Zednik Update

by Anne

I just watched the press conference with Richard Zednik's team of doctors and it all sounds good.

It sounds like, miraculously, he didn't suffer any injury to any major nerves or other veins near where the skate cut his neck. Time will tell if there's been damage to smaller nerves around the injury site, but for now, even the doctors are amazed at how lucky he was to not suffer more damage to any other tissue in his neck. Barring any unforseen complications or nerve damage, he should make a complete recovery.

Hard to believe that, at least it seems at this point, he can one day play hockey again. He'll remain in ICU today and then be moved to the floor (less critical care) within the next couple of days. No word on when he'll return to Florida. Apparently, like a typical hockey player, one of the first things he asked his doctor was when he could start training again. She said in the press conference that he would be out for the rest of the season, as it would take 6 weeks for him to be allowed to return to normal activity which means normal for a regular person, not a professional athlete.

The team's doctor was remarking that they have many plans in place for players who suffer vascular injuries during a game. He remarked, however, that none of those plans took into consideration a player with a major vascular injury getting to the bench under their own power and then walking down the tunnel.

SabreNation and all hockey fans, keep Richard, Jessica and Ella Zednik in your thoughts and prayers, as he's not 100% out of the woods yet.

And, hats off to you, Mr. Zednik, as Dr. Sonya Noor (whom I actually have met before, I realized) said, you have beautiful arteries. Well done, sir, well done.