| Jiří Fischer | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 31, 1980 Horovice, Czechoslovakia |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) |
| Position | Defence |
| Shot | Left |
| NHL team | Detroit Red Wings |
| National team | Czech Republic |
| NHL Draft | 25th overall, 1998 Detroit Red Wings |
| Playing career | 1999–2005 |
Jiří Fischer (born July 31, 1980) is a former professional ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL). Fischer went into cardiac arrest in a November 2005 game, and subsequently retired due to his heart problems. Fischer is currently director of player development for the Detroit Red Wings, and was the assistant coach for the Czech Republic during the 2012 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships.
Fischer was selected in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft in the first round, 25th overall, by the Red Wings, and was a part of the team that won the 2002 Stanley Cup.
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In 2003, Fischer appeared with fellow NHL defenseman Chris Pronger in a television commercial for Dodge Ram trucks. The commercial featured a black Ram truck running along a track, which then smashes into a wall. Fischer and Pronger, along with two other unnamed players, exit the truck in full hockey gear. Pronger then intones "I've been hit harder," and Fischer answers "Me too." The commercial was played during the 2003 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. Neither defenseman were playing at the time as both were recovering from torn anterior cruciate ligament injuries when the commercial was filmed.
During a game on November 21, 2005, against the Nashville Predators, Fischer collapsed on the bench after going into cardiac arrest. After being unconscious for six minutes, Fischer was resuscitated by CPR and by an automated external defibrillator by Lynn LeAnnais [1], and was taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital.[1] The hockey game was postponed due to Fischer's injury, and was made up on January 23, 2006. This marked the first time in NHL history a game had been postponed due to injury. The makeup game was played for the full 60 minutes, though the Predators were allowed to maintain their 1-0 lead from the original game. Nashville ultimately won by a score of 3-2.
Fischer was released from the hospital on November 23, 2005. Although the exact cause of Fischer's collapse remained unknown, team physician Tony Colucci indicated that Fischer's heart may have experienced either ventricular tachycardia, a type of racing heartbeat, or ventricular fibrillation, a heart fluttering.[2] Doctors ordered Fischer to avoid all physical activity for four to six weeks, and no prognosis was made on whether he would be able to continue his hockey career. Fischer continued to suffer heart trouble after the in-game incident. On November 28, Fischer suffered a "brief, abnormal cardiac rhythm", while at his home in Detroit. He was released from the hospital two days later.
Fischer's future as a hockey player remained in question over a year after his collapse before he ultimately retired as a player and became the Red Wings' director of player development.
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997–98 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 70 | 3 | 19 | 22 | 112 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 16 | ||
| 1998–99 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 65 | 22 | 56 | 78 | 141 | 23 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 44 | ||
| 1999–00 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 52 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 55 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 59 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | ||
| 2000–01 | Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 18 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 67 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 30 | ||
| 2002–03 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 15 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 81 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 75 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 2004–05 | HC Bílí Tygři Liberec | Czech | 27 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 52 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 22 | ||
| 2005–06 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 22 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 305 | 11 | 49 | 60 | 295 | 38 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 55 | ||||
| Preceded by Jesse Wallin |
Detroit Red Wings first round draft pick 1998 |
Succeeded by Niklas Kronwall |