Rich Peverley: Dallas Stars Forward Collapses On Bench, Needs Defibrilator

Rich Peverley collapsed on the Dallas Stars bench during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, and the forward had to be rushed to a hospital with what doctors called a heart-related condition.

Peverely lost consciousness about six minutes into the game, just after returning to the bench from a shift on the ice. He was taken to a Dallas hospital and was listed in stable condition.

The forward has a history of heart-related issues, including a diagnosis of an irregular heartbeat prior to training camp. He missed all of the preseason and the season opener after undergoing a procedure in Cleveland, and also missed a game last week due to the heart condition.

Doctors said Rich Peverley needed some emergency assistance after the incident on Monday.

“We successfully treated him for a cardiac event with standard therapy,” said Dr. Gil Salazar of UT Southwestern Emergency Medicine. “We provide oxygen for him. We started an IV. We did chest compressions on him and defibrillated him, provided some electricity to bring a rhythm back to his heart, and that was successful with one attempt, which is very reassuring.”

The next few days will be critical for Peverley, doctors said.

“Once there’s a cardiac event like this, it becomes a matter of trying to find a cause and addressing it,” said Dr. Salazar. “What this does to the future, it’s hard to say. There are many causes for this and the doctors at UT Southwestern will do extensive testing to rule out major causes of it and address them accordingly.”

The league postponed the game due to the high emotions from players. NHL officials said it will be made up at a later date, but have yet to decide when.

If it were up to Rich Peverley, the game may have gone on as scheduled. Doctors said as soon as he regained consciousness, Peverley asked if he could return to the game and play.