Morgan Barron of the Winnipeg Jets was cut for 75 stitches on this play against the Vegas Golden Knights. (John Locher/The Associated Press)

By Rob Mahon

Skate Cut Expertise

Local trainer, paramedic shares insight after frightening skate cut in NHL playoffs

Apr 20, 2023 | 5:00 PM

The hockey world held its breath for a moment on Tuesday, April 18, when Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron was driven face-first into a skate blade in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Miraculously, the blade missed Barron’s eye and several other vital spots, though the cut still left him with 75 stitches.

One of those watching the incident was Elliott Haines. As an athletic trainer with the Prince Albert Mintos and advance care paramedic with Parkland Ambulance, he fully understood the challenges both Barron and the people caring for him would face.

“It’s scary when stuff like that happens, especially with the speed of those guys and skates being as sharp as they are,” Elliott Haines. “Anything to the face, sticks, pucks, you have your eyes and mouth and your sensitive areas there, it’s definitely scary, especially when you see so much blood coming from a guy so quickly.”

Haines is a former player himself at the AAA and Junior A levels, and saw his fair share of players cut by sticks and pucks. He never personally witnessed anything like what happened on the ice in Vegas, however.

“You get guys that get banged up, high sticks, pucks to the face, missing teeth, some stitches, but nothing to the amount of 75 stitches and then back on the bench,” Haines said. “That’s just tough hockey there.”

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Tough hockey indeed. Barron left the game in the first period but was back before the second period was over. His very first shift out, he threw a bodycheck and threw several others throughout the night.

“Especially in the playoffs, those guys are just running on adrenaline,” said Haines. “You want to get out there and help your team. You don’t want to be that guy that’s not out there and contributing.”

From his perspective as a trainer, Haines had admiration for the work done by the training staff and doctors on the scene to get Barron help immediately. Once they knew he was cut, they would’ve had to move fast.

“The first step is to get out to that player as quickly as you can,” said Haines. “When you see that much blood, you’re initially looking, especially when it’s something to the face or that area, the first thing you’re looking at is the neck. Your jugular vein and your major arteries and vessels on the sides. There were incidents in the previous NHL season where guys have had that lacerated, and that’s an immediate life threat. Then you’re looking at the front of the neck, the trachea and windpipe run down there.”

Team doctors took over from there in the case of Barron, essentially bringing the emergency room to the player. Every pro team, and every junior team for that matter, has team doctors available. For those playing hockey without trainers or doctors nearby, putting pressure on the wound is the number one thing to keep in mind if you’re ever cut by a skate.

“Just apply pressure,” said Haines. “Find where that blood is coming from. Preferably find something clean like a clean towel or a clean t-shirt or extra player’s jersey or whatever they have available. We always have towels on the bench just for that reason. Something clean that will absorb that blood and put a lot of heavy pressure on it to try and slow that bleeding.”

Haines added it was impressive to see Barron come back, but based on his own experiences as a player, it wasn’t surprising.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP