March 2014 and returned to the ice with the Ducks soon after.

8. Ted Green’s Brutal Stick Fight with Wayne Maki

In a September 1969 exhibition game, St. Louis Blues’ Wayne Maki and Boston Bruins’ Ted Green engaged in a vicious stick fight. Broadcaster Dan Kelly described it as “one of the most shocking and violent incidents I’ve ever witnessed in hockey.” Both players were bloodied, but the fight ended when Maki struck Green in the head, causing a skull fracture and brain injury. Kelly recalled, "I could immediately tell Green was severely injured. When he tried to stand, his face twisted, and his legs gave out. It was horrifying. I nearly felt sick watching him struggle because I knew it was extremely serious. The memory remains vivid, as if it happened yesterday."

Both players faced assault charges, and the NHL handed down suspensions and fines—Maki for 30 days and Green for 13 games. Despite missing the remainder of the season, Green made a comeback and continued playing for another 10 years.

9. Zach Redmond’s Femoral Artery Injury: A Close Call

During a practice on February 20, 2013, Winnipeg Jets defenseman Zach Redmond fell, and a teammate accidentally skated across his thigh, severing his femoral artery. "I didn’t feel the cut at all. I’m not sure if I was in shock, but there was no pain from the injury itself," Redmond recalled. "But seeing all the blood was a real shock—it was like, ‘Wow!’"

Teammate Anthony Peluso quickly applied pressure to stop the bleeding, and Redmond was rushed to the hospital for a three-hour surgery to repair the damage. Remarkably, he was back on the ice skating within six weeks.

10. Jeremy Roenick’s Jaw Fracture: A Devastating Hit

During a December 1999 matchup between the Dallas Stars and the Phoenix Coyotes, Stars defenseman Derian Hatcher delivered a high hit to Coyotes forward Jeremy Roenick, slamming his face into the glass. The impact dislocated Roenick’s jaw, fractured it in several places, and shattered eight of his teeth.

"My jaw was wired shut," Roenick recalled years later. While the typical recovery time for such an injury is six weeks, "I returned to play just 17 days later in the playoffs. I wore a bulky, storm-trooper-like helmet and competed in Game 7 of the first round." Hatcher received a seven-game suspension for the hit.

11. Mark Howe’s Terrifying Net Impalement

During a December 27, 1980 game against the New York Islanders, Hartford Whalers’ Mark Howe—son of hockey legend Gordie Howe—turned toward the net as the Islanders executed a 3-on-2 play. Howe was bumped by the Islanders’ John Tonelli, sending him crashing into the goal. At the time, nets featured a sharp metal spike in the center to help goal judges spot pucks (visible in this photo). What followed was utterly horrifying.

"It happened in an instant, but Howe instinctively tried to protect his already injured back," sportswriter Craig Custance explained in a 2011 ESPN.com article. "As he slid on his back, he raised his legs to absorb the impact with his knees. Instead, the metal spike plunged five inches into his backside, narrowly missing his spine. ... It pierced through Howe, almost exiting his hip."

Teammate Nick Fotiu sprinted to fetch a stretcher. "I ran as fast as I could. I just took off," he recalled in 2011. "'Move out of the way!'" The metal piece, he said, "looked like a sword."

Howe spent only six weeks off the ice—a month of which involved hospital stays battling infections, fevers, and medication-induced nausea. He later sued the NHL for failing to redesign the nets and was eventually traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.

12. Donald Brashear’s Infamous Slashing Incident with Marty McSorley

During a heated game on February 21, 2000, Vancouver Canucks’ Donald Brashear and Boston Bruins’ Marty McSorley had multiple confrontations. With just three seconds remaining, McSorley skated up behind Brashear and struck him on the temple with his stick. Brashear collapsed, lost his helmet, and experienced a seizure on the ice, sustaining a grade-3 concussion. "I still deal with headaches and fatigue," Brashear admitted months later. "I want to move on, but it haunts me. You never fully recover from something like that."

McSorley was suspended and faced assault charges, claiming he intended to hit Brashear’s shoulder, not his head, and cited limited control due to a shoulder injury. Although found guilty, he avoided jail time. His suspension lasted a year post-conviction, ending his NHL career. Brashear, however, returned to play before the season concluded.

13. Sebastian Courcelles’ Cheek Injury: A Gruesome Slash

Gruesome injuries aren’t exclusive to professional leagues. During a Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (LNAH) game against the Trois Vikings, Sebastian Courcelles, captain of the minor-league Thetford Mines Isothermic, was struck in the face by opponent Jean-Michel Bolduc’s skate, leaving a severe gash that shocked his teammates—one nearly fainted. Courcelles’s brother, Simon, "yelled to apply pressure to my cheek," Courcelles recalled. "He then called for an ambulance ... at that moment, I realized it must have looked terrible." The injury required 15 stitches, and Courcelles returned to play just a week later, wearing a full face mask.

This article was originally published in 2014 and has been updated for 2022.