A game between the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 11 turned scary when Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester collapsed on the bench during a television time out. The game was stopped and both teams decided to postpone the game as the defenseman was taken to a nearby hospital.
Blues general managed said after the incident that Bouwmeester needed a defibrillator to revive. The Blues veteran has since had a successful ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) procedure. The 36-year-old is now recovering at home, and released a statement on Tuesday thanking everyone who has helped him.
I would sincerely like to thank all of the trainers from both the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks, as well as all of the first responders, the Anaheim medical staff and the team at the UCI Medical Center for their quick actions on Feb. 11.
Our family has felt the support of the entire National Hockey League family and the city of St. Louis during this time. We have all been greatly comforted by your genuine concern.
On Sunday evening, I returned to St. Louis and I am on the road to recovery. My wife and daughters are forever grateful for everyone's support and we will continue to have a positive outlook for our future.
Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said the team visited Bouwmeester the night of the collapse and players, fans and teams from around the league reached out with their support.
The players said they felt better after seeing him, noting he was in good spirits and was being well taken care of at the hospital.
Bouwmeester was placed on injured reserve following his collapse.