Who was Bill Masterton? Know all about the player whose unfortunate death sparked a rule change in the NHL

Bill Masterton was a Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre, who played in the NHL for the Minnesota North Stars in the 1967–68 season.

Unfortunately, Masterton is the only player in NHL history to have died as a direct result of injuries sustained during a game, the result of massive head injuries suffered following a hit during a January 13, 1968, contest against the Oakland Seals.

Masterton was a standout player during his college years with the Denver Pioneers. He was a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship teams in 1960 and 1961, was twice an NCAA All-Star, and was the most valuable player of the 1961 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

After college, he briefly played for the Montreal Canadiens organization before settling in Minnesota, where he played senior hockey.

In 1967, the NHL expanded, offering Masterton the opportunity to play for the newly founded Minnesota North Stars. He scored the first goal in the franchise's history, but tragically, his career was cut short during his first season with the team.

His untimely death sparked a long-running debate in hockey about the merits of wearing helmets, as few NHL players did so at the time. Despite several efforts to mandate their use, it took 11 years before the NHL made helmets compulsory for all new players, beginning in the 1979–80 season.

In Masterton's memory, the NHL created the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which has been awarded since 1968 to a player who demonstrates perseverance and dedication to hockey.

A look at Bill Masterton's career

Bill Masterton was a talented ice hockey player from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He began his career with the St. Boniface Canadiens in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, where he made a name for himself as a prolific goal scorer.

In his second season with the team, he recorded an impressive 53 points in 30 games, attracting the attention of the University of Denver, which offered him a scholarship to play with the Denver Pioneers hockey program.

After graduating, Bill Masterton signed a contract with the Montreal Canadiens but found himself playing for their minor league affiliates due to the team's depth at center.

He had a successful stint with the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens of the Eastern Professional Hockey League and the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League before leaving professional hockey to complete his master's degree at the University of Denver.

He later settled in Minneapolis and worked on the Apollo program with the Honeywell Corporation.

Masterton continued to play hockey at the senior level, joining the St. Paul Steers and becoming a naturalized American citizen, allowing him to join the United States National Team in 1966–67. He served as captain of the team and was considered its most valuable player.