An 11-year-old boy has died after getting hit in the neck by a puck during a junior hockey league practice near Montreal earlier this week, police confirmed Friday.
The incident occurred at around 7 p.m. Tuesday, when police and ambulance services responded to a 911 call at the Walter-Buswell arena in St-Eustache. The boy was brought to a Montreal hospital intensive care unit.
The St-Eustache police department said earlier in the week that an investigation showed the boy was hit by accident and that he was wearing all the required protective equipment at the time.
Lt. Olivier Boucher said Friday the puck struck the boy in the neck. Police have not said when the boy died.
Marie-Jo毛l Desaulniers, communications director for provincial hockey association Hockey Qu茅bec, confirmed in an email that a player害羞草研究所檚 complete set of protective equipment includes a neck guard.
Reacting to the news of the boy害羞草研究所檚 death, his league 害羞草研究所� Association du hockey mineur de St-Eustache 害羞草研究所� extended its condolences to his family and loved ones.
害羞草研究所淲e are profoundly saddened by this tragedy shaking all the members of our association,害羞草研究所� league president Jean-Philippe Labr猫che said in the Friday statement, calling the last few days 害羞草研究所渆xtremely emotional.害羞草研究所� The association said earlier in the week that it had offered psychological support resources to volunteers, players and their families.
With the exception of tournament matches, the association cancelled all games and practices until Monday, Labr猫che said in a Facebook post later Friday afternoon.
Quebec害羞草研究所檚 minister responsible for sports, Isabelle Charest, shared condolences on X: 害羞草研究所淎 sadness without words,害羞草研究所� she wrote. 害羞草研究所淚 am devastated to learn of the death of this young hockey player.害羞草研究所�
Police said they plan to assist in the Quebec coroner害羞草研究所檚 investigation into the boy害羞草研究所檚 death.
In a statement, Hockey Canada said all approved hockey programs for minors require players to use neck guards, which 害羞草研究所渞educe the risk of direct lacerations on the neck caused by contact with a skate blade.害羞草研究所�
But the equipment doesn害羞草研究所檛 offer substantial protection against direct, hard impact, according to Trent McCleary, a former Montreal Canadiens player who in 2000 suffered a career-ending puck strike to the throat during an NHL game.
The hit fractured McCleary害羞草研究所檚 larynx and endangered his life, he said in a phone interview Friday. He wasn害羞草研究所檛 wearing a neck guard at the time of the injury, but said it likely 害羞草研究所渨ouldn害羞草研究所檛 have mattered害羞草研究所� because a neck guard wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have protected him from such a high-velocity slam.
害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 believe that there害羞草研究所檚 any neck protection that can protect from the impact,害羞草研究所� he said.
The Montreal Canadiens issued a statement Friday on their X account, saying the organization was saddened to learn of the boy害羞草研究所檚 death. 害羞草研究所淥ur thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.害羞草研究所�
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