Clint Malarchuk

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Clint Malarchuk

Clint Malarchuk playing for the Quebec Nordiques in 1986
Born (1961-05-01) May 1, 1961
Grande Prairie, AB, CAN
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Quebec Nordiques
Washington Capitals
Buffalo Sabres
NHL Draft 74th overall, 1981
Quebec Nordiques
Playing career 19811996

Clint Malarchuk (born May 1, 1961) 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. He was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta and raised in Edmonton, Alberta.[1]

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.

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] There were reports that 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]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League   GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA   GP W L MIN GA SO GAA
1977–78 Fort Saskatchewan Traders AJHL 33 23 9 1 2015 157 1 4.67
1978–79 Fort Saskatchewan Traders AJHL 52 36 15 1 3030 204 1 4.04
1978–79 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 2 2 0 0 120 4 0 2.00
1979–80 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 37 21 10 0 1948 147 0 4.53 1 0 0 40 3 0 4.50
1980–81 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 38 28 8 0 2235 142 3 3.81 5 3 2 307 21 0 4.10
1981–82 Quebec Nordiques NHL 2 0 1 1 120 14 0 7.00
1981–82 Fredericton Express AHL 51 15 34 2 2906 247 0 5.10
1982–83 Quebec Nordiques NHL 15 8 5 2 900 71 0 4.63
1982–83 Fredericton Express AHL 25 14 6 5 1506 78 0 3.11
1983–84 Quebec Nordiques NHL 23 10 9 2 1215 80 0 3.95
1983–84 Fredericton Express AHL 11 5 5 1 663 40 0 3.62
1984–85 Fredericton Express AHL 56 26 25 4 3347 198 2 3.55 6 2 4 379 20 0 3.17
1985–86 Quebec Nordiques NHL 46 26 12 4 2657 142 4 3.21 3 0 2 143 11 0 4.62
1986–87 Quebec Nordiques NHL 54 18 26 9 3092 175 1 3.40 3 0 2 140 8 0 3.43
1987–88 Washington Capitals NHL 54 24 20 4 2924 154 4 3.16 4 0 2 193 15 0 4.65
1988–89 Washington Capitals NHL 42 16 18 7 2428 141 1 3.48
1988–89 Buffalo Sabres NHL 7 3 1 1 326 13 1 2.39 1 0 1 59 5 0 5.07
1989–90 Buffalo Sabres NHL 29 14 11 2 1596 89 0 3.35
1990–91 Buffalo Sabres NHL 37 12 14 10 2131 119 1 3.35 4 2 2 246 17 0 4.15
1991–92 Buffalo Sabres NHL 29 10 13 3 1639 102 0 3.73
1991–92 Rochester Americans AHL 2 2 0 0 120 3 1 1.50
1992–93 San Diego Gulls IHL 27 17 3 3 1516 72 3 2.85 12 6 4 668 34 0 3.05
1993–94 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 55 34 10 7 3076 172 1 3.35 5 1 3 257 16 0 3.74
1994–95 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 38 15 13 3 2039 127 0 3.74 2 0 0 32 2 0 3.70
1995–96 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 1 0 0 0 4 0 0 0.00
1996–97 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 3 1 1 0 63 6 0 5.63
NHL totals 338 141 130 45 19028 1100 12 3.47 15 2 9 782 56 0 4.30

References

  1. SN Magazine: Clint Malarchuk, The Survivor
  2. The Canadian Press (2008-02-12). "Malarchuk still haunted by accident". The Sports Network. Retrieved 2012-01-01. 
  3. Video of Malarchuk injury at YouTube.com (Warning: Graphic)
  4. "The 10 Spot: September 16, 2005". CNNSI.com. September 16, 2005. Retrieved April 30, 2010. 
  5. "Zednik's injury brings Malarchuk's own nightmare back to surface - NHL - ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 2008-02-12. Retrieved 2013-04-01. 
  6. Zednik's injury brings Malarchuk's own nightmare back to surface
  7. 7.0 7.1 The Story of Clint Malarchuk
  8. 8.0 8.1 "30 for 30 Shorts: Cutthroat". Grantland.com. May 29, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013. 
  9. Burnside, Scott (2005-11-22). "Other NHL on-ice scares". espn.com. Retrieved 2007-11-06. 
  10. Mark Zampogna (2007-03-21). "Malarchuk's horrific accident still etched in memory". LetsGoSabres.com. Retrieved 2012-01-01. 
  11. Knisley, Michael (1995-03-06). "The Biggest Save". The Sporting News. 
  12. Malarchuk still haunted by accident
  13. Ex-hockey star shoots self in chin, The Record Courier, October 8, 2008
  14. O'Connor, Joe. "NHL: Malarchuk shoots himself in chin" in The National Post. October 09, 2008
  15. http://www.deadspin.com/5881954/im-walking-around-with-a-bullet-in-my-head-and-a-scar-on-my-neck-clint-malarchuk-at-50
  16. The Canadian Press. Probe Into Former NHL Goalie Malarchuk Concludes. October 10, 2008
  17. Gilbertson, Wes. "Ex-goalie injured in gun accident." The Calgary Sun. October 10, 2008.
  18. "Thrashers Name Clint Malarchuk Goaltending Consultant". 2010-08-19. Archived from the original on 2010-08-23. Retrieved 2013-04-01. 
  19. "Flames name Malarchuk goaltender coach, Snow director of video analysis - Calgary Flames - News". Flames.nhl.com. 2011-06-17. Retrieved 2013-04-01. 

External links

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