Detroit Red Wings forward Drew Miller

Original Article here: https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/article17954633.html

Hockey players, while focusing on speed and precision, must simultaneously be aware of the ever-present threat posed by the sharp blades attached to the bottom of their ice skates. While fans watch the players skate so effortlessly on the ice, they sometimes fail to realize that these skates could easily destroy a career and even endanger a player’s life.

Ice skate blades are sharp enough to cut through muscles, tendons, arteries and can cause facial injuries resulting in serious scarring or even death. Detroit Red Wings forward Drew Miller was cut on both sides of his right eye requiring 60 stitches.  Zach Redmond, a Colorado Avalanche hockey player, was accidently cut on the inside of his right leg, severing his femoral artery and vein. Thanks to quick action by fellow Avalanche player Anthony Peluso and Assistant Coach Perry Pearn, who applied a tourniquet before he was rushed to a hospital for emergency surgery, he avoided bleeding to death.

Because of Kevlar cut-resistant socks, there has been some improvement in the number of injuries caused by skate blades. These socks protect a player’s calf muscles and Achilles tendons. Some players choose not to wear them due to the extra body heat that these socks create, but others have been fortunate enough to avoid injury due to the sock’s protection. Hockey is a dangerous game, and ice skates are one of the many hazards faced by players in every game.