The Story of Clint Malarchuk (Pic Not Safe for the Faint at Heart) (111722 hits)
Category: SportsRating: 1.87 on 70 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by bob (View user info) at 2004-05-05 23:45:36 EDT
In this time of sports where people are willing to intentionally willing to miss a shot, just to get a triple double (alla Bobby Sura) and pull out a cell phone after a touchdown just to look cool (see Joe Horn); its refreshing for me to learn about players who sacrifice their all just to play the game they love.
In my opinion, no one fits into this more than former Quebec and Buffalo Sabers goalie Clint Malarchuk. Some of you avid sports fans may have seen the Sportscenter story about him, but for you've who have not; I wish to enlighten you upon this amazing person.
Clint Malarchuk was born in 1961 in Alberta, Canada. He was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 4th round in 1981. In 1987 he was traded to the Capitals and in 1989 he was traded to the Buffalo Sabers. It is this where his life took a tragic turn for the worse...
In 1989, only 16 days after he was traded, during a game against the St. Louis Blues. On a routine play; St. Louis right winger Steve Tuttle was charging toward Malarchuk with defenseman Uwe Krupp closing in from behind. As the puck flashed through the crease, Krupp grabbed Tuttle and Tuttle's leg kicked into the air, his skate blade slicing through the exposed flesh under Malarchuk's mask.
The skate blade of Tuttle slashed Malarchuk's exterior jugular vein in his neck. It was this accident that caused goalies wear neck protectors. In seconds there was a pool of blood on the ice so large it filled the entire crease. During this whole time, Malarchuk remained conscious. It is because of this, that he remembers the words that he spoke after the accident. Malarchuk flung off his mask and collapsed to the ice in a pool of his own blood, fearing that he was about to die. He asked the trainer:
"Am I going to live?''
Malarchuk struggled to stay conscious, sensing that if he did pass out he'd never wake up. Aware that his mother had been watching the game on TV, he had an equipment manager call and tell her he loved her. Then he asked for a priest.
Something in his mind was telling him to get off the ice, "because I didn't want to die on the ice. I was saying prayers. I was scared."
"I did think I was done," said Malarchuk 13 years later, "Somewhere I'd heard that if you cut your jugular vein you've got a matter of minutes, like three minutes. I was going through the minutes preparing to die. I thought I had just three minutes to live and I've got a lot of repenting to do in three minutes."
The sight was so grizzly that 2 spectators suffered heart attacks and 3 of Malarchuk's teammates vomited while still on the ice.
It was estimated that if the skate hit 1/8 inch higher on Malarchuk's jugular, he would have been dead within 2 minutes. In the dressing room and on his way to the hospital, doctors spent 90 minutes and used over 300 stitches to close the wound.
But Malarchuk's story did not stop there.
In only 3 months, Malarchuk returned to a standing ovation.
As if Malarchuk's jugular scare weren't enough, the Buffalo goalie suffered another close call on Jan. 27, 1992. On that day, following a Super Bowl party, he mixed pain medication with the alcohol he had been drinking at the party. Malarchuk had been given the prescription for pain killers to treat a stomach illness that he contracted on Jan. 23, 1992. The stomach trouble had landed him in a St. Louis hospital. Three days later, he had three or four beers as he watched the Super Bowl in Buffalo. He then went home and took his medication with another alcoholic drink, figuring it would make him drowsy and help him sleep through the night. Instead, he managed to poison himself. During the time, Malarchuk feel into a deep depression, and his unknown Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder caused him to have many sleepless nights. He was determined to get sleep; at that point he didn't matter if he woke up.
He lost consciousness and was rushed to the Erie County Medical Center. Malarchuk called the mixing of drugs and alcohol the "most traumatic experience I've ever had. The biggest mistake of my life."
In such current times where players wont sign because they want an extra $2 million on their contracts, shoot at the opposing team's basket just to get a rebound, or almost refuse to play due to the fact that their personal trainer is not allowed in the locker room; it's a breath of fresh air to know that some people are still willing to sacrifice everything to the game they love.
