Damar Hamlin's severe medical emergency hits home for the Islanders
Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins runs near Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the first half of an NFL game on Monday in Cincinnati. Credit: AP/Joshua A. Bickel
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — As pro athletes but, more importantly, as human beings, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffering an on-field cardiac arrest on Monday night shook the Islanders players.
“It’s scary,” defenseman Noah Dobson said before Tuesday night’s game against the Canucks at Rogers Arena. “Whether it’s your sport or someone else’s professional sport, it’s hard to see stuff like that. It kind of gives you that eerie feeling. We’re grateful also with how great the medical staffs are. You saw how quick of a response and how much care he was able to get.”
Brock Nelson, calling the situation, “scary all around,” said some Islanders were watching the Bills-Bengals game.
“It hits different and puts a lot of things into perspective for people,” Nelson said. “You have different thoughts that you maybe normally don’t think. In sports, you think about laying everything on the line and you never think that will happen.”
Attractive target?
The Red Wings placed left wing Jakub Vrana, 26, on waivers on Tuesday and he does have ties to the Islanders. Coach Lane Lambert was a Capitals assistant during Vrana’s first two seasons in the NHL with Washington. Vrana’s agent, J.P. Barry, also represents Mathew Barzal.
Vrana, who has one season remaining on a three-year, $15.75 million deal, has 98 goals and 91 assists in 323 career NHL games. He exited the NHL/NHL Players’ Association assistance program on Dec. 9 and had played three games in an AHL conditioning stint.
Isles files
RW Cal Clutterbuck (injured reserve/right hand) missed his eighth game after participating in Monday’s practice and Tuesday’s optional morning skate. “He’s getting closer,” Lambert said. “We’ll see as the trip goes along…” RW Kyle Palmieri (injured reserve/upper body) also participated in the morning skate and missed his eighth game. He has yet to go through a full practice.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
