OT: Pat Dapuzzo reveals anguish after skate severs face, Feb 2008, NYR vs Flyers
I'm sure most of us remember this collision. I had not heard anything relating to it until now. It's sad to see what he's had to go through but he seems to be of incredible character - It's a great read if anyone's interested.
Man, I never knew he went through all of that after that incident. Hope for the best for him and that he makes a full recovery sooner rather than later. He sounds like a great guy.
Reading that makes me question anyone playing/reffing without a shield/cage. I know getting some to do so at the pro-level is impossible but I can't fathom not doing so at the adult/beer-league level. Continue healing Pat. Prayers are with you.
I remember that, always tragic when injuries that can be prevented if proper protection were mandatory ends someones career. I don't understand why NHL referees aren't forced to use visors, players too. Should be grandfathered in ASAP.
I remember that, always tragic when injuries that can be prevented if proper protection were mandatory ends someones career. I don't understand why NHL referees aren't forced to use visors, players too. Should be grandfathered in ASAP.
You'll always get somebody screaming that their rights are being stepped on, they know the risks, blah, blah, blah. It's shame that it only gets talk about when something like this happens.
You'll always get somebody screaming that their rights are being stepped on, they know the risks, blah, blah, blah. It's shame that it only gets talk about when something like this happens.
i definitely dont like the idea of making full face shields or half face shields mandatory, but i wish more players would CHOOSE to wear them anyway. i dont belive a single pro player, in the nhl or ahl, wears a full face shield unless they have had a major injury and are recovering from it.
which is a shame. i understand fogging can be an issue, but you spray that fog stuff on it right before the game, and you are good to go.
You just have to enforce at least visors. Just look at how long it took to teach people to wear seatbelts, after decades of enforcing it by law and educating about the dangers of not wearing one.
I was at the game down in Philly when he got injured. At first I didn't think anything of it, I just saw there was a linesman hurt and unable to get to the fight. All 10 guys on the ice were fighting - though 2 of the "fights" were just hugging matches - but I was loving it. I thought "Flyers, Rangers, this is old time hockey!" And it was fun but then I remember seeing the linesman skating off the ice with a trail of blood.
I knew the injuries he had were bad but I never knew they were that bad. Just sad to hear what he went through but at the same time he seems like a complete class act and he doesn't want anyone feeling sorry for him. And good for him, that was a great read.
I was also at the game when the Rangers played the Blues the year before when they honored him for his career as well as the Rangers/Flyers in Philly last season when he came out onto the ice. He's a good man and I wish him the best.
In the NCAA full face cages were mandatory. They impede visions a bit, but honestly it just takes a little getting used to, like switching from an automatic to a standard or substituting a graphite stick for a wooden one.
Never would have thought the extent of the injuries were like that.
I really hope he recovers. Can't even imagine what he went through and is still going through.
Can't express enough the importance of facial protection. Face masks, shields, or at least visors. And also neck guards. It may not be 'cool' but it's 'cooler' to be healthy.
In the article he said that his nose was cut off. That's crazy. Was it really completely severed, as in they had to find it on the ice? What a terrible injury. Glad he's doing better.
I met Pat at a BBQ about 15 years ago (he's related to an old friend). Real nice guy who loved to talk hockey. Was sad to see him get hurt - had no idea it's been such an ordeal. Wish him well.
The challenge is always going to be fogging and people, even for an instand, losing track of the play.
Every player who doesn't wear a shield takes that gamble, and on the surface it seems like a no brainer.
But for a lot of players that I've talked to over the years it comes down to this thought.
The game is on the line, i've got the potential game winner on my stick, and for just a split second I can't see what I need to see.
Whether you personally agree with it or not, that tends to go through their minds. No one wants it to come down to that, even with the risks.
It also shows you how much harder/faster the NHL game is then the lower levels where they can get away with it.
The NHL has done testing with it over the years, and while I don't remember the exact results, there was a noticeable decrease in players shooting/passing accuracy and an increase in mistakes. That's one reason you don't see a huge push from the league on it.
Even with the spray stuff, there's a problem.
No one has the solution yet, it's a million dollar idea begging to be found.