User Reviews
Submitted by rosemadder (user info) at 2007-10-19 19:09:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I've watched this on youtube about four hundred times since I first found this post. I fucking love it. Not just the blood and guts factor, but the story of this guy's life is fascinating.
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2007-10-17 04:13:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by rosemadder (user info) at 2007-10-17 03:05:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's a big deal because he could have died, shit for brains. I don't give a rat's ass about hockey or sports either, but I care because he is a person who has been through a lot. Also I fucking love blood. P.S. I'm an Emergency Room nurse. It's a cool story. Fuck you.
Submitted by netimportant (user info) at 2007-10-17 03:01:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"Some of you avid sports fans may have seen the Sportscenter story about him, but for you've who have not; I wish to enlighten you upon this amazing person."
Why is this guy an amazing person? Because he plays a dangerous sport and got hurt, then mixed drugs with alcohol, and didn't die out of pure luck?
I'm going to start doing really dumb, risky things and hope I survive so that everyone thinks I'm an awesome hero.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2007-10-17 03:00:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
He has a ranch in Las Vegas.
Used to raise emus.
Submitted by rosemadder (user info) at 2007-10-17 01:57:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This story is fucking cool. I love blood.
Submitted by Unabonger (user info) at 2007-03-17 20:35:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I remember when that happened...
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2007-03-17 20:06:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This is the #2 result in google for a search for "ubersite".
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2006-11-29 19:06:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
It was linked in some hockey forum.
Never knew there were so many hockey fans.
haha.
Submitted by DonovanMD (user info) at 2006-11-29 18:58:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Any good hockey posts deserves an auto +2. How did this get so many hits, shit.
Submitted by Banga3386 (user info) at 2006-07-03 07:06:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Look what I found:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXO0xsYsSoU
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2006-06-20 18:15:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
...shut up pff, you dont count!
I want a record!
Submitted by professorfuckface (user info) at 2006-06-20 03:11:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2006-06-20 03:01:36 (#)
Ranking: 2
I think I have the post with the most hits without being on B@W
http://www.ubersite.com/m/32313
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not even nigger, http://www.ubersite.com/m/75459 and that's probably not even the most hits for a non-B@W either, and cancer you fucking retard jpegs are measured in pixels, not feet you fucktard, get a brain, I'll allow you to claim shittest mspaint
Submitted by G-prime (user info) at 2006-06-11 07:15:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Well, this is the first link on uber for "clint malarchuk" so the hits aren't exactly going to be slowing down.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2006-03-28 08:31:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
The sight was so grizzly that 2 spectators suffered heart attacks and 3 of Malarchuk's teammates vomited while still on the ice.
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heh heh
Submitted by a_reader (user info) at 2006-03-28 08:17:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
How in the holy fuck? 55k? What the...?
Submitted by the_lone_stranger (user info) at 2006-03-04 23:58:22 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Grisly
Submitted by Kale (user info) at 2006-03-04 23:41:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by MandaPanda (user info) at 2006-01-20 03:30:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Wow.
Submitted by EchoBoxing (user info) at 2006-01-13 15:17:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Banga3386 (user info) at 2005-12-31 04:33:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This mother fucker truly SKATED IT OFF!
Ok how am I the first person to think of that?
Submitted by inion_de_trua (user info) at 2005-12-31 03:49:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i love hockey injuries.
Submitted by Bob_Dole (user info) at 2005-12-31 03:29:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
was there realy that much blood in the original photo?
Submitted by a_reader (user info) at 2005-12-31 03:14:56 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Hockey auto +2.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-12-07 18:21:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
uurk
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2005-11-23 02:18:58 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
i love you too brian.
Submitted by polymorph505 (user info) at 2005-11-23 02:15:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for a great hockey story.
He still ain't no Patrick Roy though.
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2005-11-23 02:15:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
because you are a whore
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2005-11-23 01:59:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
HOLY FUCK. HOW THE FUCK DID THIS GET 37,000 HITS?????
GODDAMN.
