Adam McQuaid is one tough cookie.
When discussing the scariest and most gruesome injuries in hockey, easily topping the list are when skates accidentally slice various body parts. Most terrifying of all is when an errant skate slices a throat.
On Saturday, McQuaid experienced that terrifying moment as teammate David Backes inadvertently sliced his throat while getting checked along the boards.
Backes’ skate didn’t just graze McQuaid. It cut him so badly that it required approximately 25 stitches to repair.
Surprisingly, McQuaid thought he was OK following the incident. He continued his shift as if nothing happened.
“Initially, when I didn’t see any blood, I figured that I was OK,” McQuaid told ESPN. “They didn’t blow the whistle, and [play] was still going on in an obviously important part of the game. I was pretty helpless without my stick, but I was just trying to be a body getting in the way.”
Thankfully, teammate Colin Miller let him know he probably should go to the back room and get it checked.
“Once I got to the bench, Colin Miller at first was like, ‘Oh, you’re OK.’ Then, ‘No, actually, you’re cut. You might want to have it looked at.’ “
Perhaps the most insane part of this story (besides the cut itself) is that McQuaid plans to play Monday against the Ottawa Senators. He’ll likely have to wear some sort of protective gear around his neck, but with the medical staff’s approval, he won’t miss any games. That’s remarkable considering how close he came to an extremely serious injury.
So, cue up the “hockey players are tough” memes. Those are stupid, but McQuaid’s toughness is real. Ouch.
