ShareThisParalyzing injuries suffered by a 16-year-old Minneapolis-area hockey player last week are renewing calls to reduce the level of physical contact in youth hockey -- and to teach young skaters how to play without hurting themselves or others.
Jack Jablonski has regained slight movement in his right arm and shoulders, but still cannot move his legs, a physician said Monday. The high school sophomore was checked headfirst into the boards during a junior varsity tournament game.
"This is a very serious spinal cord injury," said Dr. Tina Slusher, who is caring for Jablonski in Hennepin County Medical Center's intensive-care unit. "We are worried because he isn't moving more at this time."
Slusher said Jablonski's spinal cord was severed at the neck and two vetebrae were fractured. The teen's long-term prognosis will be clearer after spinal fusion surgery this week.
The severe injury heightens concern about the level of contact in youth hockey and, specifically, about any hockey parent's nightmare: the check from behind that sends athletes flying into the boards.
Injury risk is so high from such contact that youth hockey jerseys now have "STOP" signs on the back to remind players not to hit from behind. USA Hockey, which has banned all checking for the youngest players, extended that rule this season to players ages 11 and 12.
"This is one of the reasons why USA Hockey legislated checking out of peewee hockey," said Lou Nanne, a former NHL player and general manager considered by many to be the dean of Minnesota hockey.
Nanne and his son, who once coached Jablonski, visited the injured youth Monday. So did many of his teammates and friends from Benilde-St. Margaret's School, a private school in suburban St. Louis Park. College and NHL hockey players nationwide sent their prayers and hopes.
Jack's father, Mike Jablonski, described his own reaction to the incident.
"When your son goes down in that type of situation, you say, 'OK, get up.'"
But the teen didn't. His father raced down to the ice and crouched close to his son.
"Dad," the boy told him, "I can't feel anything."
Jablonski's parents said they don't believe the checks were malicious. His mother, Leslie Jablonski, acknowledged the ordeal for her family and those of the other players involved: "I can imagine what they're dealing with, as well. ... Our heart goes out to them and their families."
The Jablonskis and the teen's high school coaches nonetheless criticized a permissive hockey culture that allows dangerous levels of contact to persist.
"We have the rules against checking from behind. We just have to apply them better," said Ken Pauly, head varsity coach for Benilde-St. Margaret's. "We have to start from a young age. Just like taking a stick and slashing a player across the face is unthinkable, we have to make checking from behind unthinkable."
Keith Hendrickson, an amateur scout for the Buffalo Sabres NHL team, was at the tournament Thursday. He was angered to learn of Jablonski's injury on Friday because, he said, he had seen similar hits Thursday -- including some that didn't draw penalties.
"There's a big difference between hitting and checking," said Hendrickson, "and there is more malicious hitting going on in the last year."
(Contact Jeremy Olson at jeremy.olson(at)startribune.com Staff writers Brian Stensaas, James Paulsen and David La Vaque contributed to this report.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Editors: This story is for print use only. Must credit Minneapolis Star Tribune
