The injury linesman Don Henderson suffered at the hands of Calgary Flames defenseman Dennis Wideman might end up costing him his career.
Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe reports the 20-plus year NHL official underwent neck surgery three weeks ago. He writes friends of Henderson worry his career might be over. Wideman was suspended 20 games (later reduced to 1o) and Henderson missed the rest of the season, suffered neck pain and a concussion as a result of the collision. With recent surgery, the results of the hit have been much worse than it initially appeared.
The hit was a vicious, blindside blow. Whether it was intentional is up for debate, but the hit left Henderson on the ice and seriously injured.
A fellow official told Dupont the hit was egregious and Wideman’s previous reputation shouldn’t make the hit any less serious.
“I know a lot of people are saying stuff like, ‘Hey, Wideman’s not that type of guy . . . that’s not in his nature . . . he’s a good kid,'” a fellow official told told The Globe. “And I say, ‘Yeah, so what?!’ That doesn’t make it any less egregious. He attacked him from behind, the puck was nowhere near the two of them, and now Henderson’s career may be finished.”
The situation is still messy, as the NHL is suing the NHLPA over Wideman’s suspension, saying the arbitrator didn’t adhere to his authority in the decision. The NHLPA responded by calling the lawsuit disappointing and without merit.
No matter what happens with the lawsuit, Henderson’s health is obviously much more important. If his career is over, it will be interesting to see if Henderson proceeds with any legal action towards the league or Wideman. This story still isn’t over.
[theScore]
