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鈥檚 complete set of protective equipment includes a neck guard.
Reacting to the news of the boy鈥檚 death, his league 鈥� Association du hockey mineur de St-Eustache 鈥� extended its condolences to his family and loved ones.
鈥淲e are profoundly saddened by this tragedy shaking all the members of our association,鈥� league president Jean-Philippe Labr猫che said in the Friday statement, calling the last few days 鈥渆xtremely emotional.鈥� 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鈥檚 minister responsible for sports, Isabelle Charest, shared condolences on X: 鈥淎 sadness without words,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淚 am devastated to learn of the death of this young hockey player.鈥�
Police said they plan to assist in the Quebec coroner鈥檚 investigation into the boy鈥檚 death.
In a statement, Hockey Canada said all approved hockey programs for minors require players to use neck guards, which 鈥渞educe the risk of direct lacerations on the neck caused by contact with a skate blade.鈥�
But the equipment doesn鈥檛 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鈥檚 larynx and endangered his life, he said in a phone interview Friday. He wasn鈥檛 wearing a neck guard at the time of the injury, but said it likely 鈥渨ouldn鈥檛 have mattered鈥� because a neck guard wouldn鈥檛 have protected him from such a high-velocity slam.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe that there鈥檚 any neck protection that can protect from the impact,鈥� he said.
The Montreal Canadiens issued a statement Friday on their X account, saying the organization was saddened to learn of the boy鈥檚 death. 鈥淥ur thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.鈥�
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