Danielson will be OK after scary on-ice incident

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This article was published 03/03/2022 (1524 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nate Danielson watched the Brandon Wheat Kings practise at Westoba Place on Thursday afternoon, just 17 hours after the team’s young star was carried off the ice on a stretcher.

Danielson went hard into the end boards late in the third period of Brandon’s 7-6 loss to the Regina Pats on Wednesday evening and left the ice on a stretcher.

Happily for everyone involved, the 17-year-old forward was in the stands on Thursday afternoon, with a cut on his face the only visible sign of what had happened.

Brandon general manager Doug Gasper was understandably relieved.

“Everything came back positive for Nate so we’re very happy about that,” Gasper said. “Our number one priority is the health and safety of our players. Nate is going to be out of the lineup for a little while but he’ll back joining us very soon.”

With four-and-a-half minutes remaining in the regulation, Danielson and Regina defenceman Ryker Evans went racing after a puck near the Regina net, and the Wheat Kings forward lost his balance.

At the same time, Evans’ hip made contact with Danielson’s shoulder, and the Red Deer product slid along the ice on his left side, where his legs and then head made direct contact with the boards.

He didn’t move, and within seconds athletic therapist Zach Hartwick was at his side. After a quick inspection of the fallen player, Hartwick put a single gloved fist in the air, immediately setting several things in motion. The Zamboni gate was opened, the spine board was brought on the ice, Dr. Emmett Elves came down out of the crowd, an ambulance was summoned and Regina athletic therapist Greg Mayer, who was waiting at the Pats bench, hurried to join Hartwick at Danielson’s side.

“We always train for the worst scenarios and pray that you never have to use it,” Gasper said. “That’s the ultimate goal, train for it but never use it in real life. Last night I think you saw a prime example of how well the personnel are trained, the co-operation between teams, not only our team doctor, but the Regina Pats, the ambulance driver, even Brandon Hospital, everybody kept their heads about them and knew what they were doing.

“It was very positive and reassuring to know that in the worst situation just the support and training we have on staff at all times.”

Danielson was on the ice for several minutes while he was carefully strapped onto the spine board, and then was wheeled off the ice.

Concerned players watched from both benches, and former Brandon defenceman Neithan Salame of the Pats skated over to wish him well, but Danielson’s teammates took it understandably hard.

“We really didn’t talk about it,” head coach Don MacGillivray said. “Everyone went pretty quiet on the bench. Nobody really knew for sure what was going on. When you get taken off on a stretcher, it’s more precautionary than anything else, but when that happens, everybody’s level of concern is heightened. “The good news is that he probably came out of it the best that we could hope for. He’ll take some time here and then he’ll be fine.”

Hartwick, Gasper and Danielson’s billet mom, Bree Roblin, went with him to the hospital and stayed with him until they were gently asked “to thin the herd a little bit” in his room, Gasper said. He was ultimately released from hospital around midnight.

He was given the school day off today.

Brandon forward Nolan Ritchie has firsthand experience with the aid players receive on the ice in the event of a medical emergency. He was attended to after breaking his femur in 2019, but this time he watched from afar.

“Everyone around us gives us great support,” Ritchie said. “Regina was quick on the ice as well so that was good to see. You hate to see it. It’s just a terrible sight.”

Overage defenceman Chad Nychuk agreed, saying it’s hard to even play after watching someone get hurt.

“It’s a tough one,” Nychuk said. “Any time you see one of your buddies go down like that, it’s hard to react to. We tried to stick with it and got a goal at the end but we just couldn’t come up with it.”

Nychuk said the players found out late Wednesday night that Danielson was doing better, but didn’t know how much better until Thursday morning.

Then Danielson actually showed up at the Keystone Centre.

“It was awesome,” Ritchie said. “Obviously we all love him. He’s a great guy and to have him at the rink today feeling good was great to see.”

In the end, a system nobody ever wants to see pressed into use worked exactly as it was designed. MacGillivray said that gives everyone a peace of mind.

“Those guys pride themselves on doing exactly that,” MacGillivray said. “I was really impressed with how quick Zach got onto the ice and how quick he got to Nate, and then to ask for help from Regina’s (athletic therapist) and Scooter (equipment manager Scott Hlady) leaving the bench to get the stretcher … knowing what was going on and how they had to respond, all those guys did a terrific job. We know our guys are in good hands if something is to happen.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

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