Submitted by BillsSBChamps (user info) at 2005-02-13 02:17:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2004-11-06 13:25:08 (#)
Ranking: 2
Here's an interesting bit of trivia...
I was AT the game...at the old Buffalo Aud.
Yup...Shlongy saw it live.
Sitting in the Adelphia Cable Skybox when it happened, so not only id we see Steve Tuttle crash into Malarchuk the FIRST time, but since we were in a Skybox, we saw the replay about 47 times.
He's had a tough go of it the last ten years battling depression but he seemingly came out the other side.
Great guy.
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This is the first time I saw this and funny thing is, I was also there. I was only about 8 and I wondered why the crease turned red all of a sudden. Then I saw the replay. I'm still amazed that he lived.
Submitted by FunnyAsCancer (user info) at 2005-02-13 02:04:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Everything you ever wanted to know about FunnyAsCancer
User id: 11362
Registered on or around: 2004-08-17 18:04:50
# Reviews written: 999
You know what that makes this one, right?
Consider yourself lucky.
Submitted by domenad (user info) at 2004-12-30 18:29:36 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Walk it off!
Submitted by xenon (user info) at 2004-11-09 12:35:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Great story, but he lost all respect TO ME when he mixed the drugs and alcohol.
Submitted by EchoBoxing (user info) at 2004-11-09 12:28:41 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
hahahaha just kidding!!
Submitted by EchoBoxing (user info) at 2004-11-09 12:28:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i can't -2 this
Submitted by darko (user info) at 2004-11-08 01:22:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice sentimental story. And this is the only hockey we might hear about all year so plus 2.
Submitted by darko (user info) at 2004-11-08 01:19:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Sura wasn't the worse of the triple double fiends though. There was a guy either for the jazz or against the jazz last year who put the ball towards HIS OWN HOOP so he could get his last board. And regardless of having one revoked, if it had counted it woulde been his third consecutive one. But from now one whenever one of the "stars" of the nba bounces it off the backboard so they can dunk it they better not give them a rebound. And now i shall read your post.
Submitted by ThePorkchop (user info) at 2004-11-08 01:06:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
His name is "Clint" not Flint, not Cunt, Clint. Why his parents didnt name him Flunt is beyond me.
Good post.
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2004-11-06 13:25:08 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Here's an interesting bit of trivia...
I was AT the game...at the old Buffalo Aud.
Yup...Shlongy saw it live.
Sitting in the Adelphia Cable Skybox when it happened, so not only id we see Steve Tuttle crash into Malarchuk the FIRST time, but since we were in a Skybox, we saw the replay about 47 times.
He's had a tough go of it the last ten years battling depression but he seemingly came out the other side.
Great guy.
Submitted by Schwarzes_Glas (user info) at 2004-11-06 13:19:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
+2 for posting anything regarding the Mallard. Fucking a.
Submitted by amjxray at 2004-09-10 12:08:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
You can find the video of this on www.steakandcheese.com. All hockey players these days are pussys who whine about their big buck contracts. This guy played and almost died for the sheer love of the game.
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-06-01 04:34:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Thank God for Sabres Trainer jim pitzutelli's fast response.
Submitted by Falco (user info) at 2004-05-18 07:01:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you call that blood? stop whining. good story tho
Submitted by WorldCupWill (user info) at 2004-05-18 06:49:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Where did you get the picture?
Submitted by lilbill87 (user info) at 2004-05-12 22:09:02 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome, guts and glory, the way it's supposed to be!
Submitted by Avengelyne (user info) at 2004-05-12 21:43:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I though it was 3 weeks later he was back playing?... Great story though, Clint is my ultimate hero :o)
Just seen the footage again on ESPN (well UK C5 actually) whilst watching the Flames trash the Sharks (YEYYY GO FLAMES)
Submitted by ohlookasquirrel (user info) at 2004-05-12 21:41:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I feel dirty.
Submitted by Insanethemind (user info) at 2004-05-12 21:19:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Great post, i'd known nothing about this amazing story till now
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2004-05-12 21:11:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
how the fuck did this get 400 hits today?
i posted this a week ago.
