Ike Werner first gave himself permission to think he would make it out of the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room.
Earlier this month, during a Sunday afternoon recreational league game at the NHL team’s practice facility, the 37-year-old accidently cut his throat with a skate blade. It was a terrifying experience that turned surreal when he looked over and saw Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson receiving treatment in a nearby room.
“I saw that,” Werner said to The Athletic. “They’re working on him.”
When Werner had pulled into Ford Performance Centre that afternoon, he’d noticed the fancy automobiles behind the gated portion of the parking lot. He surmised that the Leafs had practiced on Rink 2 before to his “Prestige Worldwide” team’s game against the “Jagrbombs” in the True North Hockey League since the Zamboni was resurfacing the ice earlier than usual.
That fact became even more significant to him when he found himself in the care of Leaf sports therapists Paul Ayotte and Neill Davidson after suffering a horrific cut during his third shift of the game and rushing for assistance.
Werner said, “They were amazing.” “I was spiraling, and they were so calm, and that helped kind of ground me,” the speaker said.
Even with the death of former NHL player Adam Johnson in October while on a professional playing assignment in England, it’s not a place any recreational leaguer could conceivably see oneself in.
Players of all levels have begun donning cut-resistant gear as a result of that tragedy, which highlighted the need for more of it in the sport. In the fall, Werner remembered, his men’s league team had discussed the same thing. He even mentioned that at that time, he had made an unsuccessful attempt to get a neck guard.
Being an older player in a league with some competition, he was more circumspect than others when it came to
Werner said, “They were amazing.” “I was spiraling, and they were so calm, and that helped kind of ground me,” the speaker said.
Even with the death of former NHL player Adam Johnson in October while on a professional playing assignment in England, it’s not a place any recreational leaguer could conceivably see oneself in.
Players of all levels have begun donning cut-resistant gear as a result of that tragedy, which highlighted the need for more of it in the sport. In the fall, Werner remembered, his men’s league team had discussed the same thing. He even mentioned that at that time, he had made an unsuccessful attempt to get a neck guard.
Being an older player in a league with some competition, he was more circumspect than others when it came to
