Oh, this isn’t good.
Mason says he did indeed have a concussion and was experiencing headaches up until night before Game 4.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 1, 2014
If you remember, Steve Mason came into Game 3 in relief of Ray Emery in a 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers. He was concussed, in the crease, and vulnerable to any hit, unintentional or not. It doesn’t matter if it’s a “bad concussion” or a “small concussion” or whatever – a concussion is a concussion, and playing through it is a dangerous idea.
This raises many questions: did Mason not report any symptoms to the trainers so he could play in the playoffs? Did the team know that Mason was still suffering from concussion symptoms? If he doesn’t tell them, can they really know? I understand his desire to play and his desire to help his team in the playoffs, but there are some things that are more important, and that includes your long-term mental health.
(S/T Wayne from Alabama)