Bill Masterton

Common card · No. 339083

William John Masterton (August 13, 1938 – January 15, 1968) was a Canadian–American professional ice hockey player who was a centre in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars in 1967–68. He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. He died following a hit during a January 13, 1968, contest against the Oakland Seals. Years later, an analysis by The Toronto Star found his brain was already severely damaged from an earlier untreated concussion, and that the January 1968 hit triggered massive head trauma that ultimately killed him. A college standout with the Denver Pioneers, Masterton was a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams in 1960 and 1961, was twice an NCAA All-Star and was the most outstanding player of the 1961 NCAA men's ice hockey tournament. He briefly played in the Montreal Canadiens organization before settling in Minnesota where he played senior ice hockey. The...

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