Richard Zednik of the Florida Panthers last night took a skate to the carotid artery and almost lost his life. He skated to the bench, glove covering his neck — a move that doctors say may have saved his life. Imagine 5 seconds more and he’d have possibly bled to death.
A totally freak accident. Horrific to see. There are some horrific photos and as bad as poor Zednik looks, the shock on his face evident, the pools of blood all over, the reaction of the audience is the real horror. The on AP shot shows peoples’ faces and you can just tell they’re realizing “this guy isn’t going to live.”
Happily, Zednik will make it. The Panthers hired a jet to fly his family to Buffalo.
I am a bit shocked that they stopped the game for 10 to 15 minutes and then cleaned the ice and resumed. I’d have cancelled it. Yeah, we lost. A forfeit would have been fine. No real fan would have said word one.
I’ve been hard on Zednik this year until the past few games. But he’d awoken from his slumber and was playing well. I hope he can, one day, return to the game.
I must warn you some of the links below contain graphic text, horrific photos and/or gruesome video with enormous amounts of blood.
- http://tinyurl.com/yqvt9r <– two photos / one graphic — The Full AP article
- http://tinyurl.com/ysgy85 <– Boston Globe with photo blood all over ice
- http://tinyurl.com/ytueuj <– ABC with gruesome photo and link to video of the play
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzU5z8byUkI <– You Tube of the play just before to two minutes after (2mins)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzhuviXi3hc <– from the time he hits the bench until the game resumes (10 mins).
- http://tinyurl.com/2vgzrt Zednik makes the Wall Street Journal
A very complete collection of Zednik Videos (various angles, etc) and photos. http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212129784.shtml
Some of the above images are especially gruesome in nature.
This isn’t the first time he left the ice on a stretcher. When he was with the 2002 Montreal Canadiens….
http://tinyurl.com/ytvcxz <— photo only
Feel free to add your link (TinyURL please) and commentary here. Support Zednik by posting a get-well message at the Panthers official website and/or our message board on this thread.
This post was updated 12 February 2008 with additional links. For the most up to date information check the Panthers Message Board under the above mentioned thread or the Official Press Release thread on the board.