Blades, Breakaways, and Backboards: Managing On-Ice Emergencies in Professional Hockey

This presentation equips EMS professionals with a focused understanding of the unique challenges of managing medical emergencies in the fast-paced, high-impact setting of professional hockey. Drawing on firsthand experience as an EMS physician for the Minnesota Wild (NHL) and Minnesota Frost (PWHL), the session highlights practical, evidence-based approaches to effective on-ice emergency care. Participants will explore the full spectrum of acute injuries and time-critical scenarios encountered in hockey including cervical spine trauma, blunt thoracic injuries, facial and airway compromise, lacerations, orthopedic injuries, and cardiac events. Emphasis will be placed on safe patient access and extrication on ice, coordinated team-based response with athletic trainers and arena medical staff, and procedural considerations within the constraints of hockey gear, rink layout, and game operations.