Submitted by anon <anon.at.tralala.fuck> at 2004-05-11 17:02:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
WOOO! YES! i was AT that game, with the ol' man and my little bro. the entire arena thought this guy was dead... and then, like the tru bad-ass that all good hockey players are, he stood and WALKED OFF THE ICE. i kid you not. shit, i'd forgotten all about that until i read it here. cheers!
Submitted by Spiral_Abraxis (user info) at 2004-05-09 23:30:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Someone give me the link for the video, I can't find a working link anywhere...
Submitted by derick <dprime.at.hotmail.com> at 2004-05-09 23:11:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This guy is my god damn hero. I wish I could inspire people like that. Why isn't this guy more famous ? He freaking should be.
Submitted by Sacrew (user info) at 2004-05-09 22:39:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
KICK.
ASS.
Submitted by Spiral_Abraxis (user info) at 2004-05-09 21:52:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Jesus christ.
Submitted by steve <spester9.at.aol.com> at 2004-05-09 21:29:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This article is awesome I couldn't find much about malarchuk on the Internet until I found this. I'm doing a report on him and would appreciate if anyone had any more information on him, or where i could get the ESPNews story about him to email me back. thanks
Submitted by coley (user info) at 2004-05-07 21:16:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Alright, dude, I haven't seen you around so I'm going to have to latch a
~*~*~*~HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!~*~*~*~
On to your post.
:D
Submitted by Herpes (user info) at 2004-05-06 17:17:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Didn't I just see this on ESPN2? Or was it ESPNews? No... it was ESPN Deportes.
Normally I wouldn't +2 anything that has to do with hockey, but the Red Wings lost, and I'm ecstatic!
Submitted by coley (user info) at 2004-05-06 17:08:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I think he's a little nuts, but it's a cool story. :D
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2004-05-06 13:40:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
yea, if you think this picture is bad, go find the video of this.
you see him go down and within 10 seconds, blood is everywhere.
Malarchuk is a reminder of what sports truly mean.
Submitted by potatomanjack (user info) at 2004-05-06 09:11:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I remember when this happenned, and how fucked up it was to see the video of it actually happenning.
I still shiver when I think about it.
Submitted by DeathJester (user info) at 2004-05-06 06:07:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent
Submitted by mikethescottish (user info) at 2004-05-06 04:33:13 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Great post, disturbing picture.
+2 it is.
Submitted by Death_Metal_Dude (user info) at 2004-05-06 04:16:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That guy is badass.
Submitted by Socialist_Joe (user info) at 2004-05-06 03:21:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
and to think hes now the goalie coach for flordia
Submitted by mystiamoon (user info) at 2004-05-06 03:06:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
wow
Submitted by chipolatte (user info) at 2004-05-06 01:36:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That guy is a G.
Submitted by Zod (user info) at 2004-05-06 01:26:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Damn.
Submitted by Secks (user info) at 2004-05-06 01:02:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good picture
Submitted by Chuck (user info) at 2004-05-06 00:54:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by DJMattB241 (user info) at 2004-05-06 00:42:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
that picture wasnt NEARLY as bad as i thought it was going to be.
Submitted by Sideburns (user info) at 2004-05-06 00:09:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
wow.
Submitted by JMG114 (user info) at 2004-05-06 00:06:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Beauty.
Submitted by Razor (user info) at 2004-05-06 00:04:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
that's just... crazy.
Submitted by stupidwhiteguy (user info) at 2004-05-06 00:01:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This guy's also a horse dentist. Haha. He's a horse dentist! Get it?
Sick, sick picture. I'm gonna throw up. Great story, though, even though it was poorly written. Hockey is the best sport next to football, ever! EVER! I don't know, though, street hockey probably tops them all off.
Anyway like I said, good story. Makes me worry for my man Steve Yzerman.
Submitted by youarsoghey (user info) at 2004-05-05 23:49:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Way worse than mine.
http://www.ubersite.com/m/30499
Hockey is such a great sport. Rarely do you get what is common in basketball and football. Almost all of these guys are great